Lilongwe Education Assistance Project

LEAP

Helping schools in Malawi.

What projects are we sponsoring?

• Providing a secure environment for learners: doors and locks, breeze blocks for the different classrooms.

• Maintaining blackboards. As there are no books, the blackboard is an essential tool for teaching.

• Providing desks and benches for the classrooms. In the schools where benches were provided, the teachers noted a increase in attendance.

• Providing challenges: in the past 4 years, we have organised 3 tournaments (netball and football) for the LEAP schools. Prizes were sporting equipment (balls, cones…) as most schools do not possess such things.

• In partnership with other visiting International Schools, providing flashcard workshops for the teachers.

Who are the LEAP Schools?

• They are Government Primary Schools apart from one.
  

• Some schools have been with LEAP since the beginning.

• They are all in need of help.

• They all have shown a commitment to respect LEAP ethos and ways of working.

Year 2007/ 2008	Number of Students	Number of Teachers	Number of Classrooms
Likuni Girls	1414	34	16
Likuni Boys	960	28	14
Chinsapo	5275	65	16
Mbinzi	680	21	8
Area 2 Girls	772	27	12
Mlodza	5385	68	16
Bunda	972	32	8
Chitedze	1058	26	20
Kauma	800	15	10
Polly (not gvt school)	(200)	-	(16)
TOTAL	17316 (17516)	316	120 (136)

Typical LEAP projects and costs:

• Providing 30 desks (seating about 90 students) in a classroom: $1,000 or £500

• Painting a classroom: 120$ or 60£

• Renovating a classroom (plastering and breeze blocks): 240$ or 120£

• Providing a lock: 10$ or 5£

• Providing a door: 60$ or 30£

• All the projects are done locally and help the local economy as they give jobs to local bricklayers, carpenters, welders etc.

The work done at Mlodza Primary school: renovating classrooms for this huge school. To teach their 5385 students, the teachers have to do 2 shifts and teach some classes outside.