Find Your Feet Malawi

04/04/2026

We are closing this week with excitement. Education offices in Lilongwe and Ntcheu have confirmed their commitment to carry BEFIT forward even without an Implementation Support Partner. This was witnessed during a quarterly review meeting held recently in Dedza. A key highlight of the meeting was the review government’s readiness for the BeFIT transition process.

Government ownership of the BEFIT is now undeniable with protocols fully adopted, Ed Tech Desk Officers in place and districts have allocated K13 Million kwacha in grants to BEFIT schools while zones are introducing dedicated budget lines (starting April 2026) for equipment maintenance.

Principal Education Officer, Elizabeth Chimutu, made the remarks during the review meeting. She said the milestone made by education offices in Lilongwe and Ntcheu proves that BEFIT is a sustainable system embraced by government for lasting impact.

In her remarks, Madam Anita Lungu, Coordinating Primary Education Advisor, expressed confidence in protocol adoption and local ownership but requested Find Your Feet’s technical support in tablet troubleshooting, equipment repairing and data monitoring systems.

Through this review meeting, we are thrilled to learn about the readiness of the education offices for BEFIT direct implementation. We will throw our energy on consolidating government ownership while closing the last operational gaps so that by end of next term BEFIT is fully sustainable under government leadership.

BeFIT is a Government of Malawi-owned and led initiative aimed at improving learning outcomes in foundational literacy and numeracy for Standards 1–4 learners through the supplemental use of individualized, tablet-enabled learning in Malawi.

03/04/2026

In partnership with Plan International, Find Your Feet (FYF) celebrated progress in protecting girl's rights in Malawi under the Child Not Bride project through the official handover of assets at its Head Office in Mzuzu on Tuesday, 31 March 2026.

This milestone reflects our shared commitment to ending child marriage and empowering girls to pursue education, dignity and opportunity. The assets handed over will ensure sustainability of interventions that safeguard children's futures.

In his remarks, Atusaye Nyondo, the Program Manager for Plan International (North) commended the strong partnership with FYF, noting that the handover of assets represents an important step in system strengthening and long-term impact.

Plan International has entrusted Find Your Feet with the following assets: 2 motor cycles, 3 laptops, 3 office desks, 3 executive office chairs, 2 Samsung tablets and 3 steel cabinets.

Ms. Melina Mtonga, the Executive Director for Find Your Feet, expressed heartfelt gratitude, saying: ‘This generous support strengthens our capacity to continue serving communities effectively. Not just about assets – this is about investing in the future for girls in Malawi. By working together, we are helping to build resilient communities where every child grows up free from exploitation, abuse and gender-based violence.’

02/04/2026

𝐍𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐮 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐄𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝

Together with the Ntcheu Education Office, Find Your Feet proudly hosted an Open Day for the BEFIT program on 31st April 2026 to raise awareness about its objectives and impact. The event called on stakeholders to strengthen their support for lasting change.

The Open Day, held at Chitungu Primary School, brought together learners and teachers from four primary schools, as well as parents, local leaders, and teachers from Gumbu Zone in Ntcheu District. Their presence was significant, as learners showcased the program’s impact, teachers shared classroom experiences, and parents and traditional leaders reinforced community ownership.

Speaking at the event, Ms. Anita Juma, representing the Chief Education Officer, emphasized that the BEFIT program is facilitating faster learning among learners. She also appreciated the community’s support in ensuring the security of BEFIT equipment in primary schools.

This was echoed by Gogo Mastimale, Group Village Headman, who thanked the government for introducing the BEFIT program. She noted that the program has improved learning outcomes, punctuality, and attendance among learners. As such, she called on parents and teachers to work together to ensure the program continues to progress.

As a symbol of commitment to the ownership of the BEFIT program, GVH Mastimale pledged to support Chitungu Primary School with mats.

BEFIT is a Government of Malawi-owned and led initiative aimed at improving learning outcomes in foundational literacy and numeracy for Standards 1–4 learners through the supplemental use of individualized, tablet-enabled learning in Malawi.

20/02/2026

𝗟𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮 𝗛𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗡𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗶𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

Small farming cooperatives often struggle to enter formal markets because they lack the equipment or training to meet national safety standards. However, the Livingstonia Honey Cooperative is successfully overcoming these hurdles as they work toward official certification from the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS).

On February 10th, MBS officials inspected the cooperative’s facility to check on their improvements. The visit confirmed that the group has successfully addressed most of the safety and quality issues raised in previous reviews.

This progress was made possible through the TRADE Programme, where Find Your Feet Malawi provided the farmers with hands-on training. Members learned about food safety, how to keep proper business records, and the specific health rules required for food processing.

"Our members have gained the technical support they needed," says Cooperative Chairperson Vincent Mwachanika. "The improvements in our facility show our strong commitment to meeting these high standards."

This effort is part of a larger project implemented in Nkhatabay and Rumphi districts. Funded by the Malawi Government, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and the OPEC Fund, the project aims to help 5,500 farmers move from simple farming to running professional, profitable honey businesses.

19/02/2026

𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝘂𝘀𝗹𝗶𝗺 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗦𝗥𝗛𝗥 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸

On Sunday, February 8th, the Nkula Dawa Group hosted a gathering for women and adolescent girls from Mlelemba and Mdere, under Traditional Authority Nkula in Machinga district. The event aimed to cascade Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) information with the teachings of the Quran to empower Muslim community.

This faith-sensitive approach created a safe and respectful space where women and girls could openly engage with issues often considered taboo. By connecting SRHR knowledge to religious values, the facilitators helped participants see that protecting health, dignity and future opportunities is fully aligned with their faith.

Hamida Anafi, an adolescent girl from GVH Mdere shared, “Before today, I thought conversations about sexual reproductive health and rights were not meant for us Muslim women. But hearing the facilitators explain SRHR in line with the Quran gave me confidence. I now understand how early pregnancies can affect my future and I feel empowered to make better choices.”

A highlight of the day was the launch of a charity initiative. Members pledged to contribute MK1,000 each on a monthly basis to support needy students. The funds will be used to provide essential school writing materials and uniforms, promoting equal opportunities for all to succeed.

Chrissy Saidi, leader of the Dawa group, reflected, “This gathering was a resounding success. Seeing women and girls engage so openly in SRHR discussions in a faith sensitive way was inspiring. The enthusiasm for our charity initiative shows the strength f our community.”

Find Your Feet Malawi is implementing a Faith-Based Approach to Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Project in Machinga District, responding to the high adolescent pregnancy rate with financial support from the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Lilongwe, Malawi through Norwegian Church Aid Malawi.

18/02/2026

𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗿. 𝗣𝗵𝗶𝗿𝗶 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘂𝗱𝘀 𝗞𝟭𝟴𝟮 𝗠𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝘇𝘂 𝗕𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀

The Minister of Local Government, Dr. Ben Phiri, applauded the K182 million investment in the Mandezu Beekeeping Cooperative’s new Aggregation Centre in Nkhata-Bay. During his recent visit, the Minister expressed strong support for the initiative, describing it as “A powerful symbol of what community-led initiatives can achieve when they are properly supported.”

His visit underscored the government’s confidence in community-led initiatives. As the TRADE program expands aggregation centres across Nkhata-Bay and Rumphi districts, today the Mandezu aggregation centre stands as a lasting symbol of progress in Malawi’s honey value chain.

Find Your Feet’s Executive Director, Melina Mtonga, highlighted the importance of the new facility, saying “Honey aggregation will significantly improve production efficiency.” Her words remain a rallying call for bee farmers in Nkhata-Bay and Rumphi, who are now better positioned to access markets and maximise profits under the TRADE Programme.

Find Your Feet Malawi serves as the technical service provider and implementing partner in the TRADE program, supporting smallholder bee farmers in Nkhata-Bay and Rumphi to strengthen the honey value chain through collective marketing and sustainable enterprise development.

We extend our deepest appreciation to the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), OPEC Fund, and Malawi Government for their financial commitment to strengthening the honey value chain.

12/02/2026

𝗙𝗮𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗮 𝗕𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗦𝗥𝗛𝗥 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝘂𝗹𝗽𝗶𝘁

We trained 75 faith leaders on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR), family planning and adolescent health reaching out to 10,647 adolescents through sermons, home visits and community gatherings. For years, faith leaders avoided to talk about sexual and reproductive health. They believed it was sinful, inappropriate. As such, they never spoke about it in sermons and youth teachings.

In Machinga District, teenage pregnancies have long been a pressing challenge. One of the root causes was silence in churches and mosques. This silence made girls and young women including boys to grew up without faith guidance left to navigate myths and misinformation.

Through intensive capacity building, faith leaders were trained to understand SRHR to deliver life-changing messages. They studied both the Bible and the Quran to find verses that affirm care, dignity and protection for young people. This gave them confidence to challenge old taboos and myths.

Pastor Felix Chinula explained, “Before, I thought talking about family planning was against my faith. Now I see it is part of protecting life. I preach it openly.”

This transformation is a significant shift where faith leaders not only reported change but began acting on it – integrating SRHR messages into sermons, youth meetings and counselling sessions. The impact is clear. Young people now hear accurate SRHR information from the very leaders they trust most. Congregations are learning that family planning and adolescent health are not sins but responsibilities.

We are implementing the Faith-Based Approach to SRHR project in Machinga District under Traditional Authorities Kawinga and Nkula. Much appreciation to Royal Norwegian Embassy in Lilongwe, Malawi through Norwegian Church Aid Malawi for the financial support.

22/01/2026

Last week, we conducted an extended training on Effective Leadership to strengthen the capacity of 103 education staff, including Head Teachers, ZEMISOs, PEAs, and ACCOs, from Ntcheu District. The focus was on transition and sustainability for the BEFIT program.

Through interactive sessions, participants sharpened their skills in leadership, change management, and collaborative decision-making, which are critical for ensuring smooth transitions and the long-term sustainability of the BEFIT program.

Catherine Gobola, the Director of Education, Youth and Sports, praised the BEFIT programme for helping leaders guide with responsibility and clear purpose. She said it equips education leaders with valuable skills to enhance schools and communities while supporting government efforts to improve educational quality.

Find Your Feet remains committed to supporting education leaders in building resilient systems that sustain BEFIT gains and contribute to improved learning outcomes across Malawi.

BEFIT, a Government of Malawi-led programme, enhances foundational literacy and numeracy for learners in Standards 1 - 4 through individualised, self-paced instruction delivered via specialised apps on Android tablets.

24/12/2025

Join us in celebrating the key milestones achieved over the past five years. Successes of the TRANSFORM Programme are enormous and have significantly transformed farmers’ livelihoods in Rumphi and Mzimba districts. Grateful to the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Lilongwe, Malawi for financial support through Norwegian Church Aid Malawi.

23/12/2025

18/12/2025