Open Arms Malawi is dedicated to saving and improving the lives of vulnerable children in Malawi. We work closely with families and communities to ensure they have the resources to raise healthy children at home and become self-sufficient.
Malawi faces significant challenges as one of the poorest countries in the world. Most of the population live below the international poverty line, relying heavily on farming in a climate vulnerable to erratic rainfall and storms. Each day, too many babies die from preventable causes like malnutrition and disease. There is an urgent need for support and intervention.
Malawi is a country built on strong community structures, yet every day there are nearly 100 babies that don’t survive their first year due to poverty, malnutrition or other health problems.
Our work focuses on the earliest years of life as this shapes the foundations for everything that follows. We start with a child referred to us through the Social Welfare Department, but our support extends to the family and wider community because lasting change depends on the strength of the whole system.
Every year, babies are referred to Open Arms because their families are unable to meet their basic needs. Many have lost their mothers or face severe malnutrition or other health concerns. Through our Community Based Care programme, we work closely with each family to provide the essential support needed in the first three years of life. This includes nutrition, healthcare access, safe caregiving practices, monthly home visits and close developmental monitoring.
Our aim to make sure babies survive their most vulnerable years within the safety of their own families and communities.
For many families, crisis does not end with immediate support. Extreme poverty makes it difficult to provide for children consistently, and parents often face long periods without enough food or income.
Our three year Graduation Programme helps families move from crisis to stability for the long term by supporting them to grow reliable harvests, generate income, develop financial confidence and build a secure future.
Over time, this builds a resilience which is not only felt within the households but across whole communities.
Children thrive when the environments around them are strong. We work in partnership with community leaders to support nine community nursery schools in remote areas, improving early learning for more than 600 children each day.
These nurseries provide safe spaces to learn, a daily nutritious meal and the chance for families to work or attend school knowing their young children are well cared for.
Through close partnerships, we are developing early years provision across communities to support national goals for early childhood development.
Our work is holistic and locally led. This is not about handouts or isolated projects.
We support children, families and communities because real change happens when all three are strengthened together. Open Arms Infant Homes leads programme delivery in Malawi, drawing on decades of experience and local expertise. Open Arms Malawi, based in the UK, provides the fundraising and strategic support to sustain and grow this vital work responsibly.
Together, we are building a future in which children are safe at home, families are self sufficient, and communities are equipped to give every child the best start in life.
“Over the past 30 years, Open Arms has supported countless children into thriving adulthood, many of whom have gone on to become parents, professionals and community leaders themselves. It is an example of what it means to build a more just and caring society.” - Christie Banda (volunteer Malawi)
Your donation will help children in Malawi grow up healthy with the love of a family
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