A Simple, but Transformative Moment

Daniel Nsonthi is a 14 year old boy whose mom died when he was five years old. Despite losing a parent at such a tender age, Daniel has continued to work hard at one of the reputable government high schools in Malawi, where he is a form one (9th grade) student. Unfortunately, because of a simple lack of school uniform, his education was hindered until Goods for Good distributed school uniforms last April.

In April 2008, I participated in the uniform school distribution at Consol Homes. Consol Homes is implementing this program in partnership with Good for Good. Goods for Good provides the fabric for making the school uniforms while Consol Homes uses their students enrolled in a tailoring vocational training – usually orphans who dropped out of school – to sew the uniforms. This partnership teaches a marketable skill to orphans without other options, and provides free school uniforms to those orphans still enrolled in the school system.

I was fascinated by the huge numbers of boys and girls who turned up to receive the school uniforms on this particular day. Many of them walked on dirt roads without shoes for over ten miles to get to the distribution. Then they waited several hours in the hot sun to see if they would be one of the lucky ones to receive a uniform. It made me feel both sad and inspired that they were willing to go through so much for something as simple as a school uniform – an item that many children across the world disdain and take for granted.

Of course, children wouldn’t be lining up in the hot sun if uniforms weren’t critical to success in the Malawian education system. School uniforms are required by law in Malawi, a policy that excludes many impoverished children from obtaining an education. In particular, orphans attending school in Malawi find it challenging to save the money, about three dollars, for a school uniform. Although cheap by US standards, they cost a lot for a low-income family in a developing country. Most caregivers cannot afford them, especially when they are caring for many children as the result of AIDS-related deaths in their community. Unfortunately, many children obtain a uniform only by missing school to work odd jobs, saving up for their uniform and other required school materials bit by bit.


On that sweltering April day, Consol Homes distributed 700 uniforms to students in primary and secondary school in rural Malawi. The need is so great that many more than 700 children showed the day of the distribution, but there was only enough for 700 children. It was during the distribution that I met Daniel, one of the fortunate children to receive a uniform. He told me that he was very happy to receive the school uniform because he had been told by his teachers that those students who would come without school uniform when school opens for the second term would be sent back immediately without any negotiation. Daniel had been kicked out of school for failing to wear a uniform last term, and he confessed that the teachers’ announcement worried him very much. He told me that sometimes he borrows a school uniform from a friend to attend classes.

Two weeks after the uniform distribution, I made a visit at Dzenza secondary school to see what a difference the school uniform was making in Daniel’s life. He told me that the uniform he received had allowed him to start the school term with joy. He was able to attend every class, which had resulted in immediately improved grades: He had performed very well with an average passing mark of 75%, the level of “distinction” in Malawi. Daniel has truly turned around his educational path, and the impetus was the school uniform. As I continue in my employment with Goods for Good, I look forward to being a part of many more simple, but transformative moments.