One morning you take a walk in the area and see many children running around. Why aren't they at school? The father of your host family helps you translate what the children are saying. Many say that they don't have enough clean and intact clothes, lack notebooks or can't afford school uniforms. Others say that they would rather earn a little money during the day by, for example, herding goats, but their parents don't care if they go to school anyway. Afrogarden runs the "Children Back to School" project to get these children to start school again. As motivation, the children receive a starter pack with school supplies and soap. If they still have good attendance after 2 months, Afrogarden's seamstresses sew school uniforms for them. Another follow-up is done after a year.

Before lunch, Aaron accompanies you to the nearest primary school and you are completely shocked. The school and classrooms are packed with children. There is one teacher for about 150 children. You also hear that several of the teachers are not trained teachers. How do the children manage to learn anything at all? How do the teachers manage to teach in this environment? Afrogarden acts as a complement and support to the schools, providing extra tuition both to students who have academic talent and to children who have difficulty keeping up. Afrogarden has needs programs that help the children with books, calculators, math instruments, solar lamps and school uniforms that will motivate the children to go to school, behave well and perform well. Assists high school students with school and examination fees, especially girls. Orphans without families can also be sponsored to boarding schools.

The next day there is a Wednesday market in the area and you go there to buy beautiful African fabrics. You see some very young girls (11, 12, 13 years old) with small children on their backs. Young girls are vulnerable in Malawi. They get pregnant early and are forced to stop going to school. Many parents also encourage girls to drop out of school to help out at home and in the fields. Prostitution is increasing, even among very young girls. Afrogarden runs several programs specifically targeting girls. For example, sex education, math support, personal counseling, youth discussion groups and internship programs.

When the school day is over, Aaron will take you to the “Wala Club” (see picture), which are Afrogarden’s reading circles in the villages. The aim is to ensure that the children learn to read freely, learn English and really understand what they are reading, as well as to create a reading culture and how to handle books.

The next day it is time for you as a volunteer to begin your entrepreneurship course for 20 girls – Afrogardens Continuing Education!