Our plan in Malawi

Plan is working at the grassroots level in Malawi to help communities make real and lasting change, so that their children have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Plan began working in Malawi in 1994 and currently runs four programs in the southern (Mulanje), central (Lilongwe and Kasungu) and northern (Mzimba) regions of Malawi which aim to address the following issues affecting children:

• Limited learning and development opportunities
• Poor health of children, adolescents and their families
• Children and their families negatively impacted by the HIV and AIDS pandemic
• Limited capacity of families to provide for their children
• Limited child rights at local and national level

Plan's programs and strategies to address these issues include:

Child and adolescent health

Plan Malawi works to reduce high child mortality rates, improve adolescent awareness of sexual and reproductive health and promoting safe water and sanitation practices.  

Food and economic security

Malawi is ranked as one of the poorest countries in the world.  Plan's programs focus on working with government and non-government organisations to improve agricultural education, including farming technologies and business management.

Education

Plan Malawi works within communities to build self-management of its educational buildings and resources, while also encouraging communities to identify issues affecting primary and secondary schooling.  Plan also assists teacher training and construction of teacher housing and classrooms.

Child rights

Plan Malawi assists community awareness campaigns of child and women's rights, promoting participation in decision making processes.  Plan also supports local and district child registration and protection programs.

Country Facts

Country	Malawi	Australia
Flag
Population	12.6 Million	21 Million
Language	Chewa	English
Capital	Lilongwe.	Canberra
GDP per capita (USD/year)	149	$37,300
Life expectancy	39.8	81.5
Access to safe drinking water	73%	100%
Literacy	64.1%	100%
Source:	United Nations: Millennium Development Goals Report 2006