We are a small family run charity dedicated to changing the lives of young people at Mbabzi, Malawi, through education.
We provide secondary school scholarships to students who are doing well at school but can’t afford a secondary education. We also work with Mbabzi Primary School to improve their school facilities.
We ensure that 100% of every donation goes directly to our projects, and provide total transparency on where your money goes.
Changing lives through education
Latest news!
Click below to read our newsletters which shares the progress we’ve made, how we are using your donations, and how you can support us.
Our History
The charity’s family has a deep-rooted history at Mbabzi
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1913
The start of Mbabzi.
Arthur Falconer (“A.F.”) Barron, originally from Scotland, journeyed to Nyasaland (now Malawi) in search of adventure and opportunity in 1913. He bought some land of a local chief where he started the development of Mbabzi Estate. The crop growing scheme that he set up would go onto revolutionize the industry across the entire country.
Photo: A.F’s first crop barn, set up in 1919.
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1960s
The Primary School is built.
A.F’s son, Bruce Barron, took over the estate in 1952. During the 1960s, in partnership with the Malawi government, Bruce builds a government primary school for children living in the local area.
Photo: one of the original classroom blocks
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2000
The library is born.
For Bruce’s 70th birthday in 2000, he asked for books to be donated to the Mbabzi School Library. Since then, the library has slowly grown over the years. What started out as a handful of books in one room is now a four room library with over 25,000 books, the largest rural library in Malawi!
Photo: the entrance to the library
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2009
Fundraising for classrooms
Bruce’s grand-daughter, Alex, starts “The Mbabzi School Project”, aged 16. Over the next ten years, she helps to fund the building of 9 classrooms complete with desks.
Photo: the 1st classroom funded by Alex’s fundraising
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2022
The Mbabzi School Partnership is launched! by Alex, alongside her siblings Suzie and David, who both work and live at Mbabzi
Photo: Alex pictured at Mbabzi Primary School with her daughter Annabel