Save The Poor Foundation - SAPOF

Every child deserves a chance to shine, and sport can unlock that potential.

Sports do more than produce champions—they build confidence, discipline, teamwork, leadership and resilience while helping learners stay focused in school.

As Mpapa Primary School sports teacher Leo Lulanga says, introducing sports has attracted more learners to school and helped reduce dropouts, showing that sport is a powerful tool for education and social development.

Chitale Primary School sports teacher Geoffrey Dzidekha believes that talent exists everywhere, even in remote schools, if children are given the right support and opportunities.

At SAPOF, we believe every football pitch, every netball court and every chance to play is an investment in a brighter future for our children.

Let's keep giving every child the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed through sport.

Teenage marriages and pregnancies are increasingly affecting girls who have just completed their PSLCE and JCE examinations.

Instead of progressing to secondary education, many are being pushed into early motherhood and marriage, abruptly ending their academic journeys at a critical stage of development.

This is not just an individual challenge—it is a growing community crisis. When a girl drops out of school, it is not only her future that is affected, but also the broader fight against poverty.

Lost education translates into limited opportunities and long-term economic vulnerability for families and communities.

There is urgent need for stronger collective action to address the root causes, including exploitation, poverty pressures, and gaps in child protection systems.

Keeping girls in school must remain a shared responsibility if we are to break the cycle of poverty and secure a better future.

June, globally recognized as Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month within the broader Men’s Health Month, is a timely reminder that emotional wellbeing must be taken seriously from an early age.

At SAPOF, we emphasize that this conversation must include both boys and girls in primary schools, who are the leaders of tomorrow.

Many learners face silent challenges such as poverty, parental separation, peer pressure, and emotional neglect—issues that affect confidence, concentration, and performance in school.

This is why there is a growing need for regular mental health and life skills sessions in primary schools, creating safe spaces where both boys and girls can express themselves, build resilience, and develop healthy coping mechanisms while staying focused on their education.

When mental health support is integrated into learning environments, schools do more than teach - they help raise emotionally stable, confident, and responsible future leaders.

Plan International Malawi
Ministry of Gender, Malawi
UNFPA Malawi