We are currently on term break at Mechanics for Africa. While lessons are paused, the work continues.
Through the Hardship Fund, 51 out of 103 students are spending 8-hour days alongside our passionate maintenance team. Together, they handle the jobs that can’t be done during term time: painting classrooms, repairing furniture, carrying out grounds work, maintaining facilities, and planting vegetables for the next term.
Poverty can sometimes turn help into dependency. But MfA believes in something different: every student who needs help is given an opportunity to work.
We are proud of this: our students don’t shy away from hard work. They understand that they have a responsibility to contribute towards their education—and they take it seriously.
Each contributes K4,200 a year (≈ £130 / $165). It will not cover the full cost of training, but their determination to earn it sets them apart.
As Proverbs 14:23 reminds us: “All hard work brings a profit…” And that profit is more than financial—it’s character, resilience, and the dignity of taking responsibility.
We thank those who give towards the Hardship Fund—your generosity makes these opportunities possible.