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Malawi

Why are we in Malawi? More than 71% of Malawians are living below the poverty line, of which an estimated 20% are living in extreme poverty. We work with the most vulnerable households in Malawi, supporting livelihoods, resilience to climate change, and promoting gender equality.

Over 80% of Malawians source their livelihoods from the land

Malawi is one of the many countries struggling to adapt to global price inflation caused by the Ukraine war. The economy of Malawi is highly dependent on agriculture, and the increased price of fuel and fertiliser is severely affecting food production among the rural poor.

Between November 2022 and March 2023, approximately 3.82 million Malawians experienced crisis levels of food insecurity, meaning that food shortages resulted in acute malnutrition and increased death rates. Climatic disasters are a regular occurrence in Malawi. In 2023, 659,000 people were displaced when Cyclone Freddy battered southern Malawi. The cyclone destroyed over 120,000 hectares of farmland, compounding already-existing food insecurity.

Latest achievements

Food security

The RAISE (Raising Assets and Income for a Sustainable Environment) program benefited nearly 63,000 households in 2022. RAISE introduced climate-resilient agricultural practices, alternatives to chemical fertilisers, and transferred cash to flood-affected farmers.

 

Emergency response

Gender equality

Marita Kafera waters her kitchen garden, Malawi. Photo: Jennifer Nolan / Concern Worldwide.
Marita Kafera waters her kitchen garden, Malawi. Photo: Jennifer Nolan / Concern Worldwide.
Farmer Ussein and his wife Emma holding goat
Ussein Jamali, a farmer, and his wife Emma who live in Mpomba Village, Nsanje District. Photo: Chris Gagnon/Concern Worldwide
Concern staff in hi-vis jackets unloading truck with supplies
Concern Team in Nsanje assist in distributing items to 500 displaced houses sheltering in camps due to Cyclone Freddy. Photo: Concern Worldwide
Young boy holding chicken
Tamandani with a chicken his family purchased with money from Concern Worldwide. Photo: Chris Gagnon
Farmer Eliza John Wesele standing in her home garden
Eliza John Wesele, a participant in Concern’s graduation programme. Photo: Emma Kelly
Farmer Lucia Tebulo, smiling and wearing pink patterned dress in Malawi field
Lucia Tebulo (40) is a farmer with 6 children from Samu village, Neno District. Photo: Chris Gagnon/Concern Worldwide
Concern staff walk through maize fields in Malawi
Concern staff walk through maize fields planted by farmers from the Sayamika Catchment Conservation Group. Photo: Emma Kelly/Concern Worldwide

Donal Skehan programme visit

In November 2016, celebrity chef Donal Skehan traveled to Malawi to visit our programmes and see the work that we're doing to address malnutrition and hunger across the country. In addition, he saw how our Concern Christmas Gifts are helping to change lives too. 

How we're helping Malawi

We are working hard to combat suffering and build resilience in Malawi. We are doing this by establishing programmes which will combat gender inequality, climate change and help improve livelihoods.

Emergency response
Livelihoods
Gender equality
Jamna feeding her daughter Shanti

Pakistan Hunger Appeal

  • 1 in 5 children in Pakistan are malnourished

  • Climate shocks increasing food scarcity

  • Your donation can fund emergency therapeutic food for those who need it

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