The Residential Youth Program has been one of our longest running and most successful programs. By providing a stable family-oriented home life, a comfortable living environment, three nutritious meals a day, and emotional support, the youth in our care are able to concentrate more fully on their academics. We have seen measurable results from the Residential Youth Program, with live-in youth being routinely at the top of their classes and recognized as leaders among their peers.

In addition to the universal barriers faced by both genders in Malawi, females face further difficulties accessing education. Males are often prioritized to attend school over their female siblings, particularly if the family cannot afford school fees for each child in the family. Girls who do attend high school are more likely to drop out due to additional pressures such as early marriage and pregnancy. When a girl is educated in Malawi, the impact extends beyond her future alone.

The D2D technology center provides rural Malawians the chance to learn to use and operate a computer, an opportunity they might not otherwise have access to. Housing 17 fully-functioning computers, the center offers lessons to locals of all ages which are facilitated by trained Malawians and international volunteers. D2D also hosts twice annual leadership workshops for all D2D sponsored youth and lessons focus on leadership skills, goal setting, health, and safety.

Supporting local schools and increasing the overall standard of education in the Chilumba area is important, not just for the success of our sponsored students who attend these institutions, but also for their peers and the community as a whole. This is why we remain engaged in both the infrastructure and management of the area Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools we partner with.

Following a 2013 large-scale survey of the educational needs of Northern Malawi, it was found that the largest barrier to educational success in the area was a lack of infrastructure and access to school facilities. It was based on these findings that we, in partnership with the University of Dayton, commissioned a new boarding school for boys, which established a national reach within its first year of operation, welcoming a class of 75 students. To learn more about Wasambo Boys High School, please visit: wasambo.org