Diya’s story

Diya is 11 years old and lives with her grandmother in Mkoche village, Malawi.

Over half of Malawi’s population live below the poverty line – earning less than $1 per day.

A typical day in Diya’s life

“After I wake up, I wash the dishes from the night before and then make porridge for breakfast.

“From 6am to 10am I work on our plot. I grow groundnuts, maize and cotton. At the moment the rains have come, so I am weeding. Sometimes I get work on other people’s plots and earn around 24 kwecha an hour (less than 8 pence).

“Our home is made of clay and bricks but the roof is covered with grass, so when it rains, water comes through the roof. The room where I sleep is damaged.

“I attended school in Year 1, but I always felt the odd one out as I didn’t have a uniform. So I left school.

“I envy my friends who can read and write, but even if I could go back to school now I wouldn’t want to because I would be put in the first class with the young children. They would all laugh at me as I can’t read and write and am so much bigger than them.

“When I grow up I want to be a farmer… but a good farmer is a farmer that can read and write.”

Photo © Graeme Robertson