How a vision of hope became a beacon of opportunity for hundreds of children.
My husband Pastor Binnah Mhango and I founded Raynor Christian Academy in January 2019. In 2014, my husband and I were commissioned by our church, Word Alive Ministries International to a mission field in a rural town called Mwanza along the Malawi Mozambique border. In obedience to that calling, we packed up our lives and began our journey to Mwanza.
Mwanza has an estimated population of 150,000 (2023-2024 projection), of which 45% are children (0-14 years) translating to 67,500 children of which 11,000 are preschool age. One of the disturbing realities is that 7,300 children go to primary school without any Early Childhood Development (ECD). Over 3,700 children never enrolled for primary school education, and for those who enroll, 1,000 drop out of school annually.
This is a place where 85% of people live under the poverty line, of which 30% live in acute poverty. We believe God will minister to all these underlying challenges even as we do our part of reaching out to these souls, touching one life at a time with the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.
While settling into ministry, God blessed us with the birth of our firstborn son, Chatonda; a Tumbuka name meaning "conqueror." He was born premature at 7 months and fought hard battling for survival. He conquered, hence the name Chatonda. He quickly became the center of our world.
When Chatonda reached preschool age, we searched across the entire Mwanza District for a Bible-based Christian school that offered high-standard, globally recognized education. We visited schools, asked questions, and explored every option, but could not find a mission-based school that met both our spiritual and academic expectations.
It was during this season of prayer and reflection that we felt the Lord clearly speak to us, prompting us to start what would become the first Christian higher-quality early learning school in Mwanza. We thought: "If we are going to hire a teacher, why not create a small learning space where our son and other children can receive quality Early Childhood Education."
We committed ourselves to learning and investing in the Montessori syllabus, and that is where the journey truly began. We didn't have resources — we sold our car and other assets to make sure the academy was set. We started with Chatonda as the only learner, then encouraged the assistant teacher to bring her child. As the term progressed, 4 other children enrolled bringing the total to 6, and within the first year, we had 14 children.
By the time we closed for the year, some children had grown to primary school age. We told parents to take their children to other schools since we only offered Early Childhood Education. To our surprise, the parents refused. They pleaded with us to open primary education, impressed with the care, love, spirituality and education their children were receiving.
In 2020, COVID-19 hit. Schools were closed and the world went into lockdown. We feared this would be the end of the dream. To the glory of God, when lockdown measures were lifted, Raynor Christian Academy reopened its doors. God was gracious and faithful — the school picked up so well.
With these humble beginnings, the school grew from 14 to 190 learners over the years. We currently have the preschool and primary school, from Standard 1 up to 7. Our Standard 7 learners will sit for their Primary School Leaving Certificate Examination (PSLCE) in the next academic year.
From humble beginnings to a thriving academy, here are the moments that shaped us.
Pastor Binnah and Eleanor Mhango are commissioned by Word Alive Ministries International to the mission field in Mwanza, Malawi.
Raynor Christian Academy opens in January with Chatonda as its first learner. By year's end, enrollment grows to 14 children.
Despite the global pandemic and school closures, RCA reopens after lockdown and continues to grow by God's grace.
Responding to parents' pleas, RCA expands beyond ECD to offer primary education, adding a new grade level each year.
RCA now serves 190 learners from preschool through Standard 7, with the first cohort preparing for PSLCE national examinations.
The Lord placed a burden on us to reach out to many children — children who are locals of Mwanza whose parents are not able to pay basic fees that help us cover administration costs. We have realized that poverty levels in Mwanza are also due to high rates of illiteracy.
We strongly believe that the generational cycles of poverty will be broken in the district as we teach these children the word of God at a tender age and give them a strong education foundation that will enable them to go to university later in years.
We offer scholarships to deserving learners, but the need is far more than the available resources. This for us is a ministry that will see the near future generations break free from the hold of poverty and a cycle of immoral, ungodly traditions.
It is from this background that we invite anyone who may wish to partner with us in this noble and holy cause.
