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Oxfam in Malawi

Leyla Kayere working in her rice field. Thanks to an Oxfam-funded irrigation scheme, she and other farmers in her village are benefiting from bigger, all-year round harvests. Photo: Abbie Trayler-Smith

From our staff

Elias Khozombwe, Programme Funding Co-ordinator

 Oxfam is working on five main areas in Malawi - helping people earn a better living, responding to climate change, tackling the spread of HIV and AIDS, working to prevent violence against women and girls, and undertaking humanitarian work. These are all closely connected, and it's crucial work, because Malawi is one of the world's poorest countries - our GDP ranks 172nd out of 182nd globally, and life expectancy has fallen from 52 years in 1992 to just 41 in 2004, largely due to HIV and AIDS.

My work involves support this work through fundraising - making sure resources are properly utilised and accounted for.


Full details of what Oxfam is doing in Malawi (PDF, 249KB)

The impact of our work: Medicines for millions

Medicines

Campaigning brings HIV drugs to those who need them.

Medicines for millions

In 2010-11 Oxfam helped:

150,000
people in
Malawi

You can help

Oxfam's projects in countries like Malawi rely on your generosity.

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Related reports and papers

Snapshot of Oxfam in Malawi

Photo 1/10 photo by: Abbie Trayler-Smith

Annie Nangawiri with one of the goats she received from Oxfam Unwrapped. These goats provide milk to drink and sell, fertiliser for crops and kids to take to market. “We got our first goat in 2003 and it had two kids. The next year it gave birth to two more. We use the manure to help us grow better maize and more vegetables”

  • Annie Nangawiri with one of the goats she received from Oxfam Unwrapped. These goats provide milk to drink and sell, fertiliser for crops and kids to take to market. “We got our first goat in 2003 and it had two kids. The next year it gave birth to two more. We use the manure to help us grow better maize and more vegetables”
  • Oxfam also supports farming communities to help them be better prepared to deal with an increasingly unpredictable climate. Here Nora Gavinara and her sister Elena collect maize husks from their field. “We received drought-resistant maize seeds in 2002. We planted some the first year, some the next year, and are still using them.”
  • We’ve also providing agricultural training to communities like Doris Laja’s (pictured) to increase their yields. “In the past we used to hear on the radio how people can benefit from farming, but we didn’t know it would be us,” she says. “Since starting on the scheme this has become a reality.”
  • Supporting farmers to join together and establish co-operatives is another important part of our work. This group in Mnembo pools their harvests and sell their tomatoes in bulk to the Canning Factory in Mulanje – who produce tomato juice, puree and ketchup. The income they make has enabled families to improve their homes and pay for school fees.
  • Malawi has one of the highest infection rates of HIV in the world. Oxfam trains and supports home-based carers like Sophina Shinkani (pictured) – local volunteers who support sick, elderly, and orphaned people in their communities. Carers also offer counselling and help with household chores. “I love being a volunteer. I like to help others who are sick or needy.”
  • In Chitimbe village, we’ve been running a cash transfer scheme in response to rising food prices. People in registered households receive US$3 a month - enough to buy at least 50kg of maize, one litre of cooking oil and 5kg of pulses. As well as food it also gives poor people the dignity of choice to buy what they really need and want such as soap or clothing.

The impact of our work

 Since using this manure [from my goat] I have noticed a big difference in my crops. The vegetables taste better, they are softer and more tender, and the leaves are greener and bigger.


Erinimo Gavinara, recipient of an Oxfam Unwrapped goat