Stichting Oneheartmalawi

4 days 10 minutes ago

Vilson Kamwendo: graduated welding & fabrication student June 2025 - read about his background and experiences 💚

Vilson lives in Kasankha, 10 kilometers away from the OneHeartMalawi Vocational Training Centre. He walked 5 days a week in the heat from his house to the project and back without complaints to follow the welding & fabrication course. Vilson was often the first one to be present. After noticing his effort, he got the chance to borrow one of the bicycles from OneHeartMalawi that we received in the container from the Netherlands to make his travels easier. Vilson worked very hard, was dedicated and did very well with the theoretical and practical exams, and earned the reward as best welding & fabrication student of his group.

Vilson:
“My name is Vilson Kamwendo. I am 22 years of age, born in a family of six children and I am the third born of the family. Me and my siblings have been raised by both our parents. I did my primary school at Nankhwali primary school, I was all hardworking and I got selected to Nankhwali Community Day Secondary School (CDSS), but I later finished my studies at Lisumbwi secondary school. I did not do so well with MSCE exams, so I just stayed home and had nothing to do. I got married after a year because my girlfriend got pregnant and we are still together now. I like to have a walk or travel to explore new places although I haven’t had the chance to travel to many places. I knew about OHM through my former secondary school head teacher. He just informed me that I could apply for the course and I did, since I was always passionate about welding.

I have had a great experience at the college. I have experienced happiness through many activities, like the walk to Cape Maclear. I am able to engage with others in different activities because of what the management always encourages us to do, like working together, and I am also able to do a lot of things from what I have learnt. I did well with my studies and I am so proud that I am able to weld and fabricate things without many problems. I expected to meet good teachers who will make me a good product of this institution and this is exactly what I found at the school.”

Vilson believed he will be a good welder when he left the course. His dream was to open up his own business, a welding & fabrication workshop. He got machines (a grinder, welding machine and start-up materials to make window frames to display) in terms of a loan from OHM and is paying back every month so that in the end the machines are his and he can expand his business further. Since in Vilson's village there are not a lot of welding workshops the competition is low and from the beginning people knew how to find him. His business is growing every day.

Vilson:
“Customers order beds, window- and doorframes and come for sharpening their ‘panga’ knifes, hoes and slashers. The profit I make is covering daily food, rent for the workplace and loan payments for the welding machines. The start-up materials were very useful. I produced a door- and windowframe to display so more people can see the quality of work I can deliver.”

Maureen, our field officer, is visiting Vilson regularly at his workshop and Vilson is coming to the project land every 3 months to the come-back meetings. He will be supported on the way, can ask for advice to his (ex-)instructors and can talk about his successes and possible challenges with Maureen.

We are very proud to see the growth of Vilson and are so curious where he will stand in a few years from now! 💚

Do you want to help educate more young adults to give them a better future perspective? Donate here: oneheartmalawi.com/en/donate/

#weldingandfabrication #career #chance #FuturePerspective #oneheartmalawi

Stichting Oneheartmalawi

1 week 4 days ago

We are happy to introduce to you the fifth group OneHeartMalawi students! 💚

The OneHeartMalawi Foundation was founded in 2021 and started building a vocational training centre in Monkey Bay, Mangochi, Malawi from the ground up. After several years of preparing the project land with the required buildings, like classrooms and an outdoor workshop area, the school was finally ready to welcome their first students in June 2024. Since then, 110 students successfully graduated. In July 2026, 69 students enrolled in the training courses of welding & fabrication, tailoring & fashion design and information & communications technology.

These 69 motivated young adults lacking opportunities get a chance to learn a vocation at the OneHeartMalawi vocational training centre. They were reached through secondary schools, village chiefs, posters, and the local radio station. The young adults filled in a registration form and were invited for an interview, where they were selected to start the trainings.

It is amazing to see what the students learned in such a short time already and they are so excited to follow the extra curricular activities such as the career talk, the Cape Maclear Walk, lifeskills trainings and sports days. We are looking forward to see their development during trainings and follow them after their graduation on their path to self-reliance.

Do you want to support the OneHeartMalawi vocational training centre and help to make a lasting impact on young adults in Malawi? Please donate:

oneheartmalawi.com/en/donate/

#LastingImpact #VocationalTrainingCentre #newgroupofstudents #oneheartmalawi

Stichting Oneheartmalawi

2 weeks 4 days ago

May 2024 versus July 2026 🇲🇼

OneHeartMalawi is dedicated to empowering individuals through skills training and education, contributing to the socio-economic development of local communities. The college offers a range of vocational courses designed to equip students with practical skills that enhance their livelihoods, increase employment opportunities, and contribute to the growth of Malawi.

What will the project land look like in 2028? We can't wait to develop the project land together with your support! 🙏🏾

#growth #sustainability #progress #supportingmalawi #oneheartmalawi