New Nursery Sparks Joy

There has been a Chiyambi pre-school nursery in Monkey Bay since 2015.

The Proprietor, Mrs Kalanje, recalls that there was a shortage of pre-school places in Nsumbi village, and she decided to open a daycare facility and pre-school nursery school in order to sensitise the younger generation to fulfil their ambition.

The original Chiyambi Nursery building in a state of disrepair

At first, her own Café was used as the premises for learning, before moving to a small building constructed just next door to the cafe. Although this gave the children a separate space for learning, the building had a number of shortcomings and deficits, and when a group from Manor School in York visited in October 2019, there was great concern about the quality of the building, especially the inadequacy of the roof, and questions were asked (in particular, by Dave and Diane Collett, travelling with the group) about the potential to construct a much more robust, fit for purpose and spacious home for the nursery.

Change is afoot

The construction team laying the brickwork for Chiyambi Nursery

Roll the clock forward …..in June 2021, we recruited Maqsooda Lalli as the project manager for the Chiyambi project, with her first enormous task of overseeing the construction of the new nursery building.

Construction work on site began in July 2021 using manual labour and minimal machinery. The work was undertaken by a contractor and his team from Zomba in the south of Malawi, who relocated a significant distance from home in order to take on this project.

Construction went largely according to plan, and ran to time, to the credit of all involved. Despite minor setbacks, the building was completed and ready for the official opening.

The Grand Opening

Julian Watson, Mbedza CEO & Founder, cutting the ribbon and declaring the building officially open

On Wednesday 5th January 2022, an atmosphere of joy and celebration filled the air as the new building of our nursery was officially opened. The ceremony was attended by a range of stakeholders, including the proprietor, nursery staff, children and their families, members of the Mbedza staff team, visitors from the UK, and representatives from the local community.

The highlight of the event was the cutting of the ribbon and declaration of the new building as 'open' by Julian Watson, the CEO & Founder of Mbedza. There were speeches by various stakeholders, musical performances, dancing, and contributions from the children showcasing what they had been learning.

The excitement was palpable, and the local Chief welcomed the development, stating that, “it marks a new era for nursery education in Monkey Bay”. Mrs. Kalanje, a member of the nursery staff, expressed her surprise and gratitude, sharing that she never imagined such a remarkable achievement was possible.

The new purpose built Chiyambi Nursery School

The opening of the new building marked a significant milestone in our commitment to improving nursery education in Malawi. With this new facility, we can provide an even better learning environment for our children and continue to empower future generations with the knowledge and skills they need to succeed.