We work with the government and partners in Malawi and countries across Africa to deliver vital charity work and make sure everyone can claim their rights.
Sightsavers in Malawi
Malawi is a landlocked country in southeast Africa, which the Great Rift Valley runs through.
Malawi is one of the world’s poorest countries, with more than 70 per cent of the population thought to be living in poverty. The country’s economy and its citizens are reliant on agriculture, making them increasingly vulnerable to climate change
Primary health care is free in Malawi, and the country is gradually moving towards universal health coverage. While most people live in rural areas, they are still able to access health care near their homes. However, essential resources are not evenly distributed, and there is a nationwide lack of skilled staff.
In 2012, the government enacted the Disability Act to recognise and protect the rights of people with disabilities. Despite this, many people with disabilities still face discrimination and struggle to find work.
Facts about Malawi
- Population: 21 million
- Capital: Lilongwe
- Official language: English
- Human development index (HDI) ranking: 169 (low)
How we’re making a difference in Malawi
69,000 people in Malawi are thought to be blind
2.4 million people are at risk from river blindness
Community advocate Miriam walks through a field in Malawi.
What are the challenges in Malawi, and how can these be addressed?
Eye care
Malawi’s eye health services are not adequately funded, and there’s a shortage of skilled staff.
Cataracts and glaucoma are two of the main causes of blindness in Malawi, with older adults most at risk of losing their sight. Sightsavers’ charity work in the country focuses on ensuring high-quality eye care services are available for all.
Inclusion and equality
Just 0.9% of people with disabilities in Malawi are employed.
People with disabilities are more likely to live in poverty and often have difficulty accessing education, health care and employment. Our charity work on disability rights in Malawi focuses on on ensuring that everyone has the chance to learn, earn and take their place in society.
Mary smiles after her eye operation.
“Before, I had problems with writing, matching the words and then writing. Now I can see again, I’ll be able to write properly in my exam books.”
Mary, aged 10, from Neno in southern Malawi. Her vision was restored after two cataract operations. Read her story
How you can help
Our work in Malawi has already helped to eliminate the disease trachoma, but there’s still more we need to do.
With your support, we want to expand our inclusive eye care services and ensure everyone has the opportunity to achieve their potential. To do this, we need your help.
Charity donations, legacies, corporate partnerships and gifts from charitable foundations are a vital source of funding for our programmes in Malawi. We also welcome opportunities to work in partnership with governments, institutions and development organisations.
Contact us: If you have any questions about our work in Malawi, would like more information about our programmes or wish to discuss ways you can donate or support us, email [email protected]
Latest stories from Malawi
“I’m a living testimony of cataract surgery”
When Angeshita regained her independence after her eye operation, so did her family. They are now able to return to school and work, giving them all hope for the future.
Alinafe cuts the queues
Learn about one man's mission to make a difference in Malawi by training as an eye health specialist.
Sightsavers research project aims to map the impact of climate change on NTDs
Led by Sightsavers and the Walker Institute, the project will work with the Malawian government to explore a range of future scenarios, and what these would mean for its efforts to curb NTDs.
November 2023
A day in the life: “You really feel that you’ve made a difference”
Dr Moira Chinthambi received a Sightsavers scholarship to train as an ophthalmologist and now works on our inclusive eye health programme in Malawi.
A day in the life: “I’ve wanted to do this for a long time”
Alinafe Zaina is studying clinical ophthalmology in Malawi with the help of a scholarship provided by Sightsavers’ inclusive eye health programme.
We are… creating inclusive eye health services
We’re working with governments in Uganda and Malawi to improve access to quality eye care services and prevent avoidable blindness.
Discover where Sightsavers works in Africa and Asia
Where we work