Why OTK?
We prioritize trust
Ida Puliwa, our founder, was born and raised in Mulanje. Intimately familiar with the people and challenges of the communities she now serves, she brings local knowledge and cultural expertise to her work. She has earned the support of Senior Chiefs and continues to grow her network of grassroots volunteers and serve more villages.
We start in communities
We know that a lack of funds is not the only barrier to girls’ education, and the solution must be multifaceted. Poverty and hunger leads families to resort to forced, early marriages for their daughters. Additionally, the burden of caregiving for the sick and elderly falls on girls and keeps them out of school. We holistically address these root barriers to girls’ education by providing families with farm inputs, community-based healthcare, and myriad of other resources to ensure every girl in this region can go to school.
We make a long-term commitment
When we admit a new student into our scholarship program, they trust that we won’t let them fail. We commit to funding their education through university and support them with what they need to thrive: morning porridge, school supplies, sanitary pads, bicycles, medication and support for their families should they need it.
Our Mission
Breaking gender bias with kindness. Building communities that know that a girl is never “just a girl”.
- Girls are powerful
- Girls are limitless
- Girls are whatever they want to be
Our Vision
A Malawi where:
- every person enjoys basic amenities
- every child has access to education
- every girl is free to reach her full potential, unimpeded by gender bias or child marriage
