Our vision is quality early education for all children.
Mwana was founded by four Derbyshire-based women—Zoë, Eileen, Nancy and Marian —united by a shared vision, a fierce passion for early years education, and a commitment to social justice. Education is at the heart of everything we do. Driven by our professional experiences and as mothers, we know first hand the value of giving children the tools and resources to thrive. We passionately believe that a high-quality education should never be a privilege; it must be a universal right for every single child.
While our passion drives us, our practical skills and on-the-ground experience deliver real results. Our well-rounded team brings together a powerful blend of expertise:
Together, we combine our unique strengths together with Rhoda, Dalo and Loges, as they provide local children with a fun, impactful and high-quality start in life.
Join us on this journey and support Mwana with a donation today, whatever amount you can spare.
I’m Nancy and am so grateful to be a trustee of this foundling charity. Our aim is to plant acorns that from one day oaks may grow. We know that money is tight for many people so please donate what you can – anything you can give will make a difference. None of your contribution will be spent on anything other than direct support to Early Years Education in Malawi. I have spent a 40-year career in Social Care and Early Years Education trying to make a positive difference to people’s lives, no matter how small that may be. I believe that we are a global village and I want to be a good neighbour. Hence my commitment to Mwana Education Support. Supporting Early Years Education can have a disproportionately large impact on life chances and experiences. Many children in Malawi face poverty, malnutrition and limited access to educational resources, so investing in the Early Years helps reduce disadvantages before they become life long realities.
This is grass roots level support that we hope will play a very small part in strengthening Malawi’s population to succeed. At the most basic level it will bring more joy and hope into the lives of children in the three pre-schools we support.
My interest in being a trustee comes from the time I spent volunteering in Malawi, where I worked with children by introducing them to books and reading with them. That experience showed me the importance of education and play in improving children’s life opportunities and inspired a commitment to supporting young people’s development.
Spending six years living and working in Malawi with UK and Malawian literacy charities, I experienced the true transformative power of education in rural communities across Malawi and Zambia. It was an absolute joy to be welcomed into the homes and hearts of local families. Malawi captured my heart completely. After returning home, I stayed in close contact with brilliant, passionate colleagues including Rhoda and Dalo. With the impact of COVID and severe cuts to international education aid, the need for basic, high-quality educational materials became more urgent than ever.
It was out of this need that Mwana was founded by women to partner and support the women of Malawi and teachers in their quest to deliver a quality early educational experience for their children.
Having visited Malawi many times, I have seen first-hand the profound impact that education can have on children – especially at pre-school. As a UK-based paediatrician, my professional background aligns with research highlighting the vital importance of an enriched pre-school experience – especially in Malawi, where poverty rates are exceptionally high.
Early brain development and stimulation are absolutely crucial. I bring my clinical skills, practical experience from visiting the wonderful country of Malawi, and my experience as a mum of two young children to my role as a Board Trustee for Mwana.
Join us on this journey and support Mwana with a donation today, whatever amount you can spare.
