GiveWell Conversations Beyond the Spreadsheets: Malawi Site Visit Days 5 and 6
Oct 30, 2025
Explore the vibrant lives of families in urban Malawi, highlighting the contrast between rural and peri-urban experiences. Learn about schooling aspirations and the challenges of access to health care amidst foreign aid cuts. Discover the impact of inflation on wages, seasonal farming versus steady urban income, and the nuances of food insecurity. The discussions reveal how community dynamics evolve, shedding light on the human cost of funding disruptions and the importance of ongoing support in improving livelihoods.
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Loss Of Rural Safety Nets Near Cities
- Rural households often hold diversified assets like gardens and livestock that act as informal safety nets.
- Near the capital, land sales and loss of these assets erode those redundancies and increase vulnerability.
Parent Moves For Work And Better Schools
- A Lilongwe parent described moving near the school for work and affording better education for his children.
- He contrasted his congested childhood school with the current school that provides meals and smaller classes.
Household With Multiple Urban Income Streams
- A household member ran a water kiosk while siblings worked as a chef and a college student, showing diverse urban livelihoods.
- The family relied on multiple small income streams to make ends meet in the settlement.