Southdown donates laptops to students in Malawi
Posted on 8 December 2025
In November, Southdown donated 60 Chromebooks to Cape Maclear Learning and Development (CMLD), a charity based in Malawi that supports students into secondary and university education.
Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world with over half its population living in poverty. Through its work, CMLD makes a significant impact on the lives of the people it works with.
We are proud to be able to support the young people CMLD works with through our donation. Our Head of IT, Chris Tice, was introduced to the charity’s Co-Founder, Stephen Free, by an Operations Manager in our Learning Disability Support services.
“This came at the perfect time, as we have been taking stock of our decommissioned equipment and wanted to look at how this could be disposed of in the most sustainable way. After discussing what equipment we had available and making sure the Chromebooks would be sufficiently up-to-date to be of use, we were able to make sure each device was wiped and unenrolled for our control systems. This has been an unexpected joy of my role. I don’t like waste and I’m very happy that the equipment could be donated to such a fantastic cause.”
– Chris Tice, Head of IT, Southdown
Stephen Free, Co-Founder of CMLD, says, “We are hugely grateful to Southdown for their generous donation. This support will form the backbone of our new IT training programme in Cape Maclear, Malawi, helping people of all ages build essential digital skills and access online learning. It will also allow us to strengthen our work with the local secondary school and support our university students, including those starting next year. In a world where technology drives opportunity, Southdown’s donation will create lasting impact across our entire community.”
Current recipients of computer equipment through CMLD demonstrate the impact that Southdown’s donation will have for students in the future.
Stephano is in his second year at university. He says, “Having a laptop has made my university experience so much smoother and has given me the tools I need to succeed. Having my own laptop has completely changed how I study at university. I can store lecture notes, books, and assignments all in one place. It also allows me to type and submit assignments on time, prepare presentations, and follow online classes more effectively than I could with just a phone.”
Mia is a student in her first year. She says, “During the first two weeks of university, I didn’t have a laptop, and studying was very difficult, especially during blackouts when I only had a phone. Now, with my laptop, I can study anytime, complete assignments online, and access the internet whenever I need. I can study independently and focus on learning.”
