While his friends were looking forward to returning to campus next week, a University of Malawi student from Mzimba was unsure if he would join them after financial struggles pushed him to the brink of dropping out. Then came a lifeline.
The Jane Ansah Foundation has stepped in with support worth more than K1 million for second-year Library and Information Sciences student Kingsley James Tembo.
The package includes food and groceries, pocket money, transport assistance and various school requirements to help him return to campus with less financial pressure.
Tembo, from Kafikule Village in Mzimba, had turned to the foundation after struggling to meet his basic needs while studying away from home.
With the University of Malawi set to reopen on August 31, 2026, the intervention has given Tembo fresh hope of returning to class and continuing his studies.
Tembo, who has short stature and is locally referred to in Chichewa as “akafula”, expressed gratitude for the support, saying it will ease the pressure that threatened his education.
He also recalled an earlier meeting with Vice President Dr Jane Ansah at her Lilongwe residence, describing the encounter as positive and inspiring.
Reverend Rodgers Tenthema Edward Kamanga, Acting Chairperson of the foundation’s Board of Trustees, said the organisation wants to help vulnerable people build capacity, improve their lives and become economically independent.
“Kingsley has a vision for his future and what he needed was a destiny helper,” Kamanga said.
He said the foundation’s broader vision is to ensure vulnerable Malawians have opportunities to realise their potential and contribute meaningfully to society.