RISE for PHOKA CBO

23/09/2026

Turning resources into community action.

Through the matching grant from Mudzi Connect Malawi, Rise for Phoka has started completing the remaining works at Gavala School which are painting, doors, windows and drainage.

Yesterday, we delivered 6 tins of paint and 10 bags of cement to the site, while we are awaiting the door and window frames.

We build. We mobilise. We give back to the community. ❤️ Mudzi Connect Initiative for Community Advancement

09/09/2026

From community impact to financial sustainability.

Today, RISE for PHOKA CBO is in Lilongwe for a three-day Business Development Workshop, running from 9–11 September 2026.

Representing the Foundation are Kondwani Msyalie , Executive Director, and , our Finance & Administration Officer.

We are being guided through this journey by , a Business Consultant engaged by Mudzi Connect to support community foundations in developing viable enterprises and strengthening their path towards sustainability.

This is more than just a workshop. It is part of a bigger journey to explore how community foundations can build sustainable enterprises that generate local resources and strengthen their ability to serve communities for the long term.

Over the next three days, we will be learning, testing ideas, challenging our assumptions and sharpening our enterprise model as we prepare for the next stage of the programme.

We are grateful to Mudzi Connect for creating this space for community foundations to think beyond traditional fundraising and explore new pathways to sustainability, and to Towera for bringing her expertise, experience and guidance to the process.

The goal is simple: build enterprises that work for our mission, our organisation and our community.

We are ready to learn. We are ready to build. 🚀

07/09/2026

28 DAYS. BRICK BY BRICK. NOW AT ROOFING STAGE! 🧱

Exactly 28 days ago, we started building our community secondary school in Manchewe.
Today, the building has reached the roofing stage. 🙌🏾

This is what happens when a community comes together-land donated by the community, local people contributing their labour, and vocational trainees gaining practical construction skills while helping build their own future. The dream is becoming a reality.

This is the power of community foundations. ❤️

12/08/2026

We are happy to share that the construction of our secondary school in Mantchewe has reached an advanced level..

We are doing the ring beam, before we move to roofing.

Thanks to our contractor, Johnston John for the amazing work he is employing in this project.

05/08/2026

What can a community foundation achieve?

A community foundation exists to identify local challenges, mobilize resources, and bring people together to create lasting solutions. At Rise for Phoka Community Foundation, we believe that communities already have the power to transform their own future.

When we saw that many young people were walking almost two hours to attend secondary school, we knew something had to change.

Instead of waiting, we acted.

We started an Open Secondary School using primary school classrooms in the afternoons. After one successful academic year, we are now building a permanent secondary school in Manchewe.

What makes this project special is that it is owned by the community.

The chiefs and community members donated the land. Local people are providing labour. Students from our vocational training centre are helping with construction while developing valuable skills. Our role as a community foundation is to mobilize resources, build partnerships, and turn a shared dream into reality.

Soon, children in our community will have access to quality secondary education close to home. Long walks to school will become a story of the past.

This is more than a construction project. It is proof that when communities come together with a shared vision, extraordinary things happen.

If you believe in community-led development and would like to support this initiative, we would love to connect with you.

27/07/2026

Empowering Community Foundations for Sustainable Impact

We were honoured to welcome Towera Jalakasi, Business Consultant engaged by Mudzi Connect to Rise for Phoka Community Foundation for an initial enterprise development assessment.

The visit marked an important step in our journey towards building a sustainable social enterprise that will strengthen our organisation's long-term impact. Through this mentorship process, Towera is helping us assess our readiness, refine our business ideas, and prepare a compelling business pitch that could unlock seed funding to establish an income-generating venture.

At Rise for Phoka, we believe that sustainable organisations create sustainable communities. By developing strong social enterprises, community foundations can reduce dependence on donor funding while generating resources that support lasting community development.

We are grateful to Mudzi Connect for investing in the sustainability of community foundations and to Towera Jalakasi for sharing her expertise and guidance.

This is just the beginning, and we look forward to sharing more as we progress on this exciting journey.

25/07/2026

WHEN DONORS LEAVE, COMMUNITIES MUST REMAIN.

Today's headlines remind us of a difficult reality: donor-funded projects eventually come to an end. But should community development stop when funding stops?

At Rise for Phoka Community Foundation, we believe the answer is NO.

That is why we are building the Village Development Fund (VDF)—a community-owned fund where local people identify their priorities, contribute their own resources, and receive grants to strengthen the work they have already started.

We believe development should not begin with donors. It should begin with communities.

This is why we are transitioning from implementing projects ourselves to becoming a grant-making Community Foundation, investing directly in Village Development Committees and local groups that have demonstrated commitment, transparency, and community ownership.

Imagine a Malawi where:
- Communities build teachers' houses.
- Villages invest in irrigation.
- Local people construct health worker accommodation.
- Schools improve through community giving.
- Communities become funders of their own future.

Donors will always have an important role—but they should strengthen community efforts, not replace them.

The future of Malawi lies in communities that can organise, contribute, and lead their own development.

Together, let's build that future.

10/07/2026

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS IS NOW OPEN!

Rise for Phoka Community Foundation is excited to launch the Village Development Fund (VDF) – Pilot Regranting Programme 2026!

For the first time, we are investing directly in community-led development by supporting Village Development Committees (VDCs) in TA Kachulu, that have already taken action to improve their communities.

For more information;

In Chitumbuka follow this link; https://docs.google.com/document/d/19h94G5eWG8kAc4RekBPMAMVHJh6dZdFLf9sc2TAC3us/edit?usp=sharing

In English follow this link;
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_EpXDq70Q9-v3TSyQOP3gt2zTid15V69K3OXFed2ni0/edit?usp=sharing

📅 Applications open: 10 July 2026
⏰ Deadline: 17 July 2026 at 5:00 PM

At Rise for Phoka Community Foundation, we believe that communities are not waiting for development—they are already creating it. The Village Development Fund exists to strengthen and reward local initiative by matching community effort with financial support.
For application forms and more information, please contact the Rise for Phoka Community Foundation office.

09/07/2026

A Milestone for Community-Led Development

We are pleased to announce that the Bola na Chitukuko Fundraising Initiative has surpassed its first MWK 1 million, raising MWK 1,021,050 after just nine football matches.

This milestone demonstrates the potential of community philanthropy and local resource mobilisation to support sustainable development. Through football, communities are not only bringing people together, they are investing in their own priorities through the Village Development Fund (VDF).

Current progress:
MWK 1,021,050 raised
- 9 matches played
- 12 participating teams
- 2,042 spectators engaged

Our goal remains MWK 10 million by October 2026, with funds supporting community-prioritised initiatives in education, livelihoods, youth empowerment, and social wellbeing. This achievement belongs to every player, volunteer, supporter, community leader, donor, and partner who believes in locally led development.

The first million is more than a financial milestone-it is evidence that communities can organise, mobilise, and invest in their own future.

21/06/2026