CRECCOM empowers Bijota Chikonje to score 13 points and rise from rural Lipho classroom to Biomedical Sciences at Mzuzu University

In the remote hills of Thyolo District, near the Mozambique border, lies Lipho Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) — a small, rural institution separated from Mozambique by the Ruo River. Its classrooms, once old railway warehouses, have long lacked electricity, laboratories, and a library. Yet, from this humble setting, a shining light has emerged — Bijota Chikonje, now studying Biomedical Sciences at Mzuzu University.

Born in Gundamwala Village, Bijota comes from a family of six children. For many years, Lipho CDSS struggled with underperformance, teacher shortages, and limited learning

resources. Most students faced daily challenges such as walking long distances to school, studying by candlelight, and learning without basic lab equipment.

In 2023, through the Let Girls Learn II Project, implemented by the Creative Centre for Community Mobilisation (CRECCOM) with support from Echidna Giving, the school began to experience a transformation. The project introduced Study Circles, Youth Forums, and Mother Group mentoring to motivate students and improve performance. Teachers were trained to guide learners through peer learning groups, while Mother Groups were empowered to counsel and encourage students, especially girls.

For Bijota, these interventions came at a critical time. “CRECCOM gave us a picture that although the school had many challenges, we could still do better,” she says. “Study circles boosted our teamwork and performance. They gave us the confidence that even from a poor rural school, we could succeed.”

Despite lacking electricity, Bijota and her friends continued studying late into the night. Their Headteacher, Mr. Robert Chunga, often lent them his own torch to ensure they could read and revise after dark. “That simple act kept us going,” Bijota recalls warmly.

In 2022, her determination paid off. Bijota scored 13 points in her Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) examinations — a remarkable achievement for any student, but especially for one from a rural school without proper facilities. In Malawi’s education system, 13 points places a learner among the top-performing students nationally, making her accomplishment a beacon of what rural schools can achieve when communities are empowered.

Headteacher Robert Chunga shows Lipho Community Day Secondary School, located at the far edge of Thyolo near the Malawi–Mozambique border, separated by the Ruo River. The school’s classrooms are makeshift structures converted from old railway warehouses.

“CRECCOM has transformed the way our learners think,” says Headteacher Robert Chunga. “Before, education here was seen as just about passing exams, but now students see it as a pathway to opportunity and transformation. Bijota’s success has inspired an entire community to believe that Lipho CDSS can produce university graduates.”

Bijota is now at Mzuzu University, pursuing Biomedical Sciences, a field she chose out of a passion for health and helping others. “I have always been curious about hospital work and understanding how the human body functions,” she explains. “I want to make a difference in people’s lives through science.”

Since CRECCOM’s intervention, female student pass rates at Lipho CDSS have risen to 100%.

The Let Girls Learn II Project, valued at USD 750,000 is implemented by CRECCOM in 36 Community Day Secondary Schools across Thyolo, Mulanje, Ntchisi, and Chitipa. To date, the project has trained 504 Mother Group members, directly supported 216 learners, and reached over 4,500 youths with life skills education, mentorship, and career guidance.

The project is also Community Day Secondary Schools to the Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA) so that students can gain practical and technical skills that will help them create jobs and opportunities within their own communities. Skills last a lifetime, and we want our young people to be innovators, creators, and problem-solvers for Malawi’s future.”