Anthology 2019: Stories Of The Struggle For Education And Equality In Malawi

In Malawi, the struggle for girls to obtain a quality education has many causes, including a lack of ability to pay school fees, gender bias, cultural norms that require girls to perform strenuous domestic chores, and the expectation of early marriage and childbearing. These influences play a significant role in keeping women silent and excluded from reaching their potential. This challenge is what inspired VoiceFlame to extend a call for submissions inviting Malawi women to tell their stories of overcoming adversity to pursue their education and follow their dreams. VoiceFlame is honored to partner with these 24 women to raise local and global awareness around this pressing issue of providing education for females in Malawi and other nations.The authors range in age from 17 - 66 years old, and their education levels vary from secondary school to Ph.D's. Some are still at university, while others are active educators, scientists, managers, economists, writers, global leaders and activists. Some of the women were born into what could be considered privileged circumstances by Malawi standards, and others rose from humble beginnings or extreme poverty. Regardless, they all possess a deep and unwavering hunger to develop themselves through education. Each time I read these stories, I become more inspired by the perseverance, ambition and purpose that guided these women to prevail under unimaginable hardships.All the stories are unique and yet there are common threads woven throughout the narratives. The importance of having a wise and trusted person in one's life to offer love and support stood out to me as a critical factor on the journey to triumph. Every woman wrote about a mentor, someone who believed in her, who in their own words or actions said, "I see you. You matter. I believe in you." Mothers, who were often forced to quit school themselves and wanted a better life for their daughters, were highlighted as a primary source of inspiration. Others shared stories of receiving significant encouragement from fathers, step-fathers, teachers, sisters and friends. Having experienced the warm hearts and generous spirits of many Malawians, I was not surprised to learn that every single woman expressed a sincere desire to pass her hard-earned wisdom forward, to use her gift of education to empower other girls to achieve their dreams. Several of the authors are already engaged in ambitious projects to create changes in attitudes towards girls and to support those who are motivated to stay in school. The second section of the book is authored by 28 girls from Mtsiliza Primary School, Chigoneka Community Day Secondary School and Area 49-Gulliver SuperStarz Writing Club who attended the 2018 Voices for Change summer writing camp sponsored by VoiceFlame.This multi-generational collaboration of essays and poetry weaves together the voices of women who have achieved a level of success through education and young girls who still face the challenges of completing their schooling. These voices fill in empty spaces where once there was silence. In the Amherst Writers & Artists (AWA) method that VoiceFlame adheres to in all its writing endeavors, we believe that a writer first needs to learn to hear and trust their original voice and understand its value. Once the writer's voice is affirmed, strengthened and listened to, the learning of craft is a natural outgrowth. Therefore, the stories and poems you will read contain minimal edits, honoring the writer's authentic voice.

• | Author: Mary Tuchscherer, Lizabeth Rogers
• | Publisher: Independently published
• | Publication Date: Apr 26, 2019
• | Number of Pages: 243 pages
• | Language: English
• | Binding: Paperback
• | ISBN-10: 1799090132
• | ISBN-13: 9781799090137