Preparations and Discussions for the New Lidzinji Primary School - 27.10.2025

During our stay in Malawi this year, the planned renovation and expansion of Lidzinji Primary School in the village of Chepeze was a central focus. The school is located far from the nearest paved road and is attended by around 900 children from several surrounding villages. Its condition is worrying: only two simple classroom buildings exist, and many pupils are taught in makeshift reed shelters.

To prepare the next steps, we invited representatives of the Ministry of Education, the Diocese of Dedza, the Nazareth Human & Spiritual Development Trust, and the school’s leadership to a project meeting. Local architect Dan Tsiga, who has already drawn up initial plans on our behalf, also took part.

The meeting served to coordinate a master plan. In a first construction phase, three new classrooms are to be built to alleviate the most urgent shortage of space. This will be followed by the renovation of the existing buildings, and later by the construction of an administration block and teachers’ houses. A key concern shared by all participants is to actively involve the local community.

Afterwards, all participants came together for a joint lunch. In an open and pleasant atmosphere, the discussions continued and further ideas for the project’s implementation were exchanged.

A visit to the school was also part of our program. Together with the headteacher and several teachers, we were able to gain an impression of the current situation and discuss additional planning details on site.