Delivering desks: a K.I.N.D. update from Malawi

July 25, 2011
It was just six months ago that the U.S. Fund for UNICEF in partnership with Lawrence O'Donnell of MSNBC launched the K.I.N.D. initiative to raise money to manufacture and supply desks in and around Lilongwe. We've reached our goal and more
It was just six months ago that the U.S. Fund for UNICEF in partnership with Lawrence O'Donnell of MSNBC launched the K.I.N.D. initiative to raise money to manufacture and supply desks in and around Lilongwe. We've reached our goal and more Kini Schoop is the Director of Public Relations at the U.S. Fund. She just returned from a trip to Lilongwe, Malawi with MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell.

I came to Malawi to see the many desks that were provided for classrooms through the K.I.N.D. (Kids in Needs of Desks) fund. It was just six months ago that the U.S. Fund for UNICEF in partnership with Lawrence O'Donnell of MSNBC launched the K.I.N.D. initiative to raise money to manufacture and supply desks in and around Lilongwe. We've reached our goal and more!

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UNICEF/Chagara
Delivery of the K.I.N.D. desks in Lilongwe, Malawi

What a treat to get to be part of the delivery day! We were met by jubilant crowds of students and very grateful teachers. At every opportunity I got, I asked students, teachers and administrators what difference they felt the desks would make in their studies, their livelihoods and communities. I expected them to tell me that the desks would help improve attention span, retention and confidence. And they did tell me all of those things. What struck me was what they didn't say -"it would improve comfort." Sitting on a cement floor or standing all day must be terribly uncomfortable, so I thought a least one person would comment on the improved comfort level. But no -- having a desk from which to study means so much more to these students and educators than simple comfort ... it means a belief in their potential.

We also took a look at one of the few UNICEF child friendly schools that were still without desks. I saw children who were quite small seated on cement floors trying to pay attention to their instructor, but easily distracted by the visitors.

These children were obviously poor, but their parents had worked hard to get together the fees for school and for a uniform. The teachers too did not have seating. They stood for the majority of the work day. I later found out that one instructor in particular rose at 5 am to get her own household ready for school and work, then walked about one hour to teach for six hours - standing the entire time.

Knowing that is all the incentive I need to keep this K.I.N.D. Fund alive. For if a teacher can sacrifice comfort, we have to support her students.

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