A primary school has raised $1,500 for a scholarship to help African children afford a high school education.

The cash raised at St George’s Preparatory School will go towards a target of $6,300, to be used to sponsor the high school education of 63 children in Malawi through the Bermuda Overseas Mission Scholarship Fund.

Keema Perry, a Primary 1 teacher and member of the BOM scholarship committee, said: “The Bermuda Overseas Mission visited Malawi in 2017 and they noticed that there were quite a few children in the neighbourhood who were not in school.

“They found out that children, specifically in high school, have to pay for their education and when the girls cannot afford to go to high school they are usually married off as young as 12 years old, while the boys are sent off to work.”

Ms Perry added that she explained the situation in Malawi to the pupils at morning assemblies.

She said: “I would just give a little bit of information and speak especially about the girls, because we have some Primary 6 girls who in two years will be 12 years old.

“I asked them ‘can you imagine being married in two years’ time?’”

Ms Perry said that the children were “shocked” by the situation in the southeastern African nation and it was decided to hold a grub day to raise cash.

She added: “I don’t know if they could quite comprehend what I was saying, especially the younger ones, but they wanted to help.

“A couple of children said ‘I have money in my piggy bank I’d like to give to the children’, so they were really passionate about helping as best they could.”

Ms Perry said: “Our Primary 3 class was so excited that the girls came to me and said ‘we want to do more’, so the class has decided to have a bake sale.”

Ms Perry said it was important for the youngsters to realise others are not so fortunate.

She added: “It helps them appreciate what they have. It brings in awareness that there’s a bigger world outside of Bermuda and they learn that you’re never too young to help others.”

Ms Perry said that the money will help to cover school fees, uniforms, books, shoes, and other supplies.

• Anyone interested in donating should visit www.bom.bm