Towie Primary School

For around seven years now we have had a link with Lisale school in Malawi. It was set up via personal contacts of a former member of staff. At first we wrote to individual children, learning about daily life in each other’s country. As our partnership developed we have carried out a variety of projects together. The children at Towie have run enterprise activities, selling goods they have created, as well as goods sent to us from Lisale, at a local highland games. The monies raised have been sent to Lisale school and have helped to sustain the relationship by providing postage. But they have also been used to help fund school improvements in Lisale such as providing classroom materials, helping to improve classrooms and helping to build a library that will be used by the community as well as the school. Through donations from our local boys football club we have also provided items such as sports uniforms. Most recently we have begun to share traditional tales. Our next joint plan is to begin building stronger community links, with local mother and toddler groups and PTAs in both countries taking part. We are a very small school (3 teachers, 38 pupils plus nursery children) with a very small pool of families who can support our fundraising. However, we feel the insight our children receive into life in Malawi is very important in developing practical attitudes to global citizenship.