A Future on Hold

Our Full Story

his family survive.

Born into a humble village in Malawi, Lameck was always known as the boy with big dreams. From a young age, he topped his class, often studying under the dim glow of a kerosene lamp because there was no electricity at home. His mother, a widow, sells vegetables at the local market. His father passed away when Lameck was only six years old, leaving the family with nothing but a small mud house and a lifetime of struggle.

When Lameck passed his secondary school entrance exams with flying colors, everyone in the village celebrated. His teachers called him a “born leader.” He dreamed of becoming a doctor — not for fame or money, but because he watched too many people in his village suffer without help. He once said, "I want to be the kind of person who brings hope to the sick — the way nobody could for my father."

But when the school term opened, Lameck didn’t show up. He stood outside the gate for two days, in uniform, watching other students walk in. His name was on the list. His heart was ready. But his pockets were empty.

The fees for the term were beyond what his mother could afford. She tried everything — borrowing from relatives, pleading with well-wishers — but it wasn’t enough. Lameck began doing small jobs: carrying bricks, washing cars, even selling firewood. But no matter how hard he tried, it still wasn’t enough.

Each day, he walks past his school and stares through the broken fence, watching the students he used to beat in class now learning, while he stays behind — forgotten, overlooked.

“I feel like my future is paused,” Lameck says quietly, his voice trembling. “I just need someone to believe in me, even once. Just once.”

He keeps his schoolbooks wrapped in plastic, reading them every night so he doesn’t forget what he’s learned. His notebook pages are worn, his pen is almost dry, but his dream — his dream still burns.

Lameck is not asking for much. He’s not asking for a mansion, or clothes, or comfort. He’s just asking for a chance. A chance to sit in a classroom again. A chance to build a future not just for himself, but for the countless people he hopes to help one day.