Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world and a priority country for long-term assistance from the Norwegian government.
The country has a high mortality rate among mothers and children. Maternal mortality is 984 per 100,000 live births. 28% of all newborns die at birth. Only 54% of women give birth in hospitals. Access to good health care is very important for achieving UN Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5 on reducing infant and maternal mortality.
Since 2002, Norwegian Church Aid has been responsible for comprehensive health programmes in Malawi with our partner, Christian Health Association (CHAM). Our programme aims at reducing mortality while contributing to improving the quality of services provided in hospitals and clinics, particularly in rural areas.
Our work
The right to water and health: In many countries in Africa, private actors are responsible for much of health care. Our local partner organisation in Malawi, CHAM, is responsible for 37% of health care in the country. Importantly, this organisation also educates about 80% of all health personnel in the country.
Norwegian Church Aid aims to strengthen this service so that maternal and child mortality decrease. We will ensure that good-quality services are delivered by our partners.
Since 2005, Norwegian Church Aid has, in collaboration with CHAM nursing schools and six nursing schools in Norway, worked to double the number of trained nurses in Malawi. We have also worked to improve the quality of education. This programme is now in its second phase, and the results are very good.
Malawi is one of the ten countries with the largest number of people infected with HIV. Although we see a positive trend in the country, 12% of the population is still infected. It is estimated that 60% of Malawi’s health budget goes to those infected with HIV. This is a challenge for Malawi's strained finances.
Norwegian Church Aid’s HIV and AIDS work is specifically aimed at children and young people to prevent infection. In addition, we work with those affected by HIV and AIDS to provide home care services. The challenges we face in working with HIV and AIDS are also linked to our efforts to combat gender-based violence. Women are more prone to infection because of economic imbalance and unfortunate cultural practises.
Climate justice: Malawi is an agricultural land and has already felt the effects of climate change in the form of heavier rainfall and longer dry periods. From 2011 onward, Norwegian Church Aid will work to put Malawi in a better position to meet these challenges. Our work will include reducing soil erosion and ensuring irrigation through the use of artificial irrigation systems. In addition, we promote the cultivation of agricultural products other than corn, so that agriculture becomes more diverse and robust. With our partners, we will build expertise and contribute to disaster prevention.
Gender justice: Traditional law is still in place in Malawi. This means that girls as young as 11 or 12 can be married. In addition, it is very common for women to be subjected to domestic violence. These issues will be central to Norwegian Church Aid’s future work in Malawi. Our approach is to challenge church leaders and communities to address problems and work with systems that can support women who are exposed to violence.