Opening of the Liwiro Secondary School

On the 25^th anniversary of the Christian-Liebig-Stiftung e.V. (CLS) two years ago, the foundation stone was laid for a special project: the construction of the Liwiro Secondary School in southern Malawi. School began in the rural area north of Blantyre on September 16, 2024.

CLS launched the project with the clear goal of improving access to education for children and young people in this severely disadvantaged region. The area is plagued by extreme poverty, and the nearest secondary school is over 30 kilometres away – an insurmountable distance for many children. Liwiro Secondary School now offers 480 pupils from 32 surrounding villages the opportunity to attend secondary school. The government has already appointed a head teacher and four teachers, so that lessons could begin as planned.

It all started with wasteland.

Liwiro Secondary School: Opportunities for girls

The girls’ hostel offers prospects for schoolgirls.

This school offers real prospects, particularly for girls. Thanks to the newly built girls’ dormitory, those who live in remote villages or difficult family and social circumstances can now attend school safely. For these pupils, attending school means much more than just an education – it provides security and the opportunity to develop in a protected environment.

In a region where girls often have to take on responsibility for the household and family at an early age, the Liwiro Secondary School offers them the chance to break out of this cycle. It allows them to fulfil their potential and create a foundation for independence in the future. Thanks to the boarding school, the daily journey to school, which for many of them was either too dangerous or too far, is now a thing of the past.

Joint Success

This project would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of so many people. A very special thanks goes to Site Manager Nick Gaunt, whose commitment and passion were instrumental in the successful completion of the construction work. The support of the local community was crucial. Numerous meetings with the chiefs and village communities showed how important the project is to them, and their support was vital to the success of Liwiro Secondary School.

Further information about this project can be found on our Project page.

Photes: Iain Phillips, Moses Kasitomu, Christian-Liebig-Stiftung e.V.