Melania Trump hails ‘amazing experience’ at Malawi school with 8,500 pupils
The US first lady toured several outdoor classrooms at Chipala Primary School in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi.
Melania Trump got a different view of educating children as she visited an African primary school that has benefited from US assistance but struggles with an enrolment of more than 8,500 students.
Mrs Trump toured several outdoor classrooms at Chipala Primary School in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi, on the second stop of her four-nation tour of the continent.
Some children have lessons outdoors, where they sit shoulder-to-shoulder on loose, red dirt.
Mrs Trump was on hand as the US ambassador handed over another 1.4 million books through a US-funded national reading programme.
Malawi’s schools have received some 9.6 million books under the programme in the past few years.
She reflected on the visit later at a meet-and-greet with embassy staff at the ambassador’s residence.
“What an amazing experience. Meeting those children and understanding their different way of life is why I wanted to travel here,” Mrs Trump said.
“I was heartened to spend time with the students and was honoured to donate school supplies and soccer balls.”
Back in Washington, Mr Trump tweeted: “Our country’s great First Lady, Melania, is doing really well in Africa. The people love her, and she loves them! It is a beautiful thing to see.”
At the school, the young students – girls in dresses with red collars and boys in collared shirts and shorts – greeted her with a song: “We are happy today to see you. Welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome, welcome all of you. We are happy today. We are happy to see you.”
Mrs Trump toured classrooms and watched as teachers conducted their lessons – helping the youngsters learn English or the Chichewa language.
With just 22 classrooms, many students are forced to take in their lessons outside, according to the US government.
The first lady highlighted USAID’s work in Africa, but the Trump administration has been trying to cut the agency’s funding.
Widespread bipartisan opposition to the steep reductions in Congress, where the budget proposals were essentially ignored, foiled the administration’s plans.
Cuts that deep would have significantly affected the amount of money available for foreign assistance projects, including some of USAID’s signature programmes such as the anti-Aids initiative PEPFAR that has been instrumental in reducing mortality rates from the disease and treating HIV-positive patients across Africa.
The US first lady received a joyous welcome in Malawi upon her arrival at Kamuzu International Airport, with singing and dancing by a troupe of women and scores of schoolchildren waving African and Malawian flags.
The first ladies were expected to walk through the gardens and watch a traditional dance performance.
Mrs Trump opened her first extended solo international trip on Tuesday in Ghana.
The remaining stops on her tour are Kenya and Egypt.