The Catholic University of Malawi (CUNIMA) has relaunched a fundraising campaign to collect USD 576,036.87 for its Endowment Fund, which is designed to help students from poor backgrounds enter and finish university, AMECEA reported on 30 October 2026.
The announcement was made at a press conference the university organised this week. Deputy Vice Chancellor Rev. Fr. Dr. Raphael Mkuzi said the institution, although privately run, enrols a large number of students whose families cannot easily cover the cost of higher education.
"Many people think that because we are a private university, we only enrol students from well-to-do families. However, this is not the case," Fr. Mkuzi said, according to AMECEA. He added that CUNIMA has academically strong students who find it hard to pay tuition and other study costs, which makes it difficult for them to take up the education on offer.
Why it matters
The campaign addresses a gap that the university says is measurable. Each year, at least 50 students who are selected to start at CUNIMA do not take up their places because of money problems, and roughly 20 more leave their studies annually after failing to keep up with fees, according to the report.
The university does already offer some help. Together with its Students' Welfare Committee, it gives financial assistance to a small number of students in need every semester. But that support, AMECEA reports, falls short of the demand.
An endowment works differently from a one-off bursary. Rather than spending the money directly, the university plans to invest the fund so that it produces returns year after year. Fr. Mkuzi said CUNIMA intends to draw an annual budget of USD 120,967.74 from those returns to cover tuition and accommodation for 100 students who are both needy and deserving.
Rooted in Catholic Social Teaching
Fr. Mkuzi tied the effort to the Church's teaching on the preferential option for the poor, a principle that asks institutions to put the needs of disadvantaged people first. He said the university passes this teaching on to its students and is itself challenged by it.
"Guided by the teachings of the Church, which we also impart to our students through Catholic Social Teaching, we are challenged to give preference to the poor," he said. He noted that the initiative began some years ago and that CUNIMA is now stepping up its efforts, raising money through various activities and by engaging different stakeholders.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor called on companies, development partners, individuals and other supporters to back the drive. A key event on the calendar is a charity golf tournament set for 27 November 2026 at the Blantyre Sports Club.
Wongani Kings Chidumula, who leads the Students' Union, welcomed the fund at the same event. He described it as an important step that will help many students get past the financial obstacles that stand between them and a university education, according to AMECEA.
The university frames the fund as part of its wider mission: delivering quality, well-rounded higher education while putting the Church's concern for the poor into practice. For students who qualify academically but cannot pay, the endowment is meant to be a lasting source of support rather than a short-term fix.
What to watch is the charity golf tournament on 27 November 2026 and whether the university's engagements with corporate and individual donors move it closer to the full USD 576,036.87 target.
