Embassy of Japan in Malawi
在マラウイ日本国大使館

Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects

Grant Contract Signing Ceremony
Project for the Construction of Twin Girls Hostels

at Bandawe Girls Secondary Schools in Nkhatabay District

30th January, 2015

　On Friday, 30th January 2015, His Excellency Shuichiro Nishioka, the Ambassador of Japan to Malawi and Mr Benford Mwakayuni Head Teacher for Bandawe Girls Secondary School signed a grant contract for the Project for the Construction of Twin Girls Hostels at Bandawe Girls Secondary School in Nkhatabay District. The grant signed amounting to US$158, 317 is provided under the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects. The function was held at the Embassy of Japan conference room and graced by Honorable Dr. Emmanuel Fabiano, Minister of Education, Science and Technology.

　Bandawe Girls Secondary School, established in 1997 is a boarding school with two hostels accommodating 326 girls. However, one hostel accommodates 180 girls instead of 90 girls and the other accommodates 116 girls instead of 58 girls, leading to two girls sharing one bed. In addition, 30 girls use a sawing room which is not equipped with wash rooms as a hostel.  Sharing beds is generally not hygienically conducive and it creates an environment where infections of the skin and respiratory tract can easily be spread among the girls. A hostel is supposed to be a good environment where the students are expected to have enough and good rest in order to concentrate in class. However the school is one of the excellent schools in the Northern Education Division but with the current situation of the hostels at Bandawe Girls Secondary School, the studies of the girls, could be somewhat affected.

　The grant provided from the Government of Japan will facilitate the construction of two 56 bed capacity girls’ hostels in order to improve the current boarding environment at Bandawe Girls Secondary School. It is therefore expected that after project completion the education and boarding life of the students will be improved. Girls who are educated become empowered and reliable citizens of their communities and the nation in general.