Introduction
Fount for Nations is a Malawian non-profit organization dedicated to transforming the lives of children at risk of developmental delays and disabilities. Our mission is to enable these children to live healthy and productive lives through early identification and intervention, family support, and community-based advocacy.
The Problem
In Malawi, up to 40% of children are at risk of developmental delays and disabilities, and nearly half of primary school students do not complete their education. This is due to a lack of early assessment, diagnosis, and support services. This crisis hinders progress toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4 (Quality Education) and 10 (Reduced Inequalities).
Our Journey and Growth
Over the past nine years, Fount for Nations has evolved significantly, expanding our reach and impact across Malawi. Starting as a small initiative driven by passionate volunteers, we have grown into a robust organization with a multidisciplinary approach. Our journey can be divided into key phases.
Our Journey and Growth: Key Phases
Establishment and Early Years (2015-2018):
Foundation: Fount for Nations (FFN) was founded in 2015 with a vision to ensure no child is left behind in the pursuit of education, regardless of their abilities.
Initial Efforts: We initiated pilot projects in public tertiary hospitals (Kamuzu Central Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital), primary schools (St Pius, Lunzu, Kaliyeka and Area 25 Demonstration School) and rural communities to assess needs and test intervention strategies, forming essential partnerships with educators, parents, health workers, and communities.
Growth in Reach: By the end of this period, we had started to see the positive impact of our work, reaching close to 7000 children
Expansion and Program Development (2018-2021):
From what we learned, we co-created with our communities to go deep in understanding the children we serve and their needs. We added the following to our programs:
Family Support Services: We introduced economic empowerment initiatives, education, and counseling for families.
Community Advocacy: We launched community advocacy campaigns to raise awareness and promote inclusive education.
Impact Measurement: Through an external evaluation in 2020, we confirmed the effectiveness of our approach, which emphasizes personalized education, parent engagement, and early assessment leading to timely therapy and support. At this point we saw enrollment of children with disabilities increase to a steady 80% per year in the schools we worked with 90% retention in those classrooms, unfortunately though, progression out of the resource center was less than 10%. This taught us that even though our interventions were great, they were a little late for most of the children we served.
Faith-Based Transformation: In 2019, the founders experienced a profound spiritual transformation, leading to thoughts of integration of faith and Gospel-centered values into the organization’s mission which has been ongoing.
Strengthening Impact and Sustainability (2021-2024):
Holistic Approach: FFN continued to refine its holistic, child and family-centered approach, integrating health and education interventions.
Community Advocacy: Establishment of a network of community champions and peer support groups to enhance local engagement.
Systems thinking approach: Collaboration with government ministries, researchers, universities, health practitioners, inclusive teacher training institutions, communities and other partners to standardize developmental assessment tools and practices.
Research and Innovation: We have began several ethics approved studies aiming to become a leading thought leader, research and innovation implementation facility, leveraging our experience in evidence-based programming and advocacy.
OUR CURRENT APPROACH
We serve children aged 0-10 in rural and peri-urban areas where households often rely on informal and irregular employment. Our approach is holistic, child and family-centered, multidisciplinary, and community-driven, emphasizing health as a foundation for educational progress.