The Primary School at Chiuzira Education & Development Centre is now fully operational with a total enrollment of 2,000 pupils and 33 qualified teachers.
Chiuzira Education and Development Centre (CEDC) is a community-based organisation established in 2000. It is located in Chiuzira Village about 10km east of Lilongwe, the capital city in Malawi. The CEDC has received support from The Ellen Jane Rihoy Trust since 2007.
The CEDC is a collection of the Chiuzira Orphan Care, the Chiuzira Nursery and Primary School, the Chiuzira Under-five Clinic, the Chiuzira Adult Literacy Centre, the Chiuzira Marjorie Lloyd Library and the Chiuzira Community Centre Hall and Ground.
A voluntary committee elected from 17 villages governs the CEDC. The Chiuzira community initiated CEDC because they were living in absolute poverty.
Pupils of the Chiuzira Primary School are now able to learn in proper classrooms seated on desks. Previously, they were learning in a dilapidated church seated on a dirty floor.
Daulos Mauambeta, Chiuzira Education and Development Centre founding trustee and honorary director, said the Chiuzira Marjorie Lloyd Library has a daily average of 30 users.
‘The health clinic is also running well, with a monthly total of over 400 women attending the Chizira Under-five Clinic and family planning services. The Chiuzira Nursery School continues to grow with a total of 150 pupils who are on the feeding programme.’
He said further equipment is required and donations are welcome.
‘The Chiuzira Nursery School will require cooking utensils, plates and spoons, flour and sugar and learning materials.
‘The Chiuzira Primary School will require mainly footballs, netballs and sports uniforms. The two clinic centres that we intend to open will require two building structures and limited furniture where clients can be assisted by government staff.’
He said the success of the CEDC means that other villages would like to follow suit.
‘There are a further 100 villages that would like to start nursery schools for young pupils to start early education; two trading centres that would like to run a health clinic and over 20 schools that lack basic sports equipment such as footballs, netballs and sports uniforms,’ said Mr Mauambeta.
The Ellen Jane Rihoy Trust provided £13,000 between 2007 and 2009, which was used for capital equipment, teachers and support staff wages and allowances, food for school pupils and teaching and learning materials.
In November 2009 the Ellen Jane Rihoy Trust committed to support the centre for an additional three years (2010 to 2013) with £10,000 each year.
In 2009, the Guernsey Overseas Aid Committee provided £17,613.58 for the construction of four classrooms, toilets and provision of water. After successful completion of this phase, further funding from Guernsey amounting to £40,000 was approved for the construction of four further classrooms, a community hall, a clinic and desks.
The funding from both the Ellen Jane Rihoy Trust and the Guernsey Overseas Aid Committee has motivated other individuals and organisations to support Chiuzira.
Dr Keith Lloyd and Mrs Marjorie Lloyd from Guernsey donated £13,000 for the construction and restocking of the library in 2009. CEDC is also receiving Likuni Phala nutritious flour from the Feed The Children international programmes and The Lilongwe Lions Club and American Friends of Chiuzira have provided Christmas gifts for the children.
Posted: 2 April 2014