Malawi is a landlocked country, ranked 171 out of 187 in the UNDP Human Development Index 2011. With a population of 14.4 million people, an estimated 64 percent live below the poverty line (less than USD1 per day). The country is highly vulnerable to a range of shocks and hazards including natural disasters such as droughts, floods and storms, disease epidemics, air and water pollution and economic shocks.
The country has an HIV prevalence of 12 per cent. Tens of thousands of people die of AIDS related illnesses every year and this is reflected in the increasing numbers of orphans and vulnerable children.
Malawi Red Cross
The Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) are assisting the local communities in becoming more resilient to disasters and public health emergencies, with protected livelihoods and strengthened capacity to recover from disasters and crises, while promoting healthy and safe living, social inclusion and a culture of non violence.
Irish Red Cross in Malawi
The Irish Red Cross (IRC) has been working with MRCS since 2003 and during this time IRC has contributed to both programme funding and technical support in the form of delegates seconded to MRCS. The relationship between the two societies grew and was formalised into a partnership in 2004. This coincided with a severe food crisis in Malawi which generated international attention and resulted in support raised in Ireland and around the world. The Irish government subsequently identified Malawi as a priority country and opened an Embassy and an Irish Aid office in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe in 2007. Meantime IRC began to access funding for Malawi from institutional donors as well as funding from general appeals.
The focus of the partnership has been on health care, primarily Water and Sanitation, through building boreholes to provide clean water, and introducing latrines.
Another area of focus has been on preventing further HIV infection and expanding treatment, care and support for those affected and infected by HIV, including home based care and supporting orphans and children made vulnerable as a result of the virus.
More recently the partnership has focused on improving household food security and livelihoods by working with small farmers to improve and increase agricultural production of food and cash crops, to increase micro-nutrient intake and improve the nutritional status and to diversify and increase income of the most vulnerable households.