All of Malawi's statistics are sobering: 50% of the population is under 14 years old; average life expectancy is 41; unemployment 80%; 1 in 5 children die before the age of 5.  Malawi is one of the least developed nations in the world: landlocked and virtually devoid of natural resources.  With so little energy producing resources, less than 7% of the entire country has access to electricity.  There are between 1 and 2 MM orphan children, due to HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, malaria, cholera, and all too frequently starvation. 

Over 85% of the population are subsistence farmers who face great challenges due to Malawi's climate, with 95% of the rainfall obtained during the rainy season, between the month's of November and March.  This is the growing season: planting in November and harvesting the following April-May.  The single growing season is also the time of greatest need, as people depend upon stockpiled foodstuffs from the previous year's harvest.  

After March, rainfall rapidly diminishes and from May to September there is almost no rain.  Insufficient crop yield, occurring with disheartening regularity almost every 4 years, and results in dire food shortages.

All too common in the continent of Africa, the Malawian government’s support to foster development and enable advancement of its people is at best ambivalent. While myriad NGO’s abound, lavishing well-meaning efforts and considerable investment, evidence of sustainability and lasting change seems scant. Perhaps one of the most insightful indicators of the effectiveness of current programs in affecting the journey toward hope can be found in published Malawian national school attendance statistics, for education is a primary component toward change. This graph illustrates that less than half the current school age population completes elementary school (eighth grade), and less than 10 percent completes secondary (“high”) school. All too clearly the potential for most children is not a good one.

About Us : Malawi

All of Malawi's statistics are sobering: 50% of the population is under 14 years old; average life expectancy is 41; unemployment is 80%; 1 in 5 children die before 5 years. Malawi is one of the least developed nations: landlocked and virtually devoid of natural resources. Without energy producing resources, less than 7% of the population has access to electricity. There are between 1 and 2 MM orphans, due to HIV/Aids, tuberculosis, malaria, cholera and all too frequently, starvation.

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Malawi is a country of 18 MM people in sun-Saharan Africa, and one of the poorest countries in the world. It is also one of the most densely populated, and borders the countries of Mozambique, Zambia, and Tanzania. Lake Malawi occupies about a third of the countries area. Originally colonized by Great Britain as a protectorate known as Nyassaland, Malawi became independent in 1964.