Talent and ambition are universal, but opportunity, not always. When eight youth from Ascent Soccer visited UNC Project Malawi’s Lab for a day of science, it wasn’t just about microscopes and lab coats—it was a reminder that sport can be a gateway to new opportunities.
The event was also a reminder of the Institute’s commitment to service, in all the communities where investigators work and teach.
Clinical Trials Unit Lab Director Amy Loftis, known for research excellence around the world, came up with the idea with Claire Pedersen, who was an intern at the time.
“In a setting where resources are often limited, introducing students to scientific environments like the lab, opens doors to new aspirations—careers in medicine, research, and public health that they might not have imagined,” said Loftis.
Manley Kamija, Lab Manager for Project Malawi, Lloyd Singogo, Lab Safety Officer, and Chimwemwe Chinyama, Microbiology Lab Technician welcomed the students.
Safety First
Just like in sports, learning the rules comes first. Singogo provided a comprehensive safety overview where students were introduced to lab protocols. This was followed by a Bingo safety game that helped them recognize equipment and signage.
“All of the kids had to wear their personal protective equipment (PPE) over their jerseys, and understand why it was needed, especially when entering the TB Lab. They couldn’t get away with just a lab coat, they also had to wear a mask.”
With guidance from Manley Kamija and Chimwemwe Chinyama, students learned how to properly don and doff PPE.
Then, Kamija gave students tours of the Department of Cell Processing and Department of Pathology, in the Annex Building. These were followed by tours of the Clinical Core and Microbiology Departments in the Tidziwe Building. Lab tours gave the youth a behind-the-scenes look at cutting-edge laboratory activities, and the role of science in health. The students also participated in a “Color Deficiency Test” and received certificates.
Microscope Magic
After learning to operate the lab’s two teaching microscopes, a hands-on session was the highlight. While Loftis led a talk, students examined slides of common organisms in Malawi, including Plasmodium falciparum (Malaria), the African Trypanosomiasis parasite (Sleeping Sickness), and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
“I asked the students where in Malawi they might get trypanosomiasis, which is carried by the Tsetse fly, and they all correctly answered the lake. And obviously they all were familiar with Malaria, its symptoms and the mosquito, but had not seen the parasite that causes the illness. This was a moment when their eyes opened very big and they nearly leaped into the microscope!”
Loftis, who has established clinical trials and training in dozens of countries, from Brazil to Zambia, and in more recent years, built lab testing for Ebola in rural Liberia, as well as UNC’s Covid Surveillance Lab, said she wanted the day of learning to make a difference for the students.
“They left with new Carolina backpacks, lab notebooks, and loot. They also left inspired. For these young athletes, the future just got a little bigger.”
Ascent Soccer is a social impact organization that transforms the lives of young men and women in some of Southeast Africa’s poorest countries by providing opportunities for comprehensive education, critical life skills and character development — combined with world-class soccer skill development. Based in Malawi, with registered charity operations in the USA and Canada, Ascent was founded in 2014 and works with over 85 boys and girls carefully selected from across Southeast Africa. Make a donation here.