Nelia
Malawi
Nelia wants to be an IT expert when she is grown. But to reach this goal, she must get a proper education. This is challenging in part because all of her brothers and sisters did not make it past high school because they decided to marry or get a job.
Nelia's family lives on her uncle’s property, and he frequently threatens to evict them. It is hard for Nelia’s mother to pay for her education and also take care of Nelia’s younger siblings.
With the help of the Kids In Need of Desks (K.I.N.D) Fund, Nelia was able to obtain a scholarship to help her further her education. Before her scholarship, Nelia would help her mother sell the potatoes they grew, using the proceeds to pay the school in installments. Often, this wasn’t enough and they would owe a lot of money. Now, with the scholarship, her family doesn't have to struggle to get by.
The COVID-19 pandemic was yet another obstacle preventing her and her classmate's educations. So many schools were shut down, including Nelia’s, and many girls left their dreams of education and got married. Many of Nelia’s classmates had to marry and didn’t know if they’d ever be able to further their educations.
Nelia continues to overcome the societal pressure to get married and is on track to receive her high school diploma. She is holding on to her goal to become an IT expert.
Story courtesy of the United Nations Children's Fund, (UNICEF) a global support system to provide children across the globe with healthcare, education, and more.