MONICA’ S STORY
The Sonder Project
MONICA’ S STORY
When Monica Kamphokoto stepped into her classroom at Chitenje Secondary School in Malawi, she wasn’ t just taking classes— she was breaking barriers. At 17, Monica is the first girl in her family and, in fact, her rural community, to graduate from secondary school, a milestone that fills her with hope and pride. Her favorite subject, English, fuels her dream of becoming a teacher.“ It’ s the most popular language in the world,” she says.
Monica( left) participating in an Education is Power Camp activity.
Monica celebrates passing her secondary school exams.
Monica’ s journey was far from easy. After her father, a prominent community member, passed away when she was nine, her mother, Magret, was left to raise six children through subsistence farming and piecework. The loss led to financial struggles, and during her freshman year, Monica was sent home for unpaid fees.“ I felt like there was no hope,” she recalls. To keep her enrolled, her mother sold their oxcart, one of their last assets, but it only covered one year.
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