Mchinji university students support needy student at risk of withdrawing

University students from Mchinji are contributing funds to assist their fellow student who is failing to cover his accommodation and upkeep expenses.

Kelvin Lembelani from Kalinde village in the area of Traditional Authority Mduwa in Mchinji District scored 11 points during his 2017 Malawi School Certificate of Education Exams (MSCE) which he sat for at Mtendere Boys Secondary school in Dedza.

He failed to apply to National Council for Higher Education in 2018 because he was under bursary and was supposed to pay K78,000 to get his notification of which he failed.

Later, he managed to pay K30,000 to get the notification and this year he was selected to study Bachelor of Education Languages at Chancellor College.

However, his certificate is at the school as he still owes the secondary school K48 000

Speaking with Malawi24, the 22-year-old first year student said he was safe with tuition fees but the main challenge is lack of funds to cover his accommodation and upkeep and other requirements since he is a self-sponsored student born from poor a family.

“The Loans Board paid my tuition fees but I lack money to use for my accommodation and food as we as stationery. I have tried my best but I have failed, I have both parents but they cannot afford to support me financially. Even the transport that I used when I was coming here, I borrowed from friends.

“I was given a certain amount by the loans board for my upkeep but used it to pay my rent for first two months, buy food and refund the money I borrowed from my friend, the one I used for transport from Mchinji to school,” said Lembelani.

He continued that currently he has nothing and his parents told him to find a way to go back to the village.

Lembelani said he may eventually have no choice but to quit school and go back to the village if he fails to source money to support his education.

Currently, the amount of money required is K150,000.

Lembelani said his fellow Mchinji students who are studying at Chancellor College have helped him with food and what is needed more now is money for rentals.

Mchinji intellectuals WhatsApp youth group which consists of students from Mchinji who are studying different courses at different colleges had raised only K10 000, at the time of compiling this report.

The figure, however, was expected to reach K20 000 to assist the student.

According the secretary of Mchinji Intellectuals, Gracian Million, the youths decided to assist because they want Lembelani to proceed and succeed with his education.

“We never know what fate might have tomorrow; we can’t have everything all the time. We have to help others so that they may also help us when we are in need. We believe that the Lord blesses the hand that giveth,” he said.