Books gift builds link between Holmfirth and Malawi pupils

Nov 19 2008 by Hazel Ettienne, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

In addition, a sports bag filled with 50 balls for different sports, including football, netball and handballs obtained from vouchers donated by shoppers, while students were bag-packing at Sainsbury’s last Easter.

Three boxes containing penpal letters have also been sent, along with educational posters and a set of football shirts donated by Honley Junior Football Club.

In July, a party of 24 staff and students, led by teacher Steve Cheesbrough, travelled to Malawi and completed a project at Masasa CDSS, creating educational resources on the walls of the classrooms.

Year 11 pupil Will Saville said: “The week we spent in the school was an inspirational and emotional experience. We had heard that Malawi was really poor, but until we saw it for ourselves it didn’t really sink in.”

While staying at the school, the group got a taste of life in rural Malawi, by sleeping on the floor of a classroom, cooking on charcoal and wood fires, and collecting water from the single tap near the school, and using the school’s pit toilets.