Much of my time has also been spent strengthening the relationship between our generous sponsors and those individuals their generosity supports. Lettina Khonje, photographed here on a cold morning, has had both eyes removed to prevent her retinal blastoma spreading to her brain. A kind sponsor has provided the funds to enable her to go to Nkhotakota School for the Blind. Her grandmother is illiterate and her mother has had minimal education, but, hopefully, Lettina’s education will be better than that.
Mercy, a deaf girl (as a result of malaria in early childhood) has been sponsored for some years at Mua School for the Deaf. Aged 16, she has been set up in a tailoring business with her mother so that they can be independent, self-sufficient, and Mercy has a profession in keeping with her disability.
Other children at Dwasulu Community Day Secondary School are sponsored by individuals who have received news of their ‘sponsees’. At a presentation ceremony, later this month, they will also be given learning materials and their school fees will be handed over to the treasurer. Attainment and attendance are also monitored: failure to maintain acceptable standards means sponsored pupils lose their sponsorship to more worthy candidates – there’s no shortage!
