Update on the Her Education Matters Njenga

The girls of Njenga Primary School

Think Malawi are happy to share an update on the progress of our project with our Malawian-based partner, Green Vision Environmental Organisation (GREVEO).

Last year from October to November we raised £4,050 to fund GREVEO’s project tackling the barriers to girls’ education at Njenga Primary and Secondary Schools with 500 girls being direct beneficiaries.

To start the project, GREVEO carried out another assessment of the school's capacity speaking to 20 girls, 6 PTA and Mother Group members, school administrators and also inspecting the existing sanitation facilities.

Their findings reinforced the need for the funding provided by your donations and Think Malawi. 85% of girls reported missing school during menstruation, with most losing between 3 and 4 days every single month. Neither school had a changing room available, and there was no existing capacity within the community to produce sanitary pads locally. This evidence is now serving as the benchmark against which all future progress will be measured and it has made the urgency of the project's remaining activities very clear.

How would you feel attending school without a private place to deal with your menstrual hygiene management, falling behind because of something that is natural?

As a result of this, GREVEO is continuing to implement their pre-planned two-pronged solution. Firstly, they are equipping the school’s mother group with sewing machines and teaching them how to produce reusable sanitary pads, giving the girls a source of sustainable and affordable sanitary pads. Secondly, they are constructing dedicated changing rooms and toilets at both the primary and secondary schools. This will thus give girls the resources and space they need to manage their menstrual hygiene.

In January 2026, GREVEO held a formal project launch at their offices in Salima District, bringing together government officials, community representatives and project staff for a full day of discussion and planning. The meeting introduced the project's objectives, clarified the roles of each stakeholder, and established the co-ordination mechanisms that will underpin delivery over the coming months. 

Securing this kind of buy-in from district-level stakeholders early is vital — not just for smooth implementation now, but for the long-term sustainability of the project once Think Malawi's funding period comes to an end. Without the buy-in and inclusion of local stakeholders these projects would not be possible, this is why all of our projects are done with local Malawian partners. We are here to help the communities have ownership of the improvements to the schools and thus make it in the interest of the community to have long-term buy-in.

The Mothers Group of Njenga Secondary School

The headline achievement of this first quarter has been the training of 20 Mother Group and PTA members in reusable sanitary pad production. This has meant the project is on target to meet its' goals in the first 3 months. The training ran over several days from late February into early March 2026 and it was delivered by TEVET-certified sewing trainers from Salima Technical College at Njenga CDSS. Participants were taken through every stage of the production process — from understanding the materials and cutting techniques through to stitching, assembling, and using the sewing machines — and every one of the 20 participants successfully produced reusable pads during the sessions themselves.

This matters enormously for the long-term success of the project. Rather than relying on an external supply of sanitary products, the community at Njenga will now be able to produce pads themselves on an ongoing basis — keeping girls equipped month after month, long after the project formally concludes. The skills these women have gained also open up potential income-generating opportunities, adding another meaningful layer of benefit to what the training has achieved.

Monthly monitoring visits to both schools have also begun, with GREVEO staff meeting regularly with head teachers and teachers to collect and analyse attendance data. Current figures show attendance sitting at 79% at the primary school and 72% at the secondary school, with some notable variation across year groups.

It is still too early to see a measurable reduction in menstruation-related absenteeism — the distribution of sanitary pads, planned awareness sessions, and the construction of dedicated changing rooms are all scheduled for the coming quarters. GREVEO have already worked with teachers to improve how menstruation-related absences are recorded, so that the project can build a clearer picture of progress as the year develops.

Girls of Njenga Secondary Schools

The next phase of the project will see the focus shift to infrastructure. The baseline confirmed that neither school currently has a single changing room and this makes it extremely difficult for girls to manage their periods discreetly and with dignity during the school day. This is one of the main reasons for the girls missing so much education. 

Construction of new, eco-friendly changing rooms and improved toilet facilities at both schools is now a priority, with strong commitment already secured from the local PTA and Mothers' Group to contribute materials and support the build. Alongside this, awareness and education sessions on menstrual health are planned, and distribution of the reusable pads produced during training will begin ensuring the pads are given directly to the hands of the girls who need them most.