Kwera, Othakarhaka to support public university needy students

Kwera Fund has partnered with Othakarhaka Foundation to support needy public university students in Malawi.

The two organisation recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).

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Speaking to Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Thursday, Kwera Fund Chief Operations Officer, Chimwemwe Kamwendo, said the partnership is a step forward and a commitment to make higher education more accessible for young people, especially those in need of educational support.

“Kwera and Othakarhaka entered into this MoU with shared goals and intentions aimed at fostering mutual benefit and supporting professional development of Kwera students,” Kamwendo stated.

The two organisations will be providing students with tuition support, digital resources, practical skills training, and life after university.

Kamwendo explained that the partnership will effectively contribute to growth Othakarhaka Foundation and will positively make an impact on students and their respective communities.

Othakarhaka Foundation will be engaging some of Kwera graduates through internship programme.

Recently, Kwera Fund also signed an MoU with the Ministry of Higher Education to deepen and expand higher education opportunities for the youths in Malawi as the organisation supports students at University of Malawi and Mzuzu University among others

According to Othakarhaka Foundation Programmes Coordinator, Ted Mwango, the foundation also  built  houses for Tropical Cyclone Freddy survivors.

“The MoU is a working partnership that will enable us to refer some deserving students to Kwera Fund for assistance.

“We will be working together for the next few years, maybe four to five. We are open to new opportunities for partnership if both of us have the capacity to implement projects,” he added.

Education Expert, Dr. Limbani Nsapato, hailed the initiative as impactful, urging other institutions to provide similar support to many students that struggle with education due to lack of support.

“The two organisations will make positive impact on increasing equitable access to higher education, considering that there are many needy students that lack financial support to pursue higher education,” Nsapato said,

He, therefore, applauded Kwera Fund and Othakakarha Foundation, saying the two organisations are a strategy to reduce unemployment amidst high unemployment rates.

“The current curriculum has gaps in terms of training tertiary students in entrepreneurship skills, which results in most graduates having no jobs,” he said.

Othakarhaka is a non-profit making organisation that empowers girls, promotes gender equality, education and healthcare while Kwera Fund is a non-profit making organisation which finances students in public higher learning institutions to increase their chances of employment along with entrepreneurial skills.