Deforestation is a persistent problem in Malawi, with two percent of forested land being removed every year. Wood is needed by communities for everyday purposes like cooking and building, but the soil erosion that results affects subsidence farmers who rely on the land for their livelihood. The residents of Sangilo…
The most recent D2D’s Girls’ Empowerment Initiative is a girls income generating activity (IGA). Many girls lack access to training in areas of business management and financial literacy, which often leads to dependency on others, especially older men, for resources. D2D seeks to combat this issue by creating a program…
Determined to Develop is excited to offer new sponsorships to six Girls Club members as they begin their secondary educations. The girls each passed their standard eight examinations (8th grade) and have begun form one (9th grade) at their respective secondary schools. They will continue participating in the Girls Club…
This week was a busy one, as Determined to Develop hosted its annual Youth Leadership Workshop. This gathering provides an opportunity for D2D’s sponsored youth to come together to strengthen their leadership skills, learning from the D2D staff and one another. The D2D staff worked hard in the weeks prior…
On August 20th, D2D’s residential boys departed for their highly-anticipated excursion to Nyika Plateau. Rising 2,605 km (8,547 ft) at its highest point, the plateau makes for picturesque views of Lake Malawi and the Luangwa Valley. Within the plateau rests Nyika National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, containing a…
This summer, Determined to Develop once again had the privilege of hosting a collaboration of human rights, engineering, education, and development students from the United States and Malawi. D2D’s institutional partner, The University of Dayton, competitively selects a group of five students to perform critical research connected to key programming…
The D2D campus is once again abuzz with the energy of its residential boys, who are home for the summer holiday. After completing final examinations, the 52 boys, excluding those who are still in session at university or on attachment (holding an internship), began returning to campus the week of…
Our village, Sangilo, recently conducted a community-led Project Assessment and Planning meeting to focus on the development goals the village has for itself from the grass-roots level. The meeting was facilitated by the Group Village Head Chief Mtowelayifwa with assistance from Determined to Develop staff members. It was attended by…
D2D and our partner schools and their staff play a central role in moving our sponsored youth forward and enabling D2D to successfully achieve its mission. To acknowledge the extended efforts and contributions of these leaders, D2D recently hosted an appreciation dinner for the head teachers (school principals) of our…
In honor of Women’s Week here at D2D, the female staff members took the primary and secondary school Girl’s Club’s on a field trip to the University of Livingstonia. Over fifty-five girls endured the three-hour hike up to Livingstonia and all the way back down in just one day! Even…