Malawi Early Literacy Team
M.E.L.T. is comprised of a group of education and business professionals with a passion for young children and the doors that can be opened for those children through literacy. It is our mission to equip the children in the Northern Region of Malawi, Africa with up to date, culturally appropriate early literacy materials and readers. The readers we publish are about Malawi village daily life, science and culture, and basic health concepts. We will continue teacher training in the twenty schools that we serve so the teachers can get top results when using these materials.
M.E.L.T. 2022 Let’s Celebrate!
We have much to celebrate from 2022 as a mission team from M.E.L.T. returns to Malawi, Africa.
Celebrated “mission with relationship” as we re-united with the M.E.L.T. Malawi team, teachers, and children.
Provided Professional Development to teachers over a series of days both with workshops and school visits.
Provided final details to the MELT Central Library interior — stocking new book kits and completing an important inventory.
Rev. Dr. Andrew Long joined our travel team having the opportunity to forge relationships with many in the Presbytery in the Northern Region.
Planned and photographed for numerous new books. New titles written by Malawian teachers!
Grand Opening Ceremony of the MELT Central Library! Songs, speeches, tears of joy, dance, and fellowship.
Working at the MELT Library
Scenes from Teacher Workshops
MELT Central Library Grand Opening Ceremony - August 14, 2022
School & Church Visits
2019 DAMAGES AND RECONSTRUCTION
In July 2019, the building housing the M-E-L-T lending library materials was attacked by vandals following political unrest after contested results of national elections were released. There was significant damage to the big books, readers and shelving. The decision was made to republish readers and to construct a new freestanding building to house the library. Below are photos of the damage, a rendering of the future library, the groundbreaking and progress on the construction. We also have this video from July 2020 summarizing additional progress over the last year!
Books for sale to support M-E-L-T
2018 M-E-L-T Trip
How it all began
Between 2008 and 2014, five short term mission trips in Northern Malawi focused on training primary teachers to teach early reading. Although the Malawian teachers were grateful and enthusiastic learners, the trainers were dismayed by the severe lack of curriculum materials and early reading books.
The Next Step
A three-person team (Margot McGorman, Mike Miller, Heather White) traveled to Malawi in April 2015 to meet with government education officials and Malawian teachers who had participated in the training program. This visit confirmed the ongoing need for early literacy readers, teacher training, and supplemental classroom literacy materials.
M.e.l.t Today
The M.E.L.T. Committee was formed in December of 2015 to continue these early literacy efforts in Malawi. M.E.L.T. is undertaking a literacy project in the Northern Region of Malawi which will:
Develop and publish K-2 early literacy readers (a 30 - 40 title library).
Provide an alphabet fluency kit for each teacher in our program.
Purchase a Land Cruiser for use as a bookmobile.
Offer teacher instruction in early reading practices over the next five years.
Hire a Malawi field manager to manage the bookmobile service year round.