Students for Malawi to share story of Malawi students

Why does Lakeland College have such a close relationship with Malawi, Africa, a country that's approximately 12,000 miles away?

Lakeland's Student for Malawi group will host a presentation on Tuesday, Nov. 27, that will trace the history of Lakeland's relationship with Malawi, one of the world's poorest nations, and tell some of the stories of the students attending school so far from home. The event will begin at 11 a.m. in the Bradley Theatre, and is free and open to the public.

The event will include Malawi students sharing stories of the families they are leaving behind, the reason why a Lakeland education is so valuable to them and the goals they hope to achieve when they return home. Members of Lakeland's Students for Malawi group will also participate, as well as Lakeland Professor Jeff Elzinga, the architect behind the Malawi Teacher Education Initiative.

The Malawi Teacher Education Initiative is a partnership between the college and the U.S. and Malawi governments that annually bring five Malawians to Lakeland for three years of intensive study. A total of 30 students have already graduated with a bachelor's degree in education and returned to Malawi to become faculty in Malawi's teacher training colleges.

Lakeland's relationship with Malawi started in 1999 when Elzinga introduced the idea and led its development. Elzinga, who joined Lakeland's faculty in 1980, went on a leave of absence in 1991 to join the Foreign Service. He served as an American diplomat in Malawi until 1993, an experience that left an indelible impression. He has returned to Malawi three times since his government service.

Lakeland formed the first Students for Malawi chapter in the country during the 2006-07 school year. Students for Malawi, which is a partner with the international organization Raising Malawi, is part of Raising Malawi's new global awareness campaign based on the belief that organized student groups around the world will play a vital role in raising awareness for the orphan crisis in Malawi, Africa.

The Raising Malawi Orphan Care Initiative was co-founded in 2006 by bestselling author Michael Berg and internationally-recognized entertainer Madonna as a humanitarian aid program designed to revitalize hundreds of thousands of underprivileged and at-risk children.

Raising Malawi provides financial support, volunteers and technologies (i.e. solar power, clean drinking water systems, internet service, etc.) to increase the quality of life for countless children and adults. Its website is www.raisingmalawi.org.

To learn more about Lakeland's efforts in Malawi, visit www.lakeland.edu/malawi.