Community action/Malawi
The aim of this page is to recognise, celebrate and encourage the self-empowerment of community agency networks (CANs) and community groups' activism for climate, environment and many other sustainability topics across Malawi.
News
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Lineage of chiefs build a thriving fish oasis in Lake Malawi, news.mongabay.com (Nov 04, 2024) - Community radio fosters refugee inclusion in Malawi, unhcr.org (Feb 13, 2024)
- Zimbabwe’s therapeutic ‘friendship benches’, coming to a city near you, positive.news (Jul 26, 2023)
- Introducing Katcha: An African Democratic Innovation Network, demnext.substack.com (Feb 19, 2026)
- One of Africa’s Most Important Water Sources Just Got Some Very Good News, insideclimatenews.org (Feb 05, 2026) — Angola’s vast highland wetlands feed rivers that deliver freshwater to millions. They just gained global recognition that could help keep it that way.
- Solution to Southern Africa’s growing elephant population: Corridors, not culls, news.mongabay.com (Dec 11, 2025)
- Amsterdam, along with other major European cities, bans public adverts for meat and fossil fuels [BBC], Daily Alternative (May 22, 2026)
- Solidarity fields in Syria: Reviving local seed production, globalvoices.org (May 21, 2026) — A community garden on Damascus's edge is quietly rebuilding Syria's agricultural memory
- The household battery revolution that could change energy bills … and the world, Adam Morton and Petra Stock, theguardian.com (May 15, 2026)
International events
[edit | edit source]Global or International events
Jun 03, 2026 (Wed) — World Bicycle Day, The bicycle is a "symbol of sustainable transport and conveys a positive message to foster sustainable consumption and production, and has a positive impact on climate." (United Nations), June 3 each year, un.org- Jun 05, 2026 (Fri) — World Environment Day, June 5, annually, worldenvironmentday.global
- Jun 08, 2026 (Mon) — World Oceans Day, June 8 each year, worldoceanday.org
- Jun 12, 2026 (Fri) — World Day Against Child Labour, every year on June 12, ilo.org
- Jun 17, 2026 (Wed) — World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought, each June 17, un.org
- Jun 21 and all of June — World Localization Day, worldlocalizationday.org
- Jun 22, 2026 (Mon) — World Rainforest Day, June 22 is World Rainforest Day, worldrainforestday.org
2021-2030, UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, International community action events
Each week 3 different short videos from across the world.
Community networks, Community action/Philippines, Arts, sport and culture / ...This week's featured UK videos / ... read more about Cosmolocalism
Malawi video
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Food activism
[edit | edit source]African Moringa and Permaculture Project - Soils, Food and Healthy Communities
Community energy
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William Kamkwamba (born 5 August 1987) is a Malawian inventor, engineer, and author. He gained renown in his country in 2001 when he built a wind turbine to power multiple electrical appliances in his family's house in Wimbe, 23 kilometres (14 mi) east of Kasungu, using blue gum trees, bicycle parts, and materials collected in a local scrapyard. Since then, he has built a solar-powered water pump that supplies the first drinking water in his village and two other wind turbines, the tallest standing at 12 meters (39 ft), and has built two more, including one in Lilongwe, the capital of Malawi.
Maps for community action
[edit | edit source]- Map Malawi: Open Street Map mapping for refugees - a case of Dzaleka camp, Malawi, community-led project completed in 2021. Information from Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, added 16:13, 5 December 2024 (UTC)
Biodiversity
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The wildlife of Malawi is composed of the flora and fauna of the country. Malawi is a landlocked country in southeastern Africa, with Lake Malawi taking up about a third of the country's area. It has around 187 species of mammal, some 648 species of birds have been recorded in the country and around 500 species of fish, many of them endemic, are found in its lakes and rivers. About 20% of the country has been set aside as national parks and game and forest reserves.
Wetlands
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Wetlands are vital ecosystems that provide livelihoods for the millions of people who live in and around them. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) called for different sectors to join forces to secure wetland environments in the context of sustainable development and improving human wellbeing.
A three-year project carried out by Wetlands International in partnership with the International Water Management Institute found that it is possible to conserve wetlands while improving the livelihoods of people living among them. Case studies conducted in Malawi and Zambia looked at how dambos – wet, grassy valleys or depressions where water seeps to the surface – can be farmed sustainably to improve livelihoods. Mismanaged or overused dambos often become degraded, however, using a knowledge exchange between local farmers and environmental managers, a protocol was developed using soil and water management practices. Project outcomes included a high yield of crops, development of sustainable farming techniques, and adequate water management generating enough water for use as irrigation. Before the project, there were cases where people had died from starvation due to food shortages. By the end of it, many more people had access to enough water to grow vegetables. A key achievement was that villagers had secure food supplies during long, dry months. They also benefited in other ways: nutrition was improved by growing a wider range of crops, and villagers could also invest in health and education by selling produce and saving money. W
Social inclusion and sustainable livelihood
[edit | edit source]- FMMJ foundation, women's organization created by Pastor Yves and led by refugee women since july 2020 in Malawi refugee camp Dzaleka community. The organisation helps single women and widows and their refugee children integrate into society through a soap making project and training in sewing and other trades and the distribution of food for elderly people.
- Information about Dzaleka Refugee Camp on dzaleka.com, an independent platform sharing the culture and resilience of Dzaleka Refugee Camp through stories, people, and community. above 2 links added 15:59, 5 December 2024 (UTC)
News archive
[edit | edit source]- Zimbabwe’s therapeutic ‘friendship benches’, coming to a city near you, positive.news (Jul 26, 2023)
- Africa’s land and forest restoration initiative gathers pace in Malawi, news.mongabay.com (Jun 07, 2023)
- Elephants on the Move: 250 Elephants to be Relocated in Malawi, African Parks (Jun 21, 2022)
- MapMalawi’s Dzaleka Mapping Project- OpenStreetMap Mapping for People Living in Protracted Crisis, hotosm.org (Jun 18, 2022)
- New Global Coalition launched to address impacts of Climate Change, Jan 25, 2021...gov.uk. Developed by the UK in partnership with Egypt, Bangladesh, Malawi, the Netherlands, Saint Lucia and the United Nations, this new Coalition will work to turn international political commitments made through the United Nations Call for Action on Adaptation and Resilience into on-the-ground support for vulnerable communities.
Solar project has 'life changing' impact in rural Malawi, Jan 21, 2020...BBC News
- Malawian NGO Community Energy to install 45KW solar energy grid for villages in Mchinji, Aug 18, 2017...nyasatimes.com
- How Solar power is bringing food security to Africa, Nov 25, 2016...The Ecologist
- Low-tech solar tent boosts Malawi's dried fish industry, Jun 15, 2016...@AJENews
- Building resilience to climate change in rural Malawi, December 7, 2015...newint.org/blog
- Malawi's solar power revolution starts by bringing schoolchildren out of the dark, August 11, 2015...The Guardian
Permaculture in Malawi: using food forests to prevent floods and hunger, April 20, 2015...The Guardian
- Sustainable agriculture in Malawi: a desperate struggle, April 17, 2015...The Ecologist
- Klem project enables Malawians to make their own shoes, January 22, 2014...designboom.com
- 2009 SEED Award Winners: Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia: "Sunny Money - solar micro-franchising".
- International NGOs and community-based organizations in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia have created a micro-franchise named Sunny Money, which recruits, trains and supports a growing network of solar entrepreneurs in East Africa, especially deaf and disabled people, helping them build and sell solar kits to power lights, radios and mobile phones.United Nations Environment Programme, May 12, 2009
About Malawi
[edit | edit source]Malawi is one of the world's least-developed countries. The economy is heavily based on agriculture, and it has a largely rural and rapidly growing population. The Malawian government depends heavily on outside aid to meet its development needs, although the amount needed (and the aid offered) has decreased since 2000. The Malawian government faces challenges in its efforts to build and expand the economy, to improve education, healthcare, and environmental protection, and to become financially independent despite widespread unemployment. Since 2005, Malawi has developed several policies that focus on addressing these issues, and the country's outlook appears to be improving: key indicators of progress in the economy, education, and healthcare were seen in 2007 and 2008.
Malawi has a low life expectancy and high infant mortality. HIV/AIDS is highly prevalent, which both reduces the labour force and requires increased government expenditures. The country has a diverse population that includes native peoples, Asians, and Europeans. Several languages are spoken, and there is an array of religious beliefs. Although in the past there was a periodic regional conflict fuelled in part by ethnic divisions, by 2008 this internal conflict had considerably diminished, and the idea of identifying with one's Malawian nationality had reemerged. W
Malawi, officially the Republic of Malawi, is a landlocked country in Southeast Africa. It is bordered by Zambia to the west, Tanzania to the north and northeast, and Mozambique to the east, south, and southwest. Malawi spans over 118,484 km2 (45,747 sq mi) and has a population of 22,224,282 (as of July 2025). Lilongwe is its capital and largest city.
See also
[edit | edit source]- Topic overview: Food activism, Community energy, Maps for community action, Community action on biodiversity, Wetlands, Social inclusion, Sustainable livelihood
Pages in category "Malawi"
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| Authors | Phil Green |
|---|---|
| License | CC-BY-SA-3.0 |
| Cite as | Philralph (2014–2025). "Community action/Malawi". Appropedia. Retrieved June 4, 2026. |