named programs · 3 · from sources
What they call their work
Education Sponsorship Program
Provides school fees, uniforms, and supplies for children at Upendo Children's Village through monthly sponsorships starting at $25
Learning and Activity Center
After-school program offering English language support, math activities, and educational games using donated materials; led by missionaries and local tutors
Postsecondary Scholarship Program
Supports students who have completed high school to pursue college, university, trade school, or vocational training; includes application review and funding based on need and sponsor availability
activities · 12 groups
What they do
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Individualized Academic Support 1 activity
- Academic achievement and recognitionSupports students to achieve top academic performance, with multiple children ranked first in their classes and one student ranking first in Standard 7 across Mzuzu.
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After-School Academic and Enrichment Programs 1 activity
- Academic tutoring and learning supportProvides daily tutoring through staff and peer-led programs, including after-school support for struggling students and a 1:6 tutor-to-student ratio for elementary students, contributing to top academic performance in schools.
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School Infrastructure Development 1 activity
- Development of on-site educational facilitiesConstructing a secondary school adjacent to Upendo Children's Village, with foundations largely completed, to expand access to quality education.
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Individual Child Education Sponsorship 1 activity
- Education sponsorship through monthly giving programProvides comprehensive educational support including school fees, uniforms, and supplies for children through a monthly sponsorship model, ensuring enrollment in formal education.
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Educational Field Trips and Experiential Outings 1 activity
- Facilitation of visiting teams and cross-cultural engagementEngages visiting teams from the U.S., including educational and service groups, to support children’s English skills and conduct projects; organized a 2018 trip with 25 participants for engagement and documentation purposes.
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Clean Cooking Solutions Implementation 1 activity
- Improved cooking efficiencyReduced wood consumption by over 40% through installation of a rocket stove in the cookhouse, lowering fuel costs and environmental impact, with plans to install a gas-powered stove in an expanded cookhouse.
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Campus Construction and Renovation Projects 1 activity
- Infrastructure development and maintenanceUndertakes construction and improvement projects at the Children's Village including a perimeter wall for security, drainage ditches for rainwater management, window screens, porch steps, room additions, and cookhouse upgrades to enhance safety and living conditions.
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Local High School Scholarship Programs 1 activity
- Postsecondary education sponsorshipProvides renewable scholarship support for youth pursuing higher education or vocational training in fields such as Human Resources, Nursing, Community Development, Tourism, and Media, contingent on academic progress and fund availability.
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Holiday and Seasonal Essentials Distribution 1 activity
- Provision of clothingProvides clothing to 60 children twice a year, timed to align with the dry and rainy seasons in Malawi.
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Direct Care for Orphans and Vulnerable Children 1 activity
- Provision of daily mealsServes three meals per day to all children residing at Upendo Children's Village, totaling approximately 200 meals daily for children and staff.
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Residential Care for At-Risk Youth 1 activity
- Residential care for orphaned and vulnerable childrenOperates an orphanage in Mzuzu, Malawi, providing holistic residential care for over 60 orphaned, abandoned, and endangered children, including housing, protection, and daily support to raise them into healthy, responsible, and independent adults.
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Regular Religious Worship Services 1 activity
- Spiritual and community programmingOrganizes weekly worship performances at church and provides spiritual support as part of holistic care for children at the village.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$116K
Contributions & grants$116K100%
Program service revenue——
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$117K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$70K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$54K
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -14.7%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
board members · 5
- David Branch — Director/Chairman
- David Peschell — Director
- Lynda Cowie — Director/Head Missionary
- Michael Vaughn — Director
- Susan Pierce — Director
relationships · 12
Who they work with
- 6 different churches Partner — Collaborated with multiple churches to organize and staff a service trip to Upendo Children's Village in Malawi.
- Bishop Samuel Partner — Provided land and initiated construction of the Upendo Secondary School adjacent to the Village.
- Candy Giles Partner — Trained teacher making regular visits to support students preparing for secondary school exams in Malawi.
- Church On The Wings Partner — Local church in Mzuzu, Malawi, where the children of Upendo Children's Village worship and receive spiritual teaching under the leadership of Bishop Samuel Mkisi and Florence Mkisi.
- ESOL teachers in Rochester, NY Partner — Donated educational materials for use in the Learning and Activity Center.
- Education & Scholarship Committee Partner — Committee responsible for reviewing postsecondary scholarship applications and making funding decisions.
- Malawian builders Partner — Collaborated on construction of a strong foundation for the perimeter wall, referred to as "elephant rock".
- The Charles Finney School Partner — Partnered with Upendo Children's Village to send students, teachers, and parents on a service trip to Malawi.
- Thomas Johnston Partner — Trained teacher making regular visits to support students preparing for secondary school exams in Malawi.
- Upendo Children's Village Network — Operates as a faith-based children's village providing care, education, and spiritual development in Malawi.
- Upendo Children's Village Partner — Organization facilitating child sponsorship and educational support
- supplier in South Africa Partner — Supplier for the gas-powered cook stove to be installed in the new cookhouse.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Child Sponsorship for Educational Continuitymethodology: child_sponsorshipBy linking individual child sponsorship to sustained access to education, the organization improves long-term learning outcomes and personal development, because consistent financial and relational support enables children to remain in school and thrive academically.
- Faith-Based Holistic Developmentmethodology: faith-based_holistic_developmentBy integrating Christian spiritual formation with holistic care, education, and long-term transition planning, the organization raises resilient, responsible adults who contribute positively to Malawian society, because spiritual and moral grounding is seen as foundational to personal development and community impact.
- Immersive Language and Relational Learningmethodology: immersive_language_learningBy using informal, relationship-based interactions with English-speaking volunteers and missionaries, the organization improves children's English proficiency, because immersive, everyday communication builds language skills more effectively than formal instruction alone.
- Residential Education with Local Academic Supportmethodology: residential_care_with_local_tutoringBy providing long-term residential care combined with on-site, locally delivered tutoring and interactive teaching methods, the organization overcomes gaps in public education and improves learning outcomes, because consistent, culturally grounded academic support enables children to catch up and excel.