Phunzira Lake Malawi

Phunzira Lake Malawi Phunzira - Malawi

MEET THE STAFF: Introducing staff member Julious Mwase who is our ‘Mr Maintenance’ here at Nyumba ya Masambiro. Julious ...
05/12/2025

MEET THE STAFF: Introducing staff member Julious Mwase who is our ‘Mr Maintenance’ here at Nyumba ya Masambiro. Julious joined the team in 2019 at our former maize mill as our miller. Throughout that time, he kept a close eye on all our buildings and when the milling business closed down, he continued in the team taking over all things maintenance.
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Julious’ favourite colours are black, white and red and his favourite animals are goats, chicken, cattle and pigs!
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Julious is a quiet, calm influence at NYM, where things can become loud and high energy with kids full of beans coming to use the services. He continues to work diligently to make sure that the buildings and furniture remain in top condition to allow services to continue uninterrupted for all community members, young and old!
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EARTH WORKSHOPS UPDATE: The EARTH Workshops team from Nkhata Bay returned to Ruarwe for a follow up session the week bef...
02/12/2025

EARTH WORKSHOPS UPDATE: The EARTH Workshops team from Nkhata Bay returned to Ruarwe for a follow up session the week before last. They returned to NYM to provide a refresher training session to the staff at Nyumba ya Masambiro and some interested stakeholders from the community. The team brought along 50 seedlings of native trees and some fruit vines.
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The session focused on water preservation and they demonstrated planting some of the trees at the natural spring just above NYMs land, which serves both NYM and the clinic next door. The roots grow deep down to the water table, providing channels to bring the water up to the surface, ensuring the spring will continue to flow year round, including in the dry season. The roots also provide soils stability on the hillside by the spring as well as the branches and large leaves providing shade to reduce water evaporation.
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Following the session at NYM the EARTH Workshops team headed uphill to the community in Kwenthu within our catchment area to run a 2 day waorkshop with the farmers up there. The farmers at Kwenthu attended the session last year and had requested a follow up to reinforce the lessons learned and to talk through any issues they encountered.
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The remaining seedlings will be planted at the spring and around NYM once fencing had been procured as goat and pig defences and we look forward to many more years of clean clear water from the spring.
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Thabk you to the team from .workshops.malawi for making the journey up to Ruarwe and for sharing your expertise with us!
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DADA JOLOTE: It is with enormous gratitude that we said farewell to the Chair Trustee of Nyumba ya Masambiro yesterday. ...
28/11/2025

DADA JOLOTE: It is with enormous gratitude that we said farewell to the Chair Trustee of Nyumba ya Masambiro yesterday. John Chizalero Msuku, known to friends, family and community members as Dada Jolote, yesterday tendered his resignation from the Board of Trustees at Nyumba ya Masambiro after almost 10 years of service to enter his well-deserved retirement.
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Dada Jolote has guided the board as Chair Trustee with a steady hand and strong heart. We are so grateful to him for his calm demeanour and strong voice. Protecting NYM and leading it with the benefit of the whole community at the forefront of all all his decisions.
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He has supported and championed the work of Nyumba ya Masambiro through the lean times and the successful ones. We are so grateful for his sound council and his patience, and under his guidance NYM has progressed from strength to strength.
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For those who did not meet Dada Jolote, know that his first question when we discussed his retirement meeting and farewell was: "Will there be music? I want to dance!" And so there was! We wish him a peaceful and restful, well-deserved retirement with his family, and all the music he wishes for so that he can dance whenever he fancies!
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Dada Jolote, tawonga chomene for all your years of service!! Yewo yewo!!
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DID YOU KNOW? Did you know that Malawi was the first African country to commercially grow Tea? This started in the 1880s...
21/11/2025

DID YOU KNOW? Did you know that Malawi was the first African country to commercially grow Tea? This started in the 1880s in the Mulanje region and Malawi still exports some 31,000 tonnes annually!


Tea & Agriculture:

Location & Community:

Sustainability & Economy:

UN WORLD CHILDREN'S DAY 2025: My Day. My Rights. Today we’re celebrating the amazing children and youth of the Ruarwe ar...
20/11/2025

UN WORLD CHILDREN'S DAY 2025: My Day. My Rights.
Today we’re celebrating the amazing children and youth of the Ruarwe area — their voices, their ideas, their creativity, and their right to grow up confident and supported.
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This year’s World Children’s Day theme — “My Day, My Rights” — is all about making sure every child gets to live their day with safety, joy, and dignity. And here in our community, we’re proud to stand with them and uplift their voices.
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At Nyumba ya Masambiro, every day is about giving young people space to explore who they are, learn new skills, connect with others, and dream big. Whether they’re studying, drawing, playing, reading, or just hanging out at the centre, their rights must remain at the heart of everything we do.
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✨ Here’s to the kids who inspire us.
✨ Here’s to listening to them.
✨ Here’s to building a future with them, not just for them.
For every child — a right to thrive.
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Global & Awareness:

Education & Empowerment:

Health & Community:

UN WORLD TOILET DAY 2025: “In a changing world, one thing is constant: we’ll always need the toilet.” — United Nations●I...
19/11/2025

UN WORLD TOILET DAY 2025: “In a changing world, one thing is constant: we’ll always need the toilet.” — United Nations
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In Ruarwe, we’re reminded of this every day. A toilet may seem simple, but it represents dignity, safety, and good health. When sanitation is strong, girls can focus on school, families stay well, and the whole community has space to grow.
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Ruarwe Health Centre has weathered a lot over the years — including recent Cholera and Dysentery outbreaks — and its toilets were long overdue for some care. This year, thanks to the energy of our volunteers and the generosity of their community back home, both patient toilets were fully repaired and replumbed.
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Huge appreciation to Jeremy and Norma for rolling up their sleeves and making it happen when government repair funding didn’t come through. Change often begins with individuals who notice what’s needed and step forward.
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Let’s keep pushing for a world where everyone has access to safe toilets — not someday, but today.
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MEET THE STAFF: Introducing staff member Dinah Nyirenda who works as bursar and librarian at Nyumba ya Masambiro. Dinah ...
18/11/2025

MEET THE STAFF: Introducing staff member Dinah Nyirenda who works as bursar and librarian at Nyumba ya Masambiro. Dinah rejoined the NYM team in 2023 after a period of maternity leave and time with her family.
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Dinah’s favourite colours are white, blue and purple and her favourite animals are chickens and goats!
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While Dinah is softly spoken and sometimes shy, she is extremely diligent with her care of both all things financial in her role as bursar, and also with her care and attention to all the books in the library under her care. Dinah has started to compile a list of books that are frequently requested by both students and teachers within the catchment area in the hope that we will soon be able to make another purchase of Malawi national curriculum text books to fill that gap within the community.
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WORLD LAKE DAY 2025: We are a few days late but our love of Lake Malawi resonates every day.●Lakes are more than just bo...
30/08/2025

WORLD LAKE DAY 2025: We are a few days late but our love of Lake Malawi resonates every day.
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Lakes are more than just bodies of water - they are life, culture, and community. In Ruarwe, Lake Malawi is a heartbeat: it nourishes, inspires and sustains the community.
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Today and always we celebrate and protect the beauty of our Lake - for now and the future.
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conservation

VOLUNTEER TESTIMONIAL: We would like to extend a huge “thank you!” to volunteer Claire who volunteered with us in Ruarwe...
22/08/2025

VOLUNTEER TESTIMONIAL: We would like to extend a huge “thank you!” to volunteer Claire who volunteered with us in Ruarwe for 4 weeks. A qualified doctor from Australia, with experience with remote working there, Claire worked alongside the staff at Ruarwe Health Centre and really got stuck into life at Nyumba ya Masambiro and in the village. She has written a wonderful summary of her time here in Malawi:
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“🇲🇼I was thanked by community members for coming to work at Ruarwe Health Clinic because it is so remote that not even local Malawian doctors want to go there. It is only accessible by boat and foot. There are no roads. There was no running water for most of my time there and only electricity to a few key buildings in the village.

It was a no-brainer for me to go to Ruarwe; it is all I've ever wanted to do. I have been fully aware of my privilege since I was young. Lucky to be born into a wealthy white family to very healthy and loving parents in a country where others were and continue to battle a multitude of devastating illnesses and hardship.

My role in Ruarwe was to give the medical assistant a break. He has been working 24/7 365 for the last 7 years. Yes, that is right he has been on call for the last 7 years and receives a whopping salary of approx. $500/month. I would see everyone in the morning clinic, and he would "switch off," answer any questions, and see the very sick patients that'd require inpatient observation.

Yes, it was tough. I was using a translator the whole time, so nothing was quick and easy. Were there cultural barriers? Yes, of course, but that happens everywhere you go. Would I do it again? Yes, of course.

Thank you to and NYM for making it possible. Thank you to for making the whole experience amazing. Thank you to the Ruarwe community, NYM staff, and clinic staff for welcoming me in and helping me every day. Tawonga chomene 🖤❤️💚”
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Thank you Claire for giving your time to the community and we very much hope to see you here again soon!
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MEET THE STAFF: Introducing Stanley Gondwe who is the third member of our Management Team and Youth Coordinator at Nyumb...
01/08/2025

MEET THE STAFF: Introducing Stanley Gondwe who is the third member of our Management Team and Youth Coordinator at Nyumba ya Masambiro. Stanley joined the team as nursery teacher in 2024 and was promoted into management later that same year after showing enthusiasm and dedication to the principles at NYM.
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His favourite colours are blue and green and his favourite animals are goats, dogs, and chickens!
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Stanley is consistently getting really good feedback, from both parents and teachers at the primary schools in the area, which nursery students then move on to, about the quality of teaching he provides the students here at NYM and the patience and good behaviour he instils in the kids. Stanley is also always happy to jump in with anything else needed around NYM, including escorting volunteers to surrounding schools and events – he is always happy to be your guide!
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30/07/2025

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FRIENDSHIP: Today we celebrate UN International Day of Friendship — a reminder that lasting change starts with strong, meaningful connections. We are working to empower communities through collaboration, compassion, and shared dreams.
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As the United Nations says: “Our world faces many challenges, crises and forces of division [...] that undermine peace, security, development and social harmony among the world's peoples.
To confront those crises and challenges, their root causes must be addressed by promoting and defending a shared spirit of human solidarity that takes many forms — the simplest of which is friendship.
The resolution places emphasis on involving young people, as future leaders, in community activities that include different cultures and promote international understanding and respect for diversity.
Through friendship […] we can contribute to the fundamental shifts that are urgently needed to achieve lasting stability, weave a safety net that will protect us all, and generate passion for a better world where all are united for the greater good.”
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So here’s to friendships that break barriers, uplift voices, and build brighter futures!
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