17/07/2026
10th July, 2026| Bangwe Primary School| Blantyre, Southern Region
As part of our ongoing Champion for Change project, our team successfully rolled out our latest activity aimed at dismantling the deep-rooted social stigma surrounding epilepsy. Central to this mission is our innovative 'Stigma Bench Initiative', which establishes safe, supportive spaces within school environments to foster open dialogue, inclusion, and mental well-being for affected students.
The event brought together an influential group of community stakeholders committed to educational equity, including two Headteachers, two Special Needs Education (SNE) teachers from the participating institutions, a parent representing learners with epilepsy, and three local Chiefs representing the traditional areas surrounding the two engaged schools.
During her welcoming speech, Elizabeth Mtoseni, the Primary Education Advisor (PEA) for Bangwe Zone gave our team a warm reception, emphasizing the profound psychological impact the project will have on the student body. The PEA noted that the visit is highly likely to boost the morale of learners living with epilepsy, while expressing a strong desire for institutional growth.
"We are hopeful that through this project we will learn a lot to fill the gaps that exist in our knowledge of epilepsy," She said.
During the interactive sessions, the SNE teachers shared invaluable insights from their daily experiences on the front lines of inclusive education. They highlighted a critical barrier to student success, a widespread lack of open dialogue from parents regarding their children's condition.
The teachers noted that parental concealment and a reluctance to discuss epilepsy openly ranks highest among the challenges they face. This communication gap severely limits the teachers' ability to understand individual student needs, ultimately preventing them from assisting and supporting learners with epilepsy effectively.
Fired up by the awareness session, the educators refused to let this knowledge sit idle. The teachers enthusiastically pledged to take the information and insights gained from the activity and actively embed them into their daily learning systems to create a permanent culture of inclusion. One of the SNE teachers, Agnes Losani, shared their concrete plan of action.
"We will introduce this to the learners and our fellow teachers so that we can agree on a regular schedule for holding these stigma bench sessions," she said.
In his closing remarks, Group Village Headman Ishmael Kawinga expressed deep gratitude to the National Epilepsy Association of Malawi (NEAM) for bringing resources directly to their doorstep. He noted how privileged the community felt to be selected out of the numerous schools across Malawi that face similar challenges.
Reflecting on how this school-based project will overflow into the broader villages, the Chief made the following remarks "I am thankful for your visit. The awareness we now have of this condition will contribute immensely to our efforts to eradicate stigma and fill the existing knowledge gaps about epilepsy within our community."
with partnerships between NEAM, local chiefs, and the dedicated teacher from the two schools, the ‘Champion for Change’ project aims to successfully build a protective, well-informed ecosystem where learners with epilepsy can safely thrive.
