RESEARCH AND FINDINGS

CULTURE
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW

MALAWIAN CULTURE
FEMALE DRESS
Females should wear a chitenje over their
clothing when in the villages. A chitenje is
a piece of cloth to be wrapped
around the waist. It costs around
1500K for 2m in the village, but
goes up to 3000K in the city.

SHAKING HANDS
When shaking hands it is
a mark of respect to
touch you right elbow
with your left hand
when shaking. This is
particularly important
when greeting
villages
elders.

MALE
DRESS
Males should
wear full
length pants
when in the
villages as a
sign of
maturity.

CATCHING BUSES

HAGGLING

Public transport is really

easy - just go to the depot
and tell them where you
are going. Buses can also be
stopped on the side of the
road. Buses will not always
go directly where you want
so you may have to walk a
little way sometimes.

Shopkeepers will notice youre not a local.

Dont be afraid to start at half or two-thirds
of the price, but ultimately the rule is to pay
the amount that you feel comfortable with
and remember that what is a
little difference for you could be
much bigger for someone else.

TIPPING
THANKYOU!
Malawians love
manners so always
say thank you (Zikomo!) this will build really good
rapport and mutual respect.

If tipping, try and give the tip directly to

the person serving you so it goes to them,
not the business. If there is a VAT or
service fee, there is no need to tip.

CHRISTIANITY
Malawians are very religious and speak
often about God and church so be
respectful.

DATA
TOP QUANTITATIVE INSIGHTS

SURVEYING
PRACTICE AND FORMAT
Practice the survey in a logical
order with clear headings so
conversation is natural.

REVIEW
Review and extract data from
surveys regularly, improving it
along the way. Particularly
after initial surveys to confirm
required data is being
obtained.

Use consistent units and know

dimensions of units (e.g. bags,
bundles, buckets).

ASKING QUESTIONS

TEAM COMPOSITION

TIPS & TRICKS

Teams of at least 2 or 3 if
possible (interviewer,
surveyor, empathy mapper)
with same sex interviewer.

(for surveying like a boss,

first time, everytime)

FORM OF ANSWERS
Answers need to be in specific
forms, preferably numbers
only, anything extra in
comments.

UNITS

FIELDWORKERS
Fieldworkers or translators need

to understand your goal and

their role. Extract as much
detail from them as possible.

Use open questions, not closed or

leading.

ONLINE
Use online surveys. Check the
survey can work offline and on
all smartphones and tablets.

CROSS CHECK AND LOOK

FOR INCONSISTENCIES
Cross check information and
call people out when
information is inconsistent.

HOUSEHOLD OVERVIEW

The average family size is

approximately 5 including
parents.
Families often have a
primary income earner and
in most cases rely on
extended family for
assistance when earner is
sick.

The majority of villagers use

bathrooms separated from
their houses.

The median household

income across all villages is
22500 Kwacha (~27USD) per
month.
Many villagers do not have a
stable source of income.
This leads to unstable
supply of food, water, fuel
and all basic goods.

AGRICULTURE
Farming is an integral part of the
lives of Malawians. 70% are
smallholder subsistence farmers
growing crops for their familys
consumption. Maize is the primary
crop grown with 98% of those
surveyed confirming this trend.

ALL VILLAGES HAD A

STRONG
DEPENDENCE ON
GROWING THEIR
OWN FOOD.
Nearly 70% of all those
interviewed grew their
own crops. Every spare
piece of land is filled with
crops.

MAIZE IS THE
PRIMARY CROP
GROWN.

THE AVERAGE YIELD

IS 14 X 50KG BAGS
OF MAIZE PER YEAR.

Of those growing crops,

98% of people were
growing maize as their
primary crop. Because
maize absorbs most of the
nutrients from the soil,
many families are
spending 20,000+ per 50kg
bag on fertiliser.

Most families growing

maize grew it solely to eat
themselves with only 10%
growing enough to sell.
Those growing maize for
their own consumption
often supplemented their
supply by purchasing more
from local markets.

DIET
Maize flour, mixed lovingly with
boiling water by locals to create
nsima, forms the basis of the
Malawian diet. Nsima is served
warm with a side of relish,
typically made using fish, chicken,
vegetables or beans. This
combination is eaten everyday
almost indiscriminately for lunch
and dinner.

ALMOST HALF THE

PEOPLE INTERVIEWED
ATE LESS THAN THREE
MEALS A DAY.
39% of villagers had
insufficient funds or
agricultural resources to
provide three meals a day
for themselves and their
families. In tough times,
many go several days eating
one meal or less.

ON AVERAGE, PEOPLE
SPEND THE MAJORITY
OF THEIR INCOME ON
FOOD, MAKING THEM
VULNERABLE TO PRICE
VOLATILITY IN TIMES
OF SHORTAGE.
The amount spent on food
each month increases in
villages closer to the city,
where farmland is more
scarce and incomes are
higher. The average monthly
food budget lies between
12,000 and 20,000K.
As a result, villagers may
adopt negative coping
strategies, where they sell
assets in times of need and
are forced to buy them back
at higher rates. This can
lead to a cycle of poverty.

THE MAJORITY OF
VILLAGERS RELY ON
THEIR OWN LAND
AND VILLAGE STORES
FOR THEIR FOOD
SUPPLY.
55% of people interviewed
used their own land for
essential items (nsima,
vegetables) and relied on
markets for additional
goods

ENERGY
Charcoal and wood dominate the
energy sphere in Malawi due to
issues of access and cost.

CHARCOAL AND
WOOD ARE THE
PRIMARY SOURCES
OF FUEL.

COOKING IS THE
PRIMARY USE OF
FUEL; OTHER USES
ARE SECONDARY.

FUEL IS MAINLY
NECESSARY FOR
COOKING AND
EATING.

Wood was preferred in

more remote villages,
with users of wood valuing
cost. Charcoal was
preferred in villages closer
to town, with people
valuing cost, accessibility
and its utility equally.

Spending on cooking fuel

averages 350K a day; for
those without electricity,
spending on lighting
averages averaged 50K a
day.

Fuel is relied on by
households to survive.
Malawians rarely eat fresh
food, so cooking is
inextricably linked to
eating. It forms a part of
their non-discretionary
spending.

Fuel can cost as much as food, and

form as much as half of household
expenditure.
Villagers usually buy fuel daily in
small portions due to budgetary
constraints.

PEOPLE HAVE ACCESS

TO MOBILES.
Despite the costs
associated with power,
85% of people surveyed
either had or had access
to a mobile phone. People
could charge phones at
local shops for 50K.

WATER
During the wet season, water does
not appear to be a primary concern
for the villages we entered.
Average water use per day: 120L
Collection Method: Buckets (30-40L)
Main water sources: Bore, Kiosk, Tap,
River (washing only)
Common treatments: None, chemical
treatment (Waterguard)

THE MAJORITY OF
PEOPLE PURCHASE
DRINKING WATER.

THE COST OF WATER

IS HIGH COMPARED
TO EDUCATION.

RIVER WATER IS
CONTAMINATED
FROM WASHING.

Across the three villages,

most either purchased
kiosk water or bore water.
Because of this, very few
treat their water as it is
seen as safe to drink.
Water tests have shown
that bore water is not
clean across all villages.

Water can cost 4-10 times

the price of education.
This is significant as
education in considered to
be one of the most
important aspects of these
people's lives.

The river water was found

to have very high levels of
E. Coli and coliforms. This
is likely due to it being
used as one of the main
washing sources for both
clothes and bathing. This
is significant as it affects
other villages
downstream.

EDUCATION
In Malawi, school officially begins
with primary school and goes from
ages 6 to 13. Secondary school
follows after, covering ages 14 to
17. According to UNESCO, 83% of
Malawis school-going children are
enrolled in primary education.
However, the dropout rate remains
high at 52%.

EDUCATION
SPENDING
CONSTITUTES A
LARGE PORTION OF
MONTHLY
EXPENDITURE.
Nursery, secondary and
tertiary school range
between 15000 and 20000
per term, while primary is
only 600 - heavily
subsidised by the
government

FOR THOSE
ENROLLED IN
SCHOOL,
ATTENDANCE IS
HIGH. HOWEVER,
THERE ARE STILL
MANY BARRIERS TO
EDUCATION.
Although the attendance
rate of those interviewed
is high (81%) for children
already enrolled in school
- the greatest barriers to
regular participation are
school fees and health
issues and additional costs
such as uniforms, exams
and student registration.

EDUCATION IS
IMMENSELY VALUED
IN MALAWIAN
CULTURE AND RANKS
ALMOST AS HIGHLY
AS FOOD AS A
PRIORITY.
Primary school is by far
the most common,
followed by secondary,
nursery and finally
tertiary.

HEALTH
Health issues uncovered in the
villages include Malaria, HIV/AIDS,
Blood Pressure, etc.
The lack of access to nearby
treatment options in the villages
force people to catch buses into
town whilst sick.

WE KNOW A LITTLE,
BUT THERE IS STILL
A LOT TO DISCOVER.

TRANSPORT COSTS
TO TREATMENT ARE
HIGH.

TREATMENTS ARE
NOT ALWAYS
AVAILABLE AT PUBLIC
HOSPITALS.

While people were often

open in discussing health
issues, questions in the
future need to address
certain issues more
specifically to gain deeper
insights.

Given the lack of access to

village treatment options,
people catch buses to
public hospitals in town.
The buses are crowded
and costs 400K return per
person.

While public hospitals

provide free treatments,
it does not cover all
health issues. Moreover,
the offered treatments
are not always available.
People are often
redirected to pharmacies
to purchase their own
medicines.

Given it is a sensitive
issue, a lack of specificity
and inconsistent phrasing
in the questioning were
barriers to uncovering the
full extent of the issues.

EMPATHY
TOP QUALITATIVE INSIGHTS

Context: Many mothers talked about their desire for their children to be

Education is one
of the biggest
desires as well as
a strongly
perceived need.
Her mother passed away when
she was born so she wasnt able
to finish school, but she wishes
she could have. She wants her
children to be educated.
-Mary (1703)

educated, seeing it as a pathway to better employment opportunities and a

higher standard of living. They also identified it as a major challenge due to
the steep rise in costs beyond primary school. As well as school fees, exam
costs and student registration fees in secondary school can be thousands of
kwacha.

Significance: As villagers identified it as both a major desire and a major

need, education could be a significant area of impact in terms of desirability
and viability. It is also strongly tied to financial security so financial products
should be considered.

From
the Empathy Map:THINKING
SAYING
Her brother is not going
to school because of
school fees
-Mwandina (1403)

FEELING

The biggest challenge facing

girls is losing their parents.
Relatives preference own
children in paying school fees
and encourage early
marriage so they are
provided for.

-Jean (1402)

She wants to send her

grandchildren to school.
-Catherine (803)

My grandmother told me
to get married so that I could
provide for the family.
Mary (1703) got married at 15 as her family
couldnt pay for her education. She wishes she
could have finished school and now wishes her
children to be educated.

Context: Its very hard to find stable employment and so many village

Job security is a
concern due to
seasonal work
and sole
breadwinners.
Neither her or her husband
works. The husband was
working at Carlsberg, but got
sacked...sacked in the middle
of the contract
-Mwandina (1403)

members work in odd jobs, from helping on farms during harvest season to
short contract jobs in the city. However, due to loose contracts, there is very
little job security and employers and contractors can terminate contracts and
treat workers poorly with very little consequence.

Significance: Job security directly affects the financial security of families.

Some women will work as well to try and supplement income, but when they
are old or need to look after the children, this is not an option.

From the Empathy Map:

SAYING

FEELING

SAYING

I look for odd jobs.

She is worried that her

husband cannot find work.

-Olivia (302)

- Estna (803)

People normally move

from here to the city
because thats where the
work is.
- (307)

Context: When talking about things they could change, many interview
respondents expressed a desire to start a new business, grow an existing
business or restart an old business as a desirable path to financial security.

Business was
perceived as both
a needed and
desired source of
financial security.
[I would like] to have enough
to have a small scale
agriculture business.
-Elliot (601)

Significance: Options that offer economic empowerment and/or investment

such as micro-financing, micro-loans and enterprise incubators and
accelerators are likely to be highly desirable within these communities.

From the Empathy Map:

FEELING

SAYING

She loves doing business.

If she could change
anything, she wishes her
business could grow.
-Rose (802)

He wants to be doing a
big business.
-Mr. Mangoche (1701)

FEELING
She likes business and
want to grow her business
to support her family.
-Catherine (803)

Context: As there is only one harvest per year, families rely on good weather

Food security is
closely tied to
both weather
and seasonal
change.
Its harder during the dry
season, not uncommon to go
without food.
-Jacinta (202)

conditions to have enough yield to feed them for as many months as possible.
However, due to large price fluctuations, maize is very expensive during the
dry season and beginning of rainy season when families are running out, making
these periods much more difficult in regards to food security.

Significance: By changing the reliance on seasons and weather or

introducing new methods better suited to the conditions, there is potential to
have a large impact of the agricultural practices and diet of communities.

From the Empathy Map:

SAYING
Rain comes with
beautiful things.
-Nolie & Phineas
(206)

FEELING
Worried there will not be
enough money for
fertiliser [at the start of
the rainy season].
-Alice (308)

THINKING
Food is her only
challenge.

-Rose (802)

Even if the husband earns

money, he can spend it on his
own needs. If he brings home maize,
it is for the family.
Faires (1401, pictured with 4 of her children) relies on her
husband to earn money through seasonal jobs like farming.
Without their own farm, she would rather he is paid in maize,
so at least the family has enough to eat.

Context: When asked about what they would change, a common response to
hear was that they wanted to own a house instead of renting, or to have a
bigger and/or nicer house.

Like us, most

people just
want a better
standard of life
and a home to
call their own.
If God helps me, I wish to
own my own house.
-Mrs. Casenway (1202)

Significance: The desire for a better house may be metaphorical for the
desire to have an overall better standard of living. Housing may also be
symbolic to the local community of wealth and class, making it an important
issue to consider going forward.

From the Empathy Map:

FEELING

THINKING

She wants to change the

way her family eats and
make the place beautiful.

She would like to finish

house renovations and
have electricity for lights.

-Chrissie (903)

FEELING

-Jean (1402)

She wants a nice house

with good bedrooms.

-Fani (1603)

Context: While rarely talked about specifically, the fact that family planning
was mentioned at all was a surprise to our team as we werent sure what
attitudes local communities have. Important to note is that it was only brought
up in a group of women, not in front of men.

Family planning
is of growing
importance to
women.
It is too expensive to have so
many children
-Huwa (401)

Significance: Sexual and reproductive health should be investigated further

as it is unclear how many women are aware and wanting family planning
services. This could be explored through female focus groups or in-depth
interviews.

From the Map:

SAYING

DOING

[I am] trying to have a

small family.

-Deft (901)

SAYING

Women nodding in
agreement when talking
about the need for
contraceptives.
-Huwa (401)

I would like
contraception, but
because I have only had 2
children, I cant get it
-Huwa (401)

Context: Time and time again, mothers told us that their priorities were

Communities are
strongly family
and people
oriented.
I get sick, but my children
dont, which makes me
happy.
-Olivia (302)

always for their children in regards to food, financial security and education.
When asked if they could change one thing, a large number of respondents
preferenced family members and children over themselves. Things that made
people happy also often included other members of the community.

Significance: In implementing desirable solutions, teams should consider

that solutions directly responding to the education and nutrition needs of
children and families may be more marketable than individual approaches.

From the Empathy Map:

SAYING

DOING

FEELING

I save for my
grandchildren [for their
education] because most
of them are orphans.

Enthusiastic when talking

about family.

He is happy when people

are happy, but sad when
people die as he feels
responsible.

-Catherine (803)

-Deft (901)

- Chief Nicholas (1004)

Nothing makes her happy.

She is always worried about
her kids.
Pharistas (502) is the main provider for 22 grandchildren along
with her widowed daughter, who lives across from her. Her
other children passed away, leaving their children in her care.
While she sometimes sells sand from the river, money is scarce
and the children often cannot afford to go to school.

TESTING
PROCESS AND INSIGHTS

TESTING (SOIL)
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

CONTACT

PREPARATION

COLLECTION

DELIVERY

RESULTS

Talk to Frank (TechOfficer at Polytechnic

University) to organise
testing.

Make sure you have

everything for sample
collection. Sample jars
should be bought from
Lab Enterprises location pinned on My
Maps (available
chemicals and prices
listed online, but not
equipment)

Choose 3 collection
points per area of
interest. Samples
should be taken from
both the topsoil and
then from ~10-20cm
below the surface
(total of 6 per area).
Wear appropriate safety
gear and make sure to
ask permission before
taking soil from
someones land.

Make sure samples are

delivered back to the
Polytechnic University,
however there are no
particular time
parameters for soil
testing to adhere to. If
testing at home, make
sure they are stored
and labelled correctly.

Received in approx. 3-4

business days.
Testing has revealed
that soil salinity and
soil pH is likely not a
concern. Soil Organic
Matter (SOM) on the
other hand still
requires further
testing.

TESTING (WATER)
1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

CONTACT

PREPARATION

COLLECTION

DELIVERY

RESULTS

Talk to Michael Adams

(Microbiologist at
Polytechnic University)
to organise all aspects
of testing from
materials to collection
and results.

Make sure you have

everything for sample
collection - sample jars
can be obtained from
Michael on request.

Choose strategic points

in each village to
collect water from.
Wear appropriate safety
gear and make sure to
offer payment for water
to the village if
necessary.

Make sure samples are

delivered back to the
Polytechnic University
within 6 hours. Also
note that samples can
only be delivered
between Monday Thursday.

Received in approx. 2-3

business days.
All villages tested had
one uncontaminated
water source.
However, some
villagers were, out of
financial pressure or
other lack of access,
required to use the
contaminated water
sources.

MAPPING
OVERVIEW AND INSIGHTS

MAPPING
KEY POINTS IDENTIFIED WITH:

KEY POINTS IDENTIFIED WITH:

GOOGLE MYMAPS

DRONE DEPLOY

Location of each interview (images attached)

Data imported from MyMaps villages captured (Malilo,

Location of interviewees toilet/bathroom (images

Nzeru & Martin)

attached)

Distances from houses to available water sources within

Key infrastructure points water sources

villages

Location of samples conductedwater & soil

Cross reference with surveys to obtain complete information

regarding quality, cost and supply of water

LINKS TO ANNOTATED PDF:

Malilo: https://pdf-annotate.herokuapp.com/583ebffd11eb25186e027b1b
Nzeru: https://pdf-annotate.herokuapp.com/585145475b79676d8b6b3054
Martin: https://pdf-annotate.herokuapp.com/584945a76482875dfee8040d

MAPPING (INSTRUCTIONS)
Noted points must be physically transcribed from MyMaps to Drone Deploy using latitude and longitude (We
know it can be tedious but there is no other option).
IMPORTANT DRONE DEPLOY TOOLS TO FAMILIARISE YOURSELF TO:
The Measurement tools
provide analysis of the
mapping.

Toggle view by
selecting the
appropriate
mapping option
according to needs.

Generate pdf to obtain an

annotated report and link
for sharing.

MAPPING (INSTRUCTIONS cont.)

Coordinates must be
matched with MyMaps
pin manually.

DRONE DEPLOY LEGEND

LAND
WATER SOURCE

Use title box to record

name of element
according to MyMaps and
colour according to
legend given.

TOILET
HOUSES
DISTANCE TO BORE
DISTANCE TO RIVER
DISTANCE TO TAP

Comments section is
useful for key data such
as test results.

MAPPING (INSIGHTS)
Analyse geographical
relationship between
contaminated water
sources, latrines and
washrooms.

TIPS & TRICKS

Calculate area of farmers lands

using drone deploy to investigate
ways to maximise potential yield and
cross checking area with yield
identified through survey data.

Analyse elevation levels of

latrines, water collection points
and washrooms and
consequences on soil nutrition,
water sanitation and
agricultural growth/yield.

FINDINGS

MALILO - DISTANCE TO
WATER SOURCE

MARTIN - DISTANCE TO
WATER SOURCE

STAKEHOLDERS
OVERVIEW AND FUTURE RECOMMENDATIONS

UBALE
United in Building and Advancing Life Expectations
WHO THEY ARE

PROJECTS + INSIGHTS

MOVING FORWARD

Funded by USAID and project

managed by Catholic Relief
Services (CRS), UBALE is a
multi-agency project started
in 2014 and continuing until
2020. Working directly with
the government in the areas
of food security, agriculture
and nutrition, they aim to
build foundational stability in
communities. They also
partner with local
organisations, including CARE,
Save the Children and SUN
(Scaling Up Nutrition).

Conservation Agriculture:
uses lab lab bean crops. Key
concepts: coverage,
condensation and moisture
trapping

UBALE has an existing

relationship with Murdoch
University -> there may be
potential for partnership and
information sharing.

Stunting: a big issue in Malawi

that develops during first 1000
days of a childs life. Cannot
be reversed, unlike wasting,
which is also due to
malnutrition.

Our primary contact Dane has

a wealth of connections in the
region and is happy for us to
contact him in July so engage
with him about further
contacts and potential project
ideas and partnerships - this
will also give us the
opportunity to complement
existing areas from a social
business perspective.

Areas of operation: Blantyre,

Chikwawa, Nsanje

Murdoch University Project:

an ongoing investigation into
the effectiveness of 5 core
agricultural skills.

CONTACT
Dane Fredenburg
Chief of Party - UBALE
Catholic Relief Services Malawi - Blantyre/UBALE
Email:
dane.fredenburg@crs.org
Phone: +265 992 662 003
Skype: dfredenburg
See email correspondence
for more information.

THE HUB
Blantyre Entrepreneur Hub/The Thrive Partners
WHO THEY ARE

INSIGHTS

Founded in 2015, The Hub is

the first incubator of its kind
in Blantyre. Providing a
coworking space for 50+
entrepreneurs through a paid
membership fee, The Hub also
hosts monthly pitch nights and
as of December 2016, will be
run entirely on solar power.
Its operated by The Thrive
Partners, a New Zealand NGO
and is managed on the ground
by Kate Sutton, who has an
extremely large wealth of
knowledge relating to business
operation, social enterprise
and ongoing projects in
Malawi.

Maize: While Maize is life, it is

highly political and systemically
corrupt. Seek solutions around maize
rather than tackling it directly.
Business and Culture: Market
inefficiencies exist because of a lack
of interconnectedness, stemming
from nepotism and lack of trust.
These issues arise in areas of
marketing, job markets, supply
chain, etc.
Smart incentives: are needed.
Understanding the culture and
finding solutions that incorporate
ingrained behaviours are key to an
ideas success.
Training: Practical skills are lacking.
Educational/vocational programmes
may be helpful in building skills and
empowering locals.

INSIGHTS cont.
Regulations: a high barrier to
operation. Pursuing a limited
corporation structure entails huge
administrative costs. Alternative
solutions include registering as sole
proprietorships, or forming
partnerships with NGOs and funding
projects under their banner.

MOVING FORWARD
Kate has been very open to helping
us in July and beyond. As a prominent
figure with a wealth of knowledge in
the NGO/development space in
Malawi, she should be the first point
of contact for any ideas or issues.
While not broached, there may also
be future opportunities for idea
pitching to Malawians, as well as
forming partnerships with local
entrepreneurs working at The Hub.

CONTACT
Kate Sutton
MA, MBA
Thrive Consultant
Email:
kate@thethrivepartners.com
Phone: +265 (0) 991 122 768
Skype: kateannasutton
Address:
P.O. Box 2783
Blantyre, Malawi
See email correspondence
for more information.

THE POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY

WHO THEY ARE

MOVING FORWARD

The Malawi Polytechnic is one of

the constituent colleges of the
University of Malawi. The
Polytechnic has five faculties:
Applied Sciences, Built
Environment, Commerce,
Engineering and Education and
Media. Within these faculties there
are a number of undergraduate
degrees which we think could
complement Project Everests
interest areas as there is university
wide focus on technological and
scientific endeavours.

Originally, we met with the

Polytechnic to source testing
facilities for soil and water
analysis but we believe it can
evolve beyond this.
We envision a relationship with
the Polytechnic University where
Project Everest could offer an
internship opportunity to two
local students per team. Teachers
would nominate exemplary
students from their respective
cohorts to participate with a link
between our project and their
degree.

CONTACT
Rex B. Mbewe
Head of Department,
Physics and Biochemical
Sciences
Email: rmbewe@poly.ac.mw
Phone: +265 999 927 482
+265 187 0411
Address:
Private Bag 303, Chichiri,
Blantyre 3, Malawi

NAYO
Nancholi Youth Organisation
WHO THEY ARE

CURRENT PARTNERSHIP

MOVING FORWARD

CONTACT

Nancholi Youth Organisation

(NAYO) undertakes a holistic
approach to community
development, undertaking
various environmental
protection, HIV/AIDS and
economic empowerment
initiatives that have sustained
their operations for the last 13
years. NAYO are a well respected
local organisation and thus have
invaluable impact in the villages
in Nancholi and surrounding
areas.

NAYO issued field guides to

accompany us into our
primary investigations,
allowing us to gain permission
from the chief(s) and
conversing with our
interviewees in Chichewa.
Thus, the field guides proved
to be vital in collecting our
quantitative data and allowed
for a holistic investigation by
deepening our understanding
of qualitative characteristics
of the Malawian culture.

Communication is imperative to
harbour our relationship with
NAYO. Upon leaving, we have
showed our appreciation by
presenting George, the founder,
with photos from the respective
villages and also a copy of our
findings. By continuing our
communication, both from
Australia and in Malawi, we can
ensure a sustainable and
complementary relationship
between NAYO and Project
Everest.

George Andrew Nedi

Primary Field Guides:

Chisomo, Annie, Philip

Project Coordinator
Phone: +265 (0) 999 762 724
+265 (0) 882 130 961
Email:
nancholiyouthorganisation@
gmail.com
Address:
Nancholi Youth
Organisation
P.O. Box 2057
Blantyre, Malawi

FOUNDATIONS FOR FARMING

WHO THEY ARE

INSIGHTS

MOVING FORWARD

Foundations for Farming is an

educational training centre
informing local farmers on
sustainable practices they can
adopt from land preparation,
planting, harvesting and
general management of their
crops. Partnering with local
communities, Johann, the
founder, trains respected
community members with the
belief that they will take this
knowledge into the wider
communities and initiate
greater adoption of the
strategies taught.

Farming is a culture: its not

a job. To facilitate change is a
gradual process which
requires changing the
community mindset around
farming practices.

Johann has incredible

technical knowledge around
farming strategies and current
practices of local farmers. He
has provided us with a
training schedule for the first
term of 2017 and would be a
useful consultant moving
forward. He has offered to
involve us in the training
programme which would be
particularly beneficial if
partnerships with local
universities are established
allowing internship
opportunities.

Fertiliser: theyre trying to

eliminate the cost of synthetic
fertiliser by replacing it over
time with organic mulch.
Number of harvests: methods
including planting pigeon peas
between maize, harvesting 4
months after maize and
leaving stalks to replenish
nitrogen in soil make a big
difference.

CONTACT
Johann van der Ham
Founder
Email: johann@crown.org.za
Phone: +265 (0) 999 960 511
Address:
Crown Ministry Centre,
Chigumula (on Thyolo Road),
Blantyre

OTHER CONTACTS
CONCERN UNIVERSAL
A meeting was held with Adam Davies (Deputy Country Director - Programmes). We did not find the meeting particularly useful
because of their limited presence in the region however they could be a good contact when embarking on ideation related to fuel
and agriculture as they appear to have a number of innovative and interesting approaches in this sphere.
T: +265 (0) 881 421 718 E: adam.davies@concern-universal.org

THE HUNGER PROJECT

A meeting was held with Henry, who was able to give us the Country Directors contacts (Rowlands Kaotcha). However, he was out
of the country and unable to meet with us. Their Epicenter Strategy is a community focused development programme, which is
quite interesting.
T: +265 (0) 888 844 361 M: +265 (0) 999 844 361 E: rowlands.kaotcha@thp.org

WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME (WFP)

We held an initial meeting and they were very interested in Project Everests activities and open to the idea of collaboration or
partnership in the future. WFP is involved in aid relief and development in food security. The latter may be of great relevance to
us, especially given their experience, knowledge and reputation in the surrounding regions of Blantyre.
T: + 265 (0) 1 774 666 E: WFP.Lilongwe@wfp.org OR giada.dimaria@wfp.org

NOTE: please refer to the workhub-malawi@projecteverest.ventures email account as there are a

number of other potential contacts not listed here.

IDEATION
INITIAL IDEAS AND SUGGESTIONS

IDEATION
INSURANCE
Through implementing insurance programs
(eg. harvest, life insurance) in rural
communities, we could provide much
needed financial security, food security or
a guarantee children will be able to
complete their education, even if both
parents die. Possible Structure: Pay-asyou-go tiered structure in which base level
covers bare essentials
up to highest level which
is comprehensive insurance.

FOOD MARKET
STABILISATION
By purchasing maize during
harvest season and storing it in
bulk until pre-harvest, we can
sell it at competitive prices
which will stabilise the market
and provide greater food
security for families who are
forced to cater for large price
fluctuations.

SOLAR POWER
SWEET POTATO PRODUCTS
Developing new and cheap food
products using sweet potato as a
base (eg. sweet potato chips) to
provide greater nutrition at a
reasonable cost to communities who
otherwise survive on maize.

As there is already a market for solar

powered lights, we could look into
greater implementation of solar
powered devices, particularly for
cooking in order to replace
unsustainable and
inefficient energy sources.

MOBILE FUEL MARKET

By sending out small, mobile
vehicles with small and compact types
of alternative fuels (eg. biofuel
cubes?), we can reduce deforestation
and the reliance on charcoal while
providing a more efficient and cost
effective fuel source.

CONDENSED
SUPERFOODS
Condensing nutritious foods
into cost-effective pastes or
flavour bombs that can be
added to water or other
sauces, we can provide
flavour and nutrition for
households that are unable to
afford vegetables or meat to
add to maize/nsima.

IDEATION (cont.)
DRIED FRUIT

ROOF FILTRATION

COMMUNITY STORAGE

Given the abundance

of fruits in wet season
such as mangoes and
bananas, we could look into
micro-financing opportunities to
help locals start businesses in
preserving and selling dried fruit
as a cost-effective and nutritious
food alternative to eat during dry
season.

Given the volume of rain during

wet season, we could develop a
cost-effective roof filtration
system to collect and filter water,
providing a solution to clean
water access and cost, giving
communities more time to work
and farm as needed.

By setting up cost-effective
community storage systems (eg.
underground), we can help keep
food products for longer and
prevent theft, providing
greater food security for
communities.

DROUGHT-RESISTANT CROPS
VERTICAL FARMING
Using the latest technologies in
vertical farming to improve
agricultural capacity and provide
food security for rural communities.

By introducing new crops which are

suited to dry season conditions, we
can double harvest yields and ensure
food security for rural
communities who
otherwise only harvest
once a year.

COMMUNITY BANK
By creating a bank in
communities of finance,
knowledge and resources, we can
facilitate the development of
self-sustained, self-funded and
collaborative communities.

THANKS FOR READING AND ENJOY!

JUST REMEMBER: T.I.A. (THIS IS AFRICA!)