For Christina Sukusula, the dream of attending college was once a distant hope.

Today, it is a vivid reality. When she was admitted to Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, her dream institution, she could hardly contain her excitement.

“I was selected to pursue my desired course — Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery. Studying medicine has always been my passion and a constant prayer, so this opportunity felt like a dream come true,” she says in an interview.

Christina’s journey to this moment, however, was not without challenges.

Her secondary education at Mwanza Secondary School began with uncertainty, as her parents struggled to support her studies.

“There were times when I wasn’t sure how I would continue,” she reflects.

But everything changed when she received sponsorship from the Campaign for Female Education (Camfed), an organisation dedicated to supporting vulnerable girls in their education.

Camfed’s support not only allowed her to focus on her studies but also introduced her to inspirational role models and provided opportunities for university visits.

She says these experiences ignited a fire within her. With this newfound motivation, Christina set clear goals and worked tirelessly to achieve them.

“I worked hard and through that determination, I reached this milestone. It is a testament to my role as a beacon of hope for my family and community,” Christina shares.

She hopes to use her education to make a difference in the lives of those around her and describes this milestone as just the beginning.

As a future healthcare professional, she aims to provide quality healthcare to those she cares about and contribute to the wellbeing of her community.

Mwanza Secondary School head teacher Henry Saka is proud that a girl from a rural community in the border district has made such strides.

“She was the best-performing student in the 2023 Malawi School Certificate of Education examinations. She is a role model to others,” Saka says.

He is confident that Christina will excel in her studies and support other struggling learners and her family once she becomes self-reliant.

Camfed works in partnership with marginalised communities across sub-Saharan Africa, where several interconnected factors contribute to girls dropping out of or never having the opportunity to progress to secondary education.

Since 2009, the organisation has supported 258,520 students in Malawi to attend primary and secondary school, with funds from partners such as the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (Ciff).

Over the same period, 905,250 students have been supported by Camfed Association members and community initiatives.

Of these, 590,892 students have been supported directly by Camfed Association members.

Often using profits from the