April – May 2025 Friends of Malawi Newsletter

April 27, 2025

Greetings to All Friends of Malawi –

After a bit of a newsletter hiatus (due in part to some technical difficulties from changes with the National Peace Corps Association), FOM is back with some updates and news. Please read on below for:

• the latest report on one of the recent grants we were able to give thanks to the generosity of our members, and
• a story from the field – a current PCV in Malawi who generously shares her story and some sense of what it is like to serve in 2025.

The FOM board has been discussing ways to make sure we are in more regular contact with our membership, and are recommitting to periodic newsletters that should come at least quarterly. We’ll also continue sharing other information relevant to friends of Malawi as it becomes available – sometimes through our social media channels (including Instagram) and sometimes through email blasts.

If you do have stories or ideas to share feel free to reach out at [email protected]. And thanks for your support….

Grants Updates 

The FOM grants team recently received an update from our partner Mudzi Connect and their Malawi based Executive Director Frank Kasonga, who noted:

“I am delighted to report that the Karonga School for the Deaf Library project you funded in 2024 for $3, 213.76 has now been completed. Bloomers learning Initiative in partnership with communities have completed construction and furnishing of the Karonga School for the Deaf Library. The project which started in 2022 with funding from World Connect failed to complete due to increase in prices. In 2024, Friends of Malawi-US funded the completion of this project at $3,213.76. This project is now fully completed, opened and in use impacting 90 deaf students from standards 1-8 at the school and over 500 other students from the nearby schools. The library will support teachers to cultivate a reading culture and enhance writing skills among learners at the school. See opening story. Mudzi Connect is grateful to Friends of Malawi for the partnership.

 

News from Peace Corps Malawi, Story of Current PCV serving in Kasiya, Lilongwe.

Below we share a story of a mother, veteran, and lifelong learner, who has turned personal tragedy into a powerful mission of healing, empowerment, and community transformation. Now serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the heart of Malawi, she is creating sustainable change—from nutrition education and girls’ empowerment to career summits and cooperative gardens. Her story is one of resilience, service, and the deep human spirit that chooses love and purpose in the face of sorrow.

“Sowing Hope in Kasiya: A Mission of Healing, Empowerment, and Growth”: Story of Pamela Williams, PCV, Malawi.

My name is Pamela Williams, I am 59 years old and have six children and two grandchildren. I served in the USAF for 7 years and have had various careers. About 15 years ago, I returned to college to study veterinary nursing. In 2019, I experienced a significant personal loss with the passing of my three youngest children in an accident. Seeking to channel my energy positively, I joined the Peace Corps to help others and began my assignment as a Youth Health Advisor in Malawi, Africa.

I am in the central region and live in the village of Kasiya. I am assigned to the Khongoni Health Center as of August 2024. Initially, it was part of our program to observe and identify the community’s needs. One of the first observations was the lack of knowledge about the use of sterile needles in the Under 5 clinic, which required immediate attention. Subsequently, I focused on nutrition by surveying over 300 clients at the health center and outreach clinic, concluding that nutrition was a major health concern.

My first project was to help establish Kasiya’s first co-op garden with the Umodzi women’s group. Half of the group is HIV positive, and this garden aims to improve their access to nutritious food. The ¼ acre garden grows various vegetables for consumption and sale. The group also runs a village savings and loan program. They have been trained in bucket drip irrigation for the dry season, garden nursery building, and composting. Additionally, they have learned to make reusable menstrual pads and sew sensory balls for infants.

My next project was to collaborate with secondary school teacher Blessings Ackim to create the First Annual Career Dream Summit. Over 600 students attended, with 11 professionals showcasing careers from tailoring to veterinary medicine and much more. The interactive event encouraged students to ask questions and fill out career “bingo” cards to understand various professions and required education levels. Due to its success, we are excited for the 2nd Annual Career Dream Summit.

Due to a lack of youth activities, a girls club named Queens Court Girls Club was started. Since its inception in October 2024, over 50 girls, ages 10-18, have attended the club. It provides a safe space for learning about girl empowerment, menstrual hygiene, environmental practices, and much more. Eight girls earned the opportunity to participate in their first field trip to KUHeS College (nursing college) in Lilongwe, where they toured the campus, sat in seats imagining themselves as college students, attended a lesson on Girl Empowerment, and learned how to make necklace beads from recycled material. The day concluded with pizza for lunch and a visit to the Lilongwe Wildlife Center. It will be a day to remember for a long time. They are also learning how to sew the infant sensory balls and know how to make charcoal out of recycled paper. Their next project will be sewing reusable menstrual pads as well.

My current project I am working on is teaching the First 1000 Days to our ante-natal clients that come M-W. This is from conception to the child’s second birthday. This is being taught with the help of the maternity nurses, and we are focusing on nutrition and why it is so important. Ante-natal had the 2^nd worse nutrition in my survey. We also focus on the nutrients along with taking iron and folic acid and why, along with  preparing the home for their newborn, importance of health checkups, breast feeding only until 6 months, more nutrition, taking the baby for their vaccines, how to interact with their babies using sensory toys, and how to care for their child to allow them to have healthy happy children.

These are just projects on going as I also work at the health center helping with malaria and HIV clinics as well. Each day is a new day and always a busy day here at Khonghoni Health Center. I have also started a large garden at the home I was given to live in and have planted over 40 papaya trees, banana, guava, mulberry, and passion fruit. I have started avocado and mango trees as well as a moringa tree. My garden provides a little bit of vegetables to my neighbors, the guardian shelter and myself as well. This is my home for now and I have fully embraced it along with the natives that live here.

 

Friends of Malawi, is a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) (EIN# 52-1557532), and a qualified organization under 170(c) of the Internal Revenue Code. All contributions are tax deductible to the fullest extent of the law.

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