Plan International Malawi

08/07/2026

Malawi through Plan Malawi and the Ministry of Gender showcased its commitment to advancing girls' education at the 2nd AU Pan-African Conference on Girls' and Women's Education in Bujumbura, Burundi.
The Malawi team proudly hosted a side event where under the theme "Strengthening Girls' Secondary Education in Malawi through Safe, Inclusive, and Climate-Resilient Digital Learning Pathways."
The presentation highlighted how innovative, scalable solutions are helping address the barriers that continue to keep girls out of secondary school, including long distances to school, limited digital access, climate-related disruptions, school-related gender-based violence, early pregnancy and poverty.

Through the inclusive quality education programming, Plan Malawi is demonstrating that when governments, development partners, communities and young people work together, girls can stay in school, thrive and realise their full potential.

Grace, a young advocate, challenged her fellow girls to seize every opportunity available to them:
"Education is our power. I encourage every girl to grab every opportunity that comes your way, stay in school and never let challenges define your future. Your dreams are valid, and you deserve every chance to achieve them." She said.

Gender Officer Martha Kalumbi reaffirmed the Government of Malawi's commitment:
"The Government remains committed to creating an enabling environment where every girl has equal access to quality education. Through strong policies, partnerships and sustained investment, we will continue working to remove the barriers that prevent girls from learning and succeeding."

Plan International Malawi's Technical Lead for Inclusive Quality Education, Thandeka Nkhonde, called for broader action across the continent:
"The progress we are witnessing in Malawi demonstrates what is possible when innovation, collaboration and government leadership come together. We hope interventions like these will be replicated across Malawi and throughout Africa so that every girl, regardless of where she lives, has the opportunity to learn, lead and fulfil her potential."
As the continent works towards achieving gender-transformative education, Malawi continues to demonstrate that investing in safe, inclusive, climate-resilient and digitally enabled learning pathways is essential to ensuring no girl is left behind.

30/06/2026

This week, Plan International Malawi, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (MoEST), will present at a side event during the 2nd AU Pan-African Conference on Girls’ and Women’s Education ( ) in Bujumbura, Burundi.

According to Plan’s Technical Lead on Inclusive Quality Education Thandeka Nkhonde, the presentation is titled “Strengthening Girls’ Secondary Education in Malawi through Safe, Inclusive, and Climate-Resilient Digital Learning Pathways,” and will highlight innovative solutions addressing barriers that keep girls out of school.

Girls in Malawi face challenges such as long distances to school, limited digital access, climate disruptions, SRGBV, early pregnancy and poverty factors that continue to impact secondary school completion rates.

Through the campaign, Malawi is making progress by supporting adolescent mothers’ return to school, preventing SRGBV, and promoting gender-responsive education planning. Malawi’s selection for the 2025 AU-CIEFFA Monitoring Mission further reflects its leadership in advancing inclusive and gender-transformative education.

Building on this momentum, MoEST and Plan International Malawi are implementing a scalable model that integrates digital learning, safe school environments, climate resilience and sustainable financing demonstrating how collaboration and innovation can expand opportunities for girls.

23/06/2026

The Ministry of Education has validated the Gender Transformative Education (GTE) Manual for primary and secondary schools, marking an important step towards promoting gender equality in Malawi's education sector.

Gender Transformative Education is an approach that challenges harmful gender norms and promotes equality through curriculum, teaching practices and education policies, ensuring girls and boys have equal opportunities to learn and succeed.

Plan International Malawi has welcomed the validation of the manual, describing it as a strategic tool that will support educators, policymakers, and communities in creating inclusive learning environments where all children can thrive.

Speaking during the GTE Manual Validation Workshop, Plan International Malawi Director of Programs Janet Chidothi said it is time to move beyond simply getting children into classrooms.

"We must transform what happens inside those classrooms, the relationships, teaching practices, school culture, and power dynamics that shape learning experiences," said Chidothi.

She said the manual provides teachers with practical tools, case studies, classroom activities, and reflective exercises to help address gender bias, create safe learning environments, and encourage meaningful learner participation.

According to Chidothi, effective implementation of the manual could reduce gender disparities in enrolment, retention, and achievement while empowering learners of all genders to become agents of positive change.

The Gender Transformative Education Manual was developed by Plan International Malawi in partnership with the Malawi Institute of Education (MIE), CRECCOM, and the Ministry of Education.

19/06/2026

Millions of girls are missing out on opportunities, simply because they were born into crisis.

For children and youth affected by crisis, education is more than just learning -it’s a lifeline. It provides vital support in the form of health, protection, and nutrition.

Yet, millions are being left behind due to conflict, climate disasters, and overcrowded classrooms.

For Plan International, this is not only an education issue but a protection issue. When schools close or become unaffordable, girls face a sharply higher risk of child marriage, early pregnancy and exploitation. In some settings, limited educational opportunities also increase the risk of child recruitment by armed groups.

Read our open letter https://tr.ee/PAkHfQsliL

17/06/2026

Education has the power to change everything

Education underpins peace, security, climate resilience, gender equality and economic growth- yet it is being systematically underfunded.

When education funding is cut, instability and inequality deepen with consequences for generations.

The warning also comes as the situation is expected to get dramatically worse - international aid for education is projected to fall by $3.2 billion in 2026, a 24 percent drop from 2023 levels. This would leave another six million children out of school by the end of next year.

We stand in solidarity with children, young people, students and teachers worldwide to urge decision makers to act now and protect education as the foundation for peaceful, healthy, equitable and prosperous societies.

During the , let’s stand together to and ensure every child has a chance to thrive.

Read our open letter https://tr.ee/PAkHfQsliL

16/06/2026

Today, as we mark , we are calling on leaders, decision makers and stakeholders to guarantee;

✅ Safe water

✅ Proper sanitation

✅ Dignity for every child

Because no girl should have to choose between water and her education, safety or dignity.
Investing in water is investing in girls.

Read their everyday stories here... https://plan-international.org/middle-east-e-s-africa/case-studies/the-price-of-a-day-without-water/


Pl Plan International, Middle East, Eastern and Southern Africa - MEESA Plan International West and Central Africa

For millions of girls, it's a day without school, safety and dignity This is their day. Everyday

16/06/2026

Plan International Malawi today, 16 June, joins Malawi and the rest of Africa in commemorating the Day of the African Child under the theme, "Ensuring Universal Access to Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for Every Child in Malawi."

This year's message is clear: every child deserves access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene services.

Yet for millions of children, especially girls, this remains out of reach. Many girls are forced to choose between fetching water and attending school, putting their education, safety, health, and dignity at risk.

This is their day. Every day.

We are at Matete Ground in the area of Senior Chief Fukamapiri in Nkhata Bay District, where this year's Day of the African Child commemorations are taking place.

Read more: https://plan-international.org/middle-east-e-s-africa/case-studies/the-price-of-a-day-without-water/

15/06/2026

A child's right to an education must be upheld .

As the G7 summit begins in France, Plan International is calling on leaders to increase development and humanitarian spending on education. In an open letter, co-signed with more than 190 other organisations, we are urging attendees to treat funding for learning as a core investment in global peace, protection and prosperity.

Today, over 270 million children and youth are out of school, and the challenges are growing. Conflict, climate change, and hunger are disrupting education for millions and girls, children with disabilities, and those living in emergencies are hit hardest.

Whilst world leaders gather at the , we call on leaders and donors to fully fund and to protect education in crises and to build resilient systems that last.

We must act now to and . Let’s make education a reality for all.

Read our open letter: G7 Summit – https://tr.ee/PAkHfQsliL

12/06/2026

Plan International Malawi was pleased to be among the development partners supporting the Government of Malawi, through the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, in the launch of the Child Protection Management Information System (CPMIS) on Thursday, 11 June 2026, at the Sunbird Capital Hotel.

The CPMIS is a national digital platform designed to strengthen child protection by safely recording, managing, and tracking information on vulnerable children across Malawi.

Among other things, the system will improve case management for child protection cases such as abuse, neglect, exploitation, child labour, and child marriage, strengthen coordination among government, NGOs, and service providers, and support evidence-based decision-making using real-time data, among others.

The platform also includes a national dashboard that tracks child protection trends, education, health, household wellbeing, and access to services.

At the moment, 16 of 28 districts are already entering data into the system, with over 168,000 vulnerable children registered and more than 100,000 caregivers captured.

The Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Mary Navicha, who graced the event, described CPMIS as a modern, evidence-based system that will transform child protection services in Malawi through improved coordination and timely response.

Development partners also commended the Government’s leadership, noting that this is a major step toward a stronger, data-driven child protection system.

Plan International Malawi commends the CPMIS initiative as it marks an important milestone toward ensuring that every vulnerable child in Malawi is seen, supported, and protected.

08/06/2026

At Plan International, we are 100% committed to creating a safe, protective, and inclusive environment for every child and young person we work with.

Every child has the right to:
• Be protected: Receive immediate support and care.
• Thrive: Join in on safe, fun, and age-appropriate activities.
• Be respected: Feel safe and valued at all times.

Who makes this happen? All of us.

From our staff and partners to volunteers, drivers, and contractors, anyone representing Plan International must uphold our zero-tolerance approach to harm. Together, we treat every child with the utmost dignity, care, and respect.