By Faye Yu

In Nkhatabay, a small district in Malawi, families often rely on fishing as a primary source of income. Moses Milanzi, 13, is one of many children who dropped out of school to fish in the waters of Lake Malawi. Peer pressure and a lack of parental support drove Moses to abandon his education in favour of fishing.

World Renew with our local partner, Nkhatabay Word Alive Church, recognized that there were opportunities the lake provided other than fishing. Members of the church visited the homes of local families and began to advise them about the earning potential of becoming a tour guide and other business ventures. When they visited Moses’ family, they encouraged his parents to support his education and he soon returned to school. Then the church monitored his academic performance, attendance, and provided him with support whenever needed.

The church also supported the community in starting vegetable and chicken farming. The income generated through these activities helped to provide for some of the needs of the village, including purchasing school supplies for students like Moses.

After Moses passed his final primal level test, he was accepted into secondary school. The church continues to support and encourage Moses. He is dedicated to attending school on a regular basis and is setting a great example for other children in his community.

“My dream had been to become a medical doctor upon completion of my studies, but living in a lakeside village made my ambition harder to accomplish. I preferred and was sometimes forced to help my parents with fishing, and I missed classes. Now my ambition to become a medical practitioner is back on course,” says Moses. “I am very thankful to World Alive Church and World Renew.”