According to the Scotland-Malawi Partnership, 64% of people in Scotland have a direct connection with Malawi or know someone who does. It sounds like an overestimate, but when small voice presenter Margaret thought about her own connections – the daughter of a friend doing a medical elective there; two midwives who had gone there to train others; a former colleague of another friend who had taught in Malawi – she decided it was probably about right. Malawi’s population is just over 22 million, and the median age is around 18. In Scotland it’s around 40. Both countries have a slightly higher number of women. But in Malawi, many girls and women do not have good access to education at tertiary or even secondary level.

Two organisations, with roots in Scotland, are working to change that- the Mamie Martin Fund, and the Soko Fund by funding disadvantaged girls and young women. Margaret battled international comms issues to speak to those involved.

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Duration: 29’37 minutes. Theme music by Nicolai Heidlas.