Malawi
In one of the lowest-income countries in the world, we create possibilities through agricultural programs, vocational training for young people, and savings and loan groups.
Situation
No food, no education, and no future.
Half of Malawi's population lives in severe poverty. The reasons are varied: small farming plots, agricultural practices that deplete soil fertility over time, and rural migration due to a lack of job opportunities in the countryside. Additionally, increasingly extreme weather conditions, such as droughts and floods, contribute to growing food shortages, leaving many people hungry.
Youth unemployment is particularly high in the region of our training project. Many young people drop out of school because they don't have the money - and many young women become pregnant as teenagers. But without a school-leaving certificate, they have few prospects and face a future of poverty. This is why we provide 500 disadvantaged young people with vocational training in a skilled trade. 200 of them live in the nearby refugee camp.
Overview
One of the lowest income countries.
At 118,480 km2, Malawi is around three times the size of Switzerland.
20 million people live in Malawi, which is twice as many as in Switzerland.
172nd place out of 193 countries in the Human Development Index - Switzerland is in 2nd place.
Around 80 % of the population works directly or indirectly in agriculture.
33 out of every 1,000 babies die in Malawi - ten times more than in Switzerland.
Our Malawi projects
Impressions from the visits.
Vision
We create comprehensive and long-term prospects in regions severely affected by poverty: Thousands of farming families improve their income and nutrition. And hundreds of young people are completing vocational training in skilled trades. We are convinced that aid must be sustainable and holistic if it is to create real opportunities.
Approach
Diverse livelihoods.
Together with two local partner organizations - World Relief Malawi (WRM) and the Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM) - we are active in two neglected regions of Malawi in the areas of agriculture and vocational training.
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Agriculture
Support for greater food security
In training courses, farming families learn organic farming methods and how to produce fertilizer. This increases their crop yields and reduces expenditure. Thanks to vegetable gardens and fruit trees, their diet becomes more balanced, which is particularly important for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. In savings and lending groups, people learn how to save safely. They can use this money or a mini-loan to buy urgently needed seeds or agricultural equipment, for example.
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Vocational training
Vocational training for livelihood security.
Disadvantaged young people receive vocational training in trades such as metalwork, sewing, baking, carpentry, woodwork and agriculture. Such skilled workers are urgently needed on the local labor market. During their training, they also learn how to set up their own business and sell their goods. Strengthening their social skills is also an important part of the training. This enables them to earn enough later on and not have to migrate to the cities.
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Saving and investing
With micro-loans toward a secure livelihood
Farmers - mostly women - meet weekly or monthly in savings and lending groups in which they invest money together and grant each other mini-loans. In training courses, the participants acquire financial knowledge and entrepreneurial skills. In this way, they secure their livelihood step by step.
Impact
Every donation changes lives in Malawi.
1130 farming families are part of savings and lending groups
This enables them to achieve financial security step by step. They learn to invest sustainably in their business and thus develop prospects for themselves and their families.
200 young people completed an apprenticeship in high-demand occupations in 2024
In a country where only around 35 out of 100,000 young people complete an apprenticeship, the offer of informal, manual training is a huge opportunity. This enables young people to provide for themselves and their families later on.
1,950 farmers receive training in sustainable farming methods
As a result, they harvest more and also have fruit and vegetables for a more balanced diet. Self-produced fertilizer massively reduces their cultivation costs.
News
New stories from Malawi.
Possibilitieschange lives
Your donation for Malawi
Donate possibilities now.
Quality and transparency
Our certificates oblige us to maintain high standards.
We carry out our global aid projects not only with great dedication but also with the highest standards of quality and transparency to ensure your donation has the greatest impact. This is confirmed by various certifications, and through the KoGe umbrella organization, ena is accredited with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).
Learn more
Transparency
ZEWO seal of approval
The most established donation seal of approval in Switzerland guarantees that the use of donations at ena is transparent and effective.
Quality
ISO 9001:2015
The ISO 9001:2015 certification attests that our aid organization complies with quality and organizational standards and is constantly developing these further.
Responsibility
CHS Alliance
The CHS Alliance sets global standards for humanitarian aid and development cooperation and monitors compliance with these standards. ena's CHS certification confirms the quality and accountability of our work.
Relevance
SDC
Our long-standing cooperation with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) as part of the umbrella organization KoGe ensures that we are a professional partner.
About us
Effective emergency aid and development cooperation.
As a relief organization, we provide life-changing opportunities worldwide through effective, straightforward assistance. We are committed to both short- and medium-term emergency aid, as well as long-term development cooperation. Based on mutual respect and an understanding of local needs, we focus primarily on livelihoods, education, health, and peace. The responsible and impactful use of entrusted donations is confirmed by the ZEWO quality seal and our commitment to the standards of the CHS Alliance.