World Teachers’ Day: A message of togetherness from Scotland to Malawi

Growing up in Zomba, southern Malawi, Precious Jazi faced heartbreaking challenges. He was eight years old when his father died, leaving his family struggling to find food without the stability of a financial provider. He remembers nights where he and his two younger siblings would go to sleep hungry, unsure of the next time they would eat. 

To survive, he had to find work, selling groundnuts and popcorn to support the family. At a time when Precious should have been playing and learning, he was burdened by responsibility and worry. 

“Life was challenging for us. Those were the hardest moments in our lives. Food was not available. That affected our mental state. We struggled. We would walk without shoes. We had very little clothes,” he recalls. His situation felt helpless and his attendance in school dropped sharply. 

Things began to change for Precious when his school started serving Mary’s Meals. The promise of a daily meal motivated him back into the classroom. For the first time in years, he had a reliable source of nourishment, and he was able to focus on his education. 

Mary's Meals provides nutritious meals to more than three million children in 16 countries, every school day. Like Precious, these children often face extreme poverty and daily hunger, with nothing to eat at home. The meals bring children into the school, providing them with food, an education and hope for a brighter future. 

Precious is now a primary teacher, determined to use his own education to help his community. He is a powerful example of the life-changing work that educators do every day to change lives. 

Inspired by the support he received, he now dreams of supporting children in education across Malawi, using teaching as a vehicle for lasting change. "My motivation is making an impact on children’s lives," he explains. "I get excited seeing kids grasping information and growing.”

Many miles away, in Scotland, Tricia McIntyre has been making her own impact through teaching for the past 35 years. She began her career as a class teacher in Glasgow, progressing to Principal Teacher, Depute Head Teacher and Acting Head Teacher in North Lanarkshire. Teaching thousands of pupils across all ages and abilities, often in challenging circumstances, she is a passionate advocate for the power of education.

Beyond the classroom, Tricia has always placed importance on working with the community, introducing projects such as a ‘walking bus’, which encourages more families to walk to school, and a community café. Her kindness reaches past her local area, becoming a force for good in fundraising to enrich the lives of others. 

“I have always enjoyed fundraising with schools and individual classes throughout my teaching career,” she explains. “Pupils learn that a little money goes a long way and although there is no pressure on families to contribute, we are always astounded by the amount of money a relatively small school can raise.”

Her school has supported Mary’s Meals for many years, helping children just like Precious to change their futures with a daily meal fuelling their ability to learn. Teachers play such a vital part in unlocking potential and inspiring the next generation, giving them tools and opportunities to be future leaders in their communities. 

Both Tricia and Precious have seen the incredible impact that education can make and despite living worlds apart, they share the same goals of long-term change.

When asked if she had a message for Precious, Tricia said: “I send my very best wishes to Precious. I hope like myself, Precious has the privilege to shape and make a difference to the lives of so many children and families in the communities he teaches in.”

With the support of Mary's Meals, his teachers and the local community, Precious was able to grow, develop, learn, attend university and become a teacher. In turn, Precious has been able to inspire the next generation, giving back to the communities that helped and supported him.

Hunger is still one of the biggest barriers to education, with millions of children out of school every day. This World Teachers’ Day, help invest in lasting change by providing school meals across the world. It’s not just a daily meal; it is a catalyst for lasting change.