Success stories
The SHEAMA project is successfully increasing access to higher education, creating opportunities for leadership development as students move toward their goals in higher education, and building a network to provide comprehensive, continuous support to ensure ongoing student success.
With no offer from a public university, Susan walked 6 km for classes in agriculture and nutrition. Now, through an ODeL class in fungiculture from SHEAMA, she’s ready to start her own mushroom production business.
Malawi has one of the lowest GDPs in the world and millions of young people trapped in poverty. SHEAMA is helping more of them, like Fanny, get equipped for the job market. “The ODeL program and the SHEAMA scholarship is the best thing to ever have happened to us.”
Anna lost her sight. Then she lost her parents, the only financial support she’d ever known. After earning a degree in early childhood development through SHEAMA’s scholarships, open and distance learning and braille resources, she hopes to open a kindergarten in her community.
With limited resources, Malawi’s higher learning institutions have always regarded each other as competitors. Through SHEAMA, five public universities are working together to provide widespread open, distance and e-learning.
Maria’s application to university was rejected, so she went back to farming. After studying from home through SHEAMA’s open and distance learning, she’s now an apprentice on her way to a career as an electrician.
When Bright, Joshua and Nasson weren’t selected by a college, their prospects were bleak. Now they’re preparing to start their own electrical installation company with certificates made possible by SHEAMA.
Two cousins from poor families and no college prospects are able to earn business management and entrepreneurship from home through open and distance learning.