We invited Victor Chinyama, the Chief of Communications for UNICEF in Malawi, to be a guest-blogger for us here at The Last Word. He has been working with Lawrence on the joint MSNBC-UNICEF initiative, K.I.N.D.: Kids In Need Of Desks, to improve schools in Malawi. Below he explains his first encounter with Lawrence and why it's so important to help create a better learning environment for these children.
To learn more about K.I.N.D. and ways you can donate a desk to a child, visit LastWordDesks.msnbc.com or unicefusa.org/kind.
The email was simply titled “Request – Malawi”. I would have missed it in the dozens of emails I receive everyday, most of them unsolicited, were it not for the words NBC Universal in brackets after the sender’s name. My attention poked, I opened the email and thus began a journey that is likely to transform hundreds of classrooms and potentially change the lives of thousands of children in Malawi.
The email was from Dana Haller, a producer at MSNBC. Dana told me a new host, Lawrence O’Donnell, was travelling to Malawi on a personal trip and was wondering if we could assist him visit a couple of schools. I said no problem and Lawrence duly arrived at the end of July this year.
I was not sure what to expect. Dana had told me that Lawrence had been made aware of the school furniture problem in Malawi by a personal friend who had visited Malawi. He therefore wanted to see the situation for himself, buy desks for a school, film the delivery, and show his audiences back home that something can be done.
I explained to Lawrence the challenges schools in Malawi face: the lack of furniture, which forces students to sit on the floor, a shortage of 30,000 classrooms, which means students learn in the open or under trees, average class sizes of 100, and the absence of running water and toilets in some schools. Only 35 per cent of children complete primary schooling and, because Malawi’s current system requires students to write exams at the end of every grade, about 20 per cent of all students in any given year are forced to repeat the grade because they don’t pass. We estimate that 65 per cent of the education budget is wasted on teaching children who drop out altogether or repeat grades.
Lawrence and I visited a local manufacturer where he placed an order for 40 desks. Two days later, we were at Mchesi Primary School to witness the delivery. It was an uproarious scene, hundreds of children running towards the truck, others breaking out in song and dance, and still others screaming with excitement. Some of the students who sat on those desks were doing so for the first time in their lives.
Four months later, I decided to visit the school to see how the desks were fairing. Seventh grader Promise Nkhata told me her outlook towards school had changed.
"Before the desks were bought, I used to sit on the floor. I didn't like coming to school. Sitting on a desk makes me comfortable and I am able to concentrate on the lessons. I am able to write well and I can sit for a longer time." Promise says she wants to be a doctor when she finishes school.
A desk costs $48, including transportation. If MSNBC raises $2 million, 93,000 more children will be able to sit on a desk. Their chances of fulfilling their dreams will be ever more brighter.
— By Victor Chinyama
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As our Christmas celebration nears, 'giving' to help some of our world's impoverished should be on most everyone's mind. Whether in America or anywhere in the World. But, how can the help of just 'one person' with very little extra income, affect anybody or anything? Mr. Lawrence O'Donnell, host of The LAST WORD Program on MSNBC, presented a program segment tonight that was extremely moving & showed how easily 'one person' can truly help another. And, in a lasting way.
In this case, the small, African nation of Malawi, needs 'student desks & chairs'~ countrywide for all of their children. There are NO CHAIRS for the Kids anywhere to be found in the entire country. They have nothing to sit on all day long except dirt or cement floors~ and for 7-8 hours per day. They have to try to learn, read, & write on their laps. Hard to believe, but NO CHAIRS & has to be excruciatingly uncomfortable. [NO CHAIR or DESK for the Teacher either. She has to STAND all day.]
Mr. O'Donnell found a solution during his short visit [A Week] & solved both problems for the kids. With his determination & creativeness, he found a UNICEF Volunteer & workers to help build a 'combo-bench seat & desk', which 3 students can squeeze in & share. A very nice, long term product for a '3-in-ONE DEAL' ~
At any rate, I intend to contribute to one, 'student combo-desk' and hope you can too. By contributing to 'build a desk' for example, it also provides a paying-job for a person. More importantly, many, many classes of students over the coming years will be able keep using your 'combo-desk' that you helped to provide.
[When I watched tonight, I also couldn't help but wonder if a 'school lunch program' of any kind existed; figuring there couldn't be one of those either~ since they didn't even have any CHAIRS for the kids.]
Thank You, Lawrence O'Donnell, for taking 'time-out' and offering help and care for some of our world's impoverished children. We need many, many, more people & journalists like you.
Keep up the great work on The LAST WORD, which I try to watch nightly! You're truthful, thorough, and a terrificly great reporter.
Merry Christmas & Happy Holiday Season!
Over 'N' Out, Gary L Hagar
Thank you Lawrence O’Donnell for bringing attention to this important need. I am so impressed. This is the kind of work (building schools in Africa) that I hope to get involved in too.
Doug
Sent enough to get 10 kids off the floor. Wanted to send an e-card saying it was donated in your honor but couldn't find e-dress for you.
I decided to give $600 to 6 different organizations before I turn 60 in March. I was looking at the list of 5 that I had given to and happened to catch the last few minutes of this segment on KIND. There was my answer for my last donation. I was a principal in an elementary school before I retired - this was perfect. Thanks Lawrence - you are so going to school heaven.
Trish
Awesome story, can't wait to give a desk or three
Soooo simple... the things I take for granted. Thank you L. O'D., msnbc & UNICEF. Thank you for giving me the awareness, and the opportunity to help.
I guess the only thing I would ask of those people reading this post is: If you can can not contribute financially, maybe use the computer/laptop/smartphone that you are using right now and share this opportunity with friends and family. fb, tweet, email and the like?
I saw the replay this morning. I had planned to give one desk. My spouse said "Make it two." I would like to think my crying is not because I am narcissistic.
Lawrence, thank you for bringing this need to us particularly at this time of year. I will contribute today.
Thanks, Lawrence- great charity and the best gift I'll give this Christmas.
Every year my two grandkids get WAY too much stuff to add to all the stuff they already have. Grandma will do it again this year, but this time two desks will also be given in their names to kids who are not so lucky. Hope it makes them as happy as it does me!
Larry I am buying a desk and asking all my friends to make my gift this year a desk. Thanks for making me aware of this initiative and giving me the opportunity to be part of a legacy that reflects the real reason for the season.
Janet
Mr. O'Donnell thank you for being an advocate for and makin me aware of such a noble initiative. May you and all that support this effort find joy in the gift of giving.
Lawrence, thank you for making all of us aware of the need in Malawi. My four grandchildren will hopefully learn a life lesson from the donation of the two desks in their names. I hope they someday get as much joy from something like this as I have. By the way, keep The Last Word going, I love it!
Thank you L.O'D, MSNBC and UNICEF for giving me the opportunity to contribute to this project in Malawi. Keep up the great work on your informative "Last Word". I never miss a program. My DVR is on permanent "record".
Christine
With the holiday season rapidly approaching I find it fitting to share my many blessings with others. Thanks for affording me the opportunity to contribute to this project in Malawi.
The best Christmas gift I'll be giving this Christmas!
Not giving a man a fish, but truly helping men LEARN TO FISH!
I watched the Malawi segment last night and woke my sleeping husband so he could see it too. The first thing we did this morning was buy a desk , the second thing we did was turn on Morning Joe and saw Lawrence tell his story again. I must say how wonderful it is to go to sleep with Lawrence and then wake up to him again in the morning.
Lawrence, I have admired and respected you for your honesty, common sense and brain food you offer on your show each night. After seeing this segment, it raised the bar of respect and admiration. While I am finically unable to contribute, I have spread the word (hopefully not the Last Word) to other internet sites, blogs, and forums. I encourage, as you have, for those who got windfall tax credits from political friends, to join with you and make a difference.
As a NYC teacher, I was pleased to contribute $250 for help our future leaders get off the ground and up in to the light of knowledge.
Thank you for an inspiring segment.
Lawrence, a wonderful idea. I watched your show yesterday. I am an educator myself, and I know here in America our stuydents take so much for grnated. We are truly blessed. I want my students to donate a few desks.
Then go move there. We have a bad enough employment problem in THIS country and you turn your back on the US for some 3rd world country. This is disgusting. You belong on FOX news.
You are right, things in the US are tough right now. However, I think we can agree that we dont' have children sitting on the floor, or teachers standing all day, because of the lack of desks within our country.
I truly don't see how you equate a journalist highlighting a problem (that many of us can provide help for), to that journalist turning his back on America, and the problems that the average American is facing. How do you make that connection? I truly don't see it.
You're essentially saying if a journalists reports on a non-American issue, they are turning their backs on America. I just don't see it that way!
Regarding FOX - when was the last time that FOX reported on a specific problem in another country (that had the aid of a legitimate national or international organization), where FOX encouraged its average American audience to assist? My guess is rarely - if ever.
Why? Because someone at FOX (and some of its viewers) would consider such reporting as anti-American, as you so clearly do so yourself.
Your lack of love of others is why the USA is on its way to becoming the "3rd world" country you so despise. As Martin Luther King said " I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear"
I could not find you or Last Word on the MSNBC home page (fix that!) but I Googled
you and found the information right away. Ordered one desk, wish I could afford more.
Thank you for raising awareness of this need. Sitting on a hard floor must be torture!
Convince me why donors should contribute to an organization like UNCEF when the CEO is paid $419,832 in compensation... seems to me the organization has its priorities misplaced...
I sent this information to my daughter a teacher at the Bridgewater/Raritan Middle School. The word will spread quickly and more desks will be purchased. Thank you for your humanity and goodness.