Malawi
The Jim and Nancy Wright Scholars
Led and managed by Antoinette Holland, the Foundation’s agent in Malawi, the program is focused on providing youth, and especially girls, the opportunity to continue their education despite their lack of resources.
The Jim and Nancy Wright Scholars Program (named in recognition of the Wright family’s long-term support of Antoinette (Toni) Holland’s work, and to honour Jim’s memory) continues to be the model on which new Paré Foundation projects are based.
Due to the nature of schooling in Sub-Saharan Africa, the chosen approach is to holistically support beneficiaries, covering both direct and indirect costs of education: tuition fees, textbooks, school supplies, mid-day meals, and transportation costs, if need be. This last item is particularly important when supporting girls’ education, given their vulnerability when traveling long distances in remote areas.
The high school students we supported are now all enrolled in university:
- Tamandani and Judith recently graduated from high school and have been accepted to the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences for 5-year Bachelors degrees in Science of Nutrition and Dietetics and Biomedical Science, respectively.
- Benson (pictured above) is completing his final year at Don Bosco Youth Technical Institute in Electrical Engineering. His placement ends in December and his graduation ceremony will take place in February 2024.
- Jane (pictured below) is in her 2nd year of a 4 year bachelor of Arts at the University of Malawi in Zomba studying Media for Development.
Loyola Jesuit Secondary School
This is our fifth year working in partnership with Loyola-Malawi, in memory of Donald Paré, former President of the Paré Foundation, who was deeply committed to the Foundation’s mission, as well as the Jesuit ideal of forming “Women and Men for Others”.
We are pleased to report that our first cohort of five students successfully passed their high school graduating exams. As of this school year, we have a new group of five students – all girls – that are beginning their high school journey. Admission is by merit, and our support gives these girls from disadvantaged backgrounds access to career possibilities that would otherwise have been impossible.
Loyola-Malawi is a Jesuit run school located in Kasungu district, a few hours north of Lilongwe, the capital. The school boasts beautiful grounds and a new building to welcome its students. Admission is based on merit alone. Run by the Zambia-Malawi Jesuit Province, Loyola strives to offer a ‘preferential option for the poor’* – in this case, high quality education to those that otherwise wouldn’t have access to such schooling. We at the Paré Foundation are thrilled to participate in that mission.
*The term ‘preferential option for the poor’ is attributed to the Jesuits of Latin America, in the 1960s.