Malawi

Malawi is a landlocked nation situated in Southern part of Africa and is surrounded by Mozambique, Zambia, and Tanzania. Despite undergoing significant economic and structural reforms to foster growth, Malawi remains among the world's poorest countries. The country's population was estimated to be 20.41 million in 2022, with an annual growth rate of 2.6%. The economy heavily relies on agriculture which employs over 80% of the population, making it vulnerable to external shocks, especially those related to the climate. As of April 20, 2024, Malawi's current population stands at 21,364,515, based on the latest United Nations data. The median age in the country is 17.2 years.

In Malawi, a significant portion of the population comprises of children, yet their rights and needs are often overlooked in development efforts. Despite advancements in promoting child well-being, particularly in healthcare, challenges such as poverty continue to pose a significant threat to children's welfare, especially for those residing in marginalized remote areas with high birth rates. Additionally, there is a population of children in Malawi, known as "invisible" children, who lack birth registration, leading to their exclusion from legal recognition and the enjoyment of full citizenship rights. As highlighted in a 2020 report by the World Bank, children in Malawi face various challenges, including inadequate access to healthcare, education, child marriage, trafficking, child labor, sexual exploitation, and female genital mutilation, among others.

Christianity is the predominant religion in Malawi, with a minority presence of Muslims. Religious leaders in Malawi have formed collaborative partnerships with the government through six religious bodies, including the Malawi Council of Churches, Episcopal Conference of Malawi, Evangelical Association of Malawi, Muslim Association of Malawi, Quadria Muslim Association of Malawi, and the Seventh Day Adventist. Together, they work to educate the public on the importance of family planning for the well-being of families, communities, and the nation as a whole. Leaders of the Quadria Muslim Association of Malawi have shared that messages promoting family planning and population awareness are disseminated during Islamic gatherings through choirs, dramas, and sermons at the district and community levels. This initiative has the potential to bring about significant changes in social norms related to family planning and childbearing, thereby improving the protection of vulnerable children in the country. The transformation is founded on the idea that raising awareness and advocating for children's rights within congregations and communities will result in enhanced protection for children, increased access to education and healthcare, and the establishment of a safer and more supportive environment for children to flourish. Through their moral authority and influence, religious leaders have the capacity to instigate positive transformations in policies, attitudes, and behaviors that affect the well-being of children in Malawi. Collaborating with local NGOs, the Malawi Council of Churches tackles challenges like child marriage and child labor, and champion children's rights within local communities.

FPCC in Malawi

Activities

Interfaith Immunisation Campaign

Impact of the Mind-Heart Dialogue

In Malawi, 113 faith leaders oriented on the Mind Heart Dialogue approach facilitated 64 dialogue sessions

across five districts. These sessions reached 8,000 people with COVID-19, Polio, Measles, and Cholera vaccine

promotion messages, countering myths & misinformation on vaccines.

Case Study: James Malikebu from the Mulanje District in Malawi, was one of the people who used to believe COVID-19 is related to satanic rituals (666). He discouraged all family members from vaccinations, explaining that they will die if they accept the vaccine. After attending a Mind Heart Dialogue session in Mulanje, he went home and explained the importance of the vaccine to the whole family. Later all the family members who were eligible for the vaccine went to Mpala Health Centre to receive the vaccine.