A non-governmental organization in Balaka has launched a project to renovate teachers’ houses at Sosola Primary School in the district.
Speaking during the launch of the renovation project on Saturday, Executive Director of Child Focus, Thomas Sendeza, said his organization has been conducting inspection of the situation at the school where it observed that there is a lack of proper houses for some teachers.
He added that in the process of inspection, the school headteacher together with the school management committee asked the organization to help the school with the renovation of the teachers’ houses and construction of one changing room which can help the girls at the school to change their sanitary pads while at school.
”We have been inspecting the situation for so long and we found that some teachers lack good houses. It is for this reason why we are here to launch this project where we are going to renovate teachers’ houses, construct 5 toilets for boys and one changing room, a room which will allow girls to change their sanitary pads while here at school thereby minimizing absenteeism which comes among girls the time they are on their period,” he said.
Sendeza said at Sosola Primary School, there are 36 teachers, of whom only 3 reside at the school due to lack of enough teachers’ houses.
“The houses are not enough for all to reside here. The other teachers commute to work from far places which is not good. So, as an organization we have committed ourselves to start renovating two houses which are in a very dilapidated state,” said Sendeza.
He added that teachers play a very important role in the development of Malawi, and as such they need to have proper housing so that they continue their duties well.
He further said that at the school, there are still four more teachers’ houses that need to be renovated. He then called on well-wishers to join the move as their organization is currently passing through economic hardships.
In her remarks, Head Teacher at Sosola Primary School Jean Mapwesera commended Child Focus Organization for the renovation works at the school. 
“We hope that the renovation of these two houses will help teachers because at first we only had few teachers that were staying on school campus. The teachers would like to see the houses to be completed as soon as possible so as to relieve them from the great need of the houses”, said Mapwesera.
One of the school learners, Wilson Taonga, who is in standard 7 also thanked Child Focus organization for the great development at the school saying learners will also be able to ask teachers school-related questions during off school hours.
Sosola Primary School has over 916 learners with very limited number of toilets which are not in good conditions. The toilets are damaged and dangerous to be used by learners. The renovation project of the teachers’ houses and the toilets is being financed by the World Connect Malawi.
Founded in 2018, Child Focus is a registered youth-led non-governmental that aims at providing better learning environment for underprivileged children in marginalized areas in Malawi. Its main focus areas are in education, Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) and environment.
