Junior Hallie Stallings is a public policy major with minors in education and African Studies. Last spring, she took one of her favorite classes to date, Public Health 420: The HIV/AIDS Course, led by Ronald Strauss, DMD, PhD, a medical sociologist and dentist. Offered through the Gillings School of Global Public Health, the course provides a multidisciplinary perspective on HIV/AIDS — its etiology, immunology, epidemiology and impact on individuals and society. It was during this class that Stallings learned about UNC Project-Malawi and knew she wanted to get involved.
Strauss, who leads the Adams School of Dentistry Global Program (ASOD-Global) and manages STEGHS (Short Term Experiences in Global Health) for dental students, connected Stallings with Professor Irving Hoffman to design an educational work experience in Malawi. Last summer, Stallings traveled to Lilongwe for eight weeks to work with the children and teachers of the Dzama Orphan Care and Nursery.
“The purpose of my work was to evaluate the Dzama Educational Development Program (DEDP) and Charlie Scholars Program (CSP) according to their respective objectives,” Stallings said. “I quickly realized that I would learn more from Dzama than I could ever hope to teach them. Dzama is a special place and one that was incredibly hard to leave.”
During her first week, Stallings met the Malawi staff of UNC Project-Malawi and learned the history of the program. She also learned about the Malawi school system, the DEDP and CSP. She spent time getting to know her fellow interns, and she found her favorite spot in Lilongwe, the Wildlife Center.
Stallings’ first visit to Dzama was with Michaela Tse, an undergraduate in Global Studies, and a group of dental students in the ASOD-Global Program.
“We were there to observe the classrooms, meet the principal, and pass out dental supplies. Although Professor Irving Hoffman had told me how many children there were, I was definitely surprised when I walked into the classroom and saw over 100 students. We visited each of the classrooms, and the dental students gave brief presentations on the importance of dental hygiene.”
Stallings also toured private schools to learn best practices in Malawi, and conducted financial and qualitative evaluations. She met the Charlie Scholars, students with scholarships to attend private school as part of the “Charlie van der Horst Malawi Scholars Program,” administered by UNC Project-Malawi and the UNC Health Foundation. This program honors the late UNC infectious diseases physician who conducted HIV/AIDS research and clinical care in Malawi. From then on, Stallings spent most of her time teaching the youngest preschool class, comprised of 125 children, age 3-5, alongside Dzama’s Madame Rosta Chizimbi.
“The hours I spent in the classroom were the highlight of my trip, and I would say the experience in Malawi made a profound impact on my life.”
Each day, Stallings arrived when the children were finishing their porridge and left after ‘knock-off.’ She and Madam Rosta alternated teaching English, math, and more. The lessons usually consisted of song, memorization, writing, and games. They also experimented with small-group learning.
“I would take the advanced students, and students who needed extra help, outside to teach them using the chalkboard. We also started to incorporate outside learning through games, which was a lot of fun and reinforced academic concepts.”
Stallings describes Madame Rosta as an “incredibly gifted teacher” who has created a welcoming classroom environment that fosters learning and growth. Every effort is made to ensure each child is sufficiently supported and challenged.
“Using just one blackboard, Madam Rosta commands the attention of the many young learners. And in just the few weeks I was there, the children grew in confidence and mastery of the learning material.”
Sometimes Madam Rosta and Stallings accompanied students on their walk home.
“I loved seeing the community and meeting the children’s families. Unfortunately, there are still many children who do not attend school. I hope that by continuing to improve the quality of education at Dzama, more children will be enrolled.
While UNC Project-Malawi strives to provide a high-quality education to every student, Dzama faces significant structural challenges, such as a lack of educational supplies. Children walk up to four miles to school, and sometimes the egg and porridge they receive at school is their only meal of the day. No student from Dzama has ever graduated from university.
Stallings says her last day was bittersweet.
“After porridge, Madam Rosta was kind enough to take the two preschool classes and their teachers on a village walk. We walked all the way around the village, singing and dancing for most of it. As we walked by houses, other children saw how much fun we were having. Some asked if they could start attending school the next week.”
“I love Dzama very much, and it was an honor to be welcomed into their community. Before I left, I had the privilege of meeting the village chiefs who expressed their gratitude for UNC Project-Malawi’s support.”
Stallings hopes to pursue a career in international development, at the community level, and currently works at a local preschool in Chapel Hill. Meanwhile, she’s counting down the days until she can return to Malawi.
“I’m returning to Dzama next summer, so my goal is to learn everything I can about early childhood best practices.”