More Than Savings: How Women in Thunduwike Are Rewriting Their Family Futures

In Mzimba North, daily survival is turning into sustainable independence. Through the Tiyanjane Village Savings and Loans Group, local women, from grandmothers raising orphans to widows building small businesses are pooling small daily savings to buy livestock, cover school fees, and branch into organic herbal farming.

Supported by Ulalo under the CdB-funded CANARASI project, Tiyanjane is proving that when women have a safe space to save, learn, and support one another, entire communities thrive.

Before sunrise in the quiet stretches of Mzimba North, the daily journey for water begins. For the members of Chanyeka Herbal Garden and Tiyanjane VSL, every bucket carried across dry terrain is an investment in a quiet revolution: turning ten varieties of medicinal and commercial herbs into a solid, sustainable earner for their families. Through peer-to-peer learning and modern organic methods, these farmers are proving that even in dry soil, self-reliance can grow deep roots.

Bridging the Digital Divide: Taking Knowledge Beyond the Reach of the Internet

What happens when learning depends on the internet, but connectivity is unavailable or too costly?

 In communities like Thunduwike and Kazuni in Mzimba North, limited access often means missed opportunities. Through the CANARASI Project, Ulalo is taking RACHEL; an offline digital library,beyond school walls and piloting it within Community Network Hubs.

From helping students revise school subjects to giving farmers and entrepreneurs practical guides on agriculture, health, and trade skills without needing data, this initiative ensures geography no longer determines how much knowledge a community can access.

A successful harvest is only as strong as its protection. Across Northern Mtwalo and Mpherembe, communities have grown the maize and soya needed to keep school kitchens running, but storage bottlenecks threaten that hard work. Discover how our field officers are stepping in with practical storage solutions to secure meals and keep learners in class.

As we remember Nelson Mandela, we are reminded that true leadership lies in service. We appreciate our partners for their commitment to helping children and youth reach their full potential.

True change in education is built by the people on the ground. At Chizimya Primary School in Mzimba South, Mr. Kondwani Nyirenda is proving that when a teacher takes proactive ownership, daily challenges disappear and learning time is protected. Read how his everyday leadership is setting a benchmark for the BEFIT program.

Through the Hello Future Digital Skills Programme, learners at Bwengu Community Day Secondary School are gaining digital literacy skills that are transforming their schools and communities. By teaching peers, families, and neighbours how to identify misinformation and AI-generated content, they are becoming confident digital citizens and inspiring others to use the internet responsibly.

Behind every smooth tablet-based learning session are the long journeys, dedicated hands, and tireless efforts of our tech team, who travel to the furthest schools to ensure no child is left behind. Beyond repairing devices, these heroes work side-by-side with local communities, training facilitators in basic tablet and headset maintenance to build lasting local ownership and keep the learning momentum going. This month, we are moving Happy Matekenya, Fanuel Nyirenda, and Edson Sinjirani out of the background and into the spotlight to share the proudest moments, challenges, and community-led triumphs from their vital work behind the screens.

We join our partners in commemorating the Day of the African Child, reaffirming that children can only reach their full potential when their basic rights are protected. At Ulalo, we ensure that access to safe and clean water is fundamental right essential for every child’s health, dignity, and education

Around the hills of Mabiri and Magogo, a quiet but powerful change is beginning. Discover how local leaders and village agents are stepping up to protect their local environment, adopting simple, energy-saving cooking stoves to ease the burden on our vital community forests.

The BEFIT Open Day went beyond performance, showcasing improved numeracy and literacy skills through arts and crafts demonstrating the program’s impact on learners, parents, and stakeholders.

Many arrive each morning with nothing but a cup or a plate in hand, eager to learn. At Thunduwike Primary, the School Meals Program is doing more than filling plates; it’s building a community movement. Read how local families are taking ownership to ensure hunger never stands in the way of a child's right to education.

Once struggling to adapt to traditional classroom methods, Faith is now thriving through BEFIT’S inclusive learning approach, actively engaging with academic content and demonstrating intellectual abilities that might otherwise have remained unnoticed.

Education is shifting from control to connection. Through a transformative partnership between Hello Future and Ulalo, teachers in Mzuzu are rethinking classroom leadership to foster critical thinking and creativity. Discover how student-centred learning and digital tools are helping educators build classrooms that do more than teach, they inspire.

Change does not begin in systems or strategies; it begins within individuals. This belief set the tone for Ulalo’s Quarterly Review Meeting, creating space for reflection, honest conversations, and a renewed commitment to personal leadership as the foundation for collective success.

In the digital revolution, communities are refusing to remain on the sidelines. They are becoming the engine of implementation rather than mere monitors, shifting from passive observers to active and radical owners. From funding their own security initiatives to stepping directly into classrooms, their role is evolving in powerful ways. The case of Mwazisi Primary School proves that meaningful development requires a collective heartbeat.

Ulalo continues to remain committed to ensuring young people reach their full educational potential through its partnership with Hello Future, aimed at expanding acccess to digital skills and future-ready learning opportunities for youth in Malawi