Malawi

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The Facts

  • The population is 11.9 million
  • Life expectancy is 38 years
  • 1 in 6 children die before their 5th birthday
  • 38% of adults are illiterate.

Malawi gained independence from Britain in 1964. It is a landlocked country that shares borders with Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia. Most of the population earn their living from agriculture. Tea and tobacco, grown usually in large estates, are the main export crops but most of the farmland is used for growing staple foods on small subsistence farms. Although Malawi is a country of great natural beauty it is relatively poor in natural resources by comparison with neighbouring countries. In addition, Malawi has a high population density which has put excessive pressure on land and contributed to widespread rural poverty.

ActionAid in Malawi

ActionAid International began working in Malawi in 1990 and now has programmes in health, water and sanitation, education and livelihoods.

ActionAid Ireland is supporting a programme on women’s rights which is operating in four districts. The programme aims to:

  • Reduce women’s vulnerability to violence and HIV and AIDS
  • End violence against girls in schools
  • Increase women’s access to and control over land.

To achieve these ends, programme staff work closely with community based women’s groups in the four districts.

Related research and publications

Malawi country report (PDF)