Graduation celebrations at Hope Secondary School

June 20 was Graduation Day at Hope Community Day Secondary School in rural Blantyre, a celebratory day for the school and the Form 4 students.

The Hope4Development team, along with several current Youth Development Programme students, joined the teachers, parents and school students at the presentation ceremony.

It was an uplifting occasion that also provided the opportunity to showcase the vocational training courses available to school leavers at Hope Skills Centre.

In his own words, Samuel Banda, a YDP student, reports:

 

It was a joyful day with the graduates wearing their graduation t-shirts.

We began with an opening prayer, followed by a bible reading. It was then time for a drama performance given by the students. They performed well and gave a lesson at the end, which was helpful.

Different school departments gave encouraging speeches and well wishes to the outgoing students.

Sara Goodman, Hope4Malawi’s Projects Director, delivered her speech. I was next, alongside several other YDP students on the Youth Development Programme at Hope Skills Centre.

The first and most important thing we spoke about is the way we have changed spiritually and our faith in Jesus, our saviour. Afterwards, we shared our experiences as YDP students.

Steve Enock spoke about the business course and the change in his character. He explained the importance of starting with a business plan and having a vision for the business. Sauda (Tailoring), Raphael (Building Infrastructure) and Shadreck (Welding) spoke about the courses that they attended.

I spoke about Information Technology (IT). IT involves computer hardware and software components. I also explained more about the Youth Development Programme and how it has shaped my character and habits, including growing my faith in Jesus.

Supportive words from the YDP students

“I am not the person who I was, who you knew last year.” Steve Enock.

“You know me as Sauda Maulana, but as of now, I am Sauda the designer! I’m on the tailoring course and I enjoy it the most. Isabel, our instructor, is kind and helpful. I’ve learnt how to make shorts, trousers, dresses and pads for the girls. We have already made uniforms for the new students starting at Hope Secondary and Chipwepwete Primary School.

“I have also learnt about faith. In the past, I was not in a relationship with God, but as of now, my relationship with God is strong. I’m encouraging you, the students who are graduating today, that it’s good to attend YDP because you can be successful in the future.” Sauda Maulana

“In the last two weeks, I’ve been here at the school building the classroom block behind the staff room. These are the skills I have learnt. I want to learn to teach others about building. If you are writing exams this year, come and join the programme at the skills centre. I ask the holy spirit to guide you when you go to write examinations.” Raphael John

“In the past, I was doing whatever I thought when I was angry, but after attending this course, I have been shaped to suit different people in this world. Now, I can interact with other people.” Samuel Banda

Awards were then presented to the top-performing school students by Charis Miles (UK Projects Coordinator) and Andrew Kapulula (YDP Manager and Student Mentor).

The students were delighted to receive their awards, and everyone was presented with a certificate to mark their graduation.

Douglas Jamu, Headteacher at Hope CDSS, summed up the day’s events by thanking Hope4Development for their work and continued support. “There was a gap [in this community], but that gap has been filled by Hope4Development,” he said.

The closing ceremony was followed by a shared lunch.

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The story of transformation for Hope Secondary School

Hope4Malawi built and continues to develop Hope CDSS in a longstanding partnership with the Ministry of Education. As a result, more children have the chance to graduate with secondary education and can look forward to a brighter future.

There are now 185 students and 14 teachers employed at Hope Secondary, which provides places for eligible students from Hope4Malawi’s four feeder primary schools.

Hope4Malawi currently sponsors 63 children at the school and awards student bursaries to help rural families who cannot afford the school fees.

The latest phase of building work at Hope CDSS will provide additional classrooms and new facilities, doubling the school intake from September 2025.

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Can you help a child in Malawi?

Thanks to the support of our partners, sponsors, fundraisers and volunteers, Hope4Malawi's Youth Development programmes, school building projects, resourcing initiatives, and student sponsorships continue to provide life-changing opportunities for children in rural Blantyre.

For further information on how to get involved, please contact us.