A Student. A Carpenter. A Trailblazer.
Growing up in Malawi, 26-year old Memory was born into a low-income family. They rely on farming for survival, which left them vulnerable to food insecurity. Despite the challenges she faced, Memory used education as her opportunity to break the cycle of poverty.
A Student. A Carpenter. A Trailblazer.
Growing up in Malawi, 26-year old Memory was born into a low-income family. They rely on farming for survival, which left them vulnerable to food insecurity. Despite the challenges she faced, Memory used education as her opportunity to break the cycle of poverty.
Memory’s parents struggled to pay for her school fees and supplies, and she often had to walk to school barefooted. As the eldest of five children, Memory also faced the challenge of balancing her education with domestic chores, such as farming, cooking, cleaning, and carrying water.
On top of this, the gender inequality and stereotypes that Memory faced further contributed to the challenges she faced for a woman with big dreams to create a better life for herself.
The life of the eldest child battling poverty
As the eldest child in a family of five, Memory had to take on many household responsibilities. Like many who have not had the chance to complete their education, Memory's parents didn’t have a job, so they relied on farming for survival. Memory had to help with chores such as fetching water, farming, cooking and other chores to support her family and younger siblings. Sometimes, if the farming season was lean, it would have dire consequences on them, leaving Memory and her family at risk of hunger.
Sometimes, Memory and her family couldn’t even afford soap.
The flow-on effects of living in poverty for Memory
Education
Memory had to use immense resilience to continue schooling. She juggled her education with extensive domestic chores and sometimes had to walk to school without shoes.
Health
Memory and her family suffered with food insecurity and lack of nutrition when some farming seasons weren’t successful.
Wellbeing
The stress of unrelenting responsibilities, food insecurity and lack of income was detrimental to Memory’s health and wellbeing.
“Growing up in the village was not easy. My parents don’t have a job, so they depend on farming. When the season goes wrong, we suffer a lot and become food insecure. Sometimes we need to bathe without soap. Sometimes we need to walk without shoes.”
As a woman born in Malawi, what was it like for Memory growing up?
Memory grew up with the expectations placed on her to marry young and stay home because of social and economic restraints.
It is because of these limiting expectations that the support of education was key for Memory to break free and create a different life for herself.
How poverty and gender inequality impact women like Memory
5.4 million
people in Malawi face moderate or severe chronic food insecurity.
21.9%
of girls in Malawi complete lower secondary school.
42.1%
of women aged 20–24 years old who were married or in a union before age 18.
You can be a partner in compassion and create change that will last for generations
Meet other young women whose lives have been transformed through your compassion in action
Improving clean water access in Samoa
In Samoa, many vulnerable families live in makeshift homes built from recycled scraps, with no access to piped water.
Learn more about how the support of people like you is helping build water tanks for families in Samoa.
Helping mothers in the Philippines go back to school
In the slums of the Philippines, girls who become pregnant during high school often have to end their education prematurely, which limits their financial independence.
Learn more about how your compassion is helping young mothers go back and finish high school.