Charity No: 1130350

SPONSORSHIP ANNUAL REPORT 2023

BACKGROUND

The programme was introduced in 2005 in Salima and Kasungu districts, and it has been of great
importance to many girls and boys who are orphans and those that come from vulnerable
homes where the parents or guardians cannot manage to pay school fees for the children. Many
have been helped with secondary education and others in tertiary education.

The programme has increased the number of sponsored students who are now in secondary as
well as tertiary education, and we wish to express our deepest gratitude to all our sponsors for
their steadfast support and generosity.

UPDATE ON PROGRESS

In the year 2023, we had 167 students in different secondary schools and 43 of our former
secondary students are now at University, College or in Vocational Training throughout the
country. Each year we are delighted to see some of our students graduate from college. In the
year 2022, we had 6 students who completed their studies in different universities and colleges
as well as vocational training schools, and others are pending graduation.

Many of our past sponsored students are now working in Government Departments and
Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). Some are now qualified teachers, some nurses and
even doctors, who have received support from their sponsor during the years of training. We
have many that have started their own business too.

Students in secondary schools are given pens, notebooks pocket money and transport to school
at the beginning of every term. They are also provided with a mosquito net, a torch, a scientific
calculator, and an English dictionary. Girls are also given reusable sanitary pads and knickers in
order to reduce absenteeism when menstruating.

During the last term holiday of the 2023 academic year, Starfish organised the annual students
meeting from 30th August to 1st September 2023 at Salima LEA for all our secondary school
students. Also in attendance were some students who recently got selected for different
universities. Students were advised on good conduct, encouraged and motivated to work hard
in school in order to achieve their goals. Among the speakers were the Starfish CEO and some
staff members, a Clinician from Starfish Hope Clinic, a nurse, a Starfish-sponsored student
Cassim Madwell who is in 3rd year at the university of Malawi.

Cassim Madwell, a 3rd year

student at University of
Malawi, Speaking to our
secondary school students

Charity No: 1130350 E: admin@starfishmalawi.com T: +44 (0) 1580 850 251 W: www.starfishmalawi.com
Cassim used his life story as an example to encourage his fellow students to work hard in their
studies. He said he did not allow his family background to affect his studies rather he used it as
a stepping stone to rise and work hard until he passed and was selected to go to the university.
He further asked them to remain focused in their studies and take good advice from their
parents or guardians, teachers and Starfish.

Chifuniro Katunga a Clinician from Starfish Hope Clinic spoke about HIV/AIDS, as well as other
Sexual Transmitted Infections (STI) and early pregnancies, the CEO, Emmanuel Uwaezuoke
spoke on good students conduct and general sponsorship rules, Mr McJohnson Chitunzu
encouraged the students that it’s not the end of the road if they don’t make it to the university,
as they can enrol into vocational training school, for instance carpentry, welding and fabrication,
motor vehicle mechanics just to mention a few. At the end, students were given a chance to ask
questions to the speakers and Starfish staff. It was an interesting time as there was a good
interaction between students and speakers.

During the meeting students were given shoes, clothes, pens, notebooks, toothpaste and other
things. Best performing students were given presents for their hard work.

JUNIOR CERTICATE EXAMINATION JCE AND MALAWI SCHOOL CERTIFICATE OF EDUCATION

(MSCE) RESULT

The chart below shows how our students have performed at national exams from the year 2020
to 2023

In the year 2021 the total number of students who sat for JCE was 36, 35 of them passed
and 1 failed to represent a 97.2% pass rate.
In the year 2022 38 students sat for JCE, 36 passed and 2 failed representing a 94.7% pass
rate.
In the year 2023 35 students sat JCE and 35 passed representing 100% pass rate.

The government of Malawi abolished JCE exams in 2015 and reintroduced them in 2021, and so
there are no figures for JCE in 2020.

In the year 2020 34 of our students sat for MSCE, 22 passed and 12 failed the exam
representing a 64.7% pass rate.
In 2021 35 students sat for MSCE, 28 passed and 7 failed representing an 80% pass
rate.
In 2022 40 students sat for MSCE, 33 passed and 7 failed representing 82.5% pass
rate.
In the year 2023 33 students sat for MSCE, 28 passed and 5 failed representing 84.8% pass
rate.

From the data presented above, it is encouraging that there is a significant increase in the JCE
and MSCE pass rate of our students and some of them will be able to apply for university.

Charity No: 1130350 E: admin@starfishmalawi.com T: +44 (0) 1580 850 251 W: www.starfishmalawi.com
STORIES FROM STUDENTS

Charity Stambuli form 2 student at Chipoka Secondary School

“My name is Charity Stambuli, I was selected to Chipoka

Secondary School in 2022. My parents divorced when I was
young, they both remarried. Both their spouses were not willing
to help me and my siblings and we stay with our grandmother
who is very old, sometimes my mother do help us after doing
piece works that she does in peoples’ houses. What she makes is
not enough to pay my school fees and other needs.

This made me to apply for sponsorship at Starfish, this was term

2 of form 1, by that time I had not paid my term 1 fees and the
school could not allow me to continue without paying school
fees. I was at verge of dropping out of school, I thought it was the end of road for my education
and my days were filled with sadness whenever I thought of my education. Lucky enough
Starfish came to my rescue, it was a blessed day when we received a call from Starfish that they
are going to sponsor my education. I quickly packed my bags and rushed to Starfish from there I
proceeded to school as I didn’t want to spend another day at home.

I am now in form 2, I don’t worry or stress about being sent back home because I did not pay
my school fees. Starfish does not only provide me with school fees but also reusable sanitary
pads, mosquito nets, notebooks, calculator, and dictionaries just to mention a few. I will always
be grateful to my sponsor and Starfish.”

Clement Mussa, final year student at Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST)
with his mother.
Meet Clement Mussa, after writing his standard 8 exams in
2013, he was selected to Chipoka secondary school.

However, he stays with a single mother who struggles to

take care of her children. He saw his dreams getting
shuttered as his mother honestly told him that no matter
how much she may try, she may not manage to raise the
school fees and all other things he needed to be in school.

This is when Starfish intervened to save his future.

Starfish helped him with school fees and other related
needs such as transport and pocket money, dictionaries,
mosquito nets and many more, from form 1 to 4.

After writing his MSCE he was selected to Malawi University of Science and Technology to
pursue a bachelor of science in Immunology, Starfish is still helping him. Now he is in final
semester, Starfish is still by his side.

“I will forever be grateful to Starfish for the great work done in to me, I and my family are
thankful.” Said Clement.

Charity No: 1130350 E: admin@starfishmalawi.com T: +44 (0) 1580 850 251 W: www.starfishmalawi.com
This is what Clement`s mother had to say

“I just want to thank God for what he has done to my son through Starfish, paying his school
fees from secondary school and helping him out through university. I remember how helpless
we were when we visited Starfish office to apply for sponsorship, Starfish kindly took us in and
now here we are celebrating that Clement is about to finish his university studies. As a
mother, am very proud of Clement and grateful to his sponsors and Starfish. God bless
Starfish and sponsors; without you all this was impossible.”

Bezita Nkhoma, working with Zomba Mental Hospital

“I am Bezita Nkhoma, I was sponsored by Starfish through my
secondary school education, after writing my form four exams, I
passed very well and got selected to study Nursing and Midwifery at
Kamuzu College of Nursing.

Starfish still helped out until I graduated in the year 2021. I am very
grateful to Starfish for giving me an opportunity to realise my dream
of becoming a Nurse.

I am now working as a nurse at Zomba Mental Hospital.

Am able to live independently and support my family in the village. I am also helping in paying
school fees for my siblings. Thank you, Starfish.”

CONCLUSION
Starfish Sponsorship is making a difference in the lives of young people who are unable to
complete their education in different secondary schools, universities and colleges in Malawi
because they have no one to pay for their school fees and other needs. The testimonies of
students, parents and teachers confirm the significant difference sponsorship has made in 2023.

Sponsors also confirm that sponsorship has made a difference in their lives too. We at Starfish
give them our heartfelt thanks. They are truly making a difference.

Charity No: 1130350 E: admin@starfishmalawi.com T: +44 (0) 1580 850 251 W: www.starfishmalawi.com