Crisis in Malawi
Malawi is in a state of emergency and facing its worst food crisis in many years. Mothers are unable to feed their children and millions are going hungry.
A horrible combination of floods and drought throughout Southern Africa has devastated crops, leaving many families on the brink of starvation. It’s only set to get worse over the coming months. During this time of crisis, the daily meal Mary’s Meals provides is not just a powerful incentive to come to school – but a vital lifeline for vulnerable children in desperate need of nourishment.
Key facts:
- In April, the President of Malawi declared a state of national disaster.
- In Malawi – one of the worst affected countries – 6.5 million people are facing chronic hunger.
- Severe droughts have left the country short of one million tonnes of maize needed to feed its people in the months ahead.
- The government of Malawi estimates that more than eight million people – half the country’s population – could need food aid by the end of 2016.
- Mary’s Meals is currently reaching 814,000 Malawian children with a daily meal in school.
Help us to ensure that the more than 800,000 Malawian children who already depend on our school feeding programme can continue to receive a nutritious meal in school.
With your help, we can expand our school feeding programme – as funds allow – to reach more children living in Malawi’s most chronically food-insecure areas.
Donate now
The promise of a daily school meal has never been more important. We are determined to maintain that promise to the children already benefitting, and to find a way to reach even more. 
Voices from Malawi
At the moment there is no work for me. People are harvesting very little crops so there is nothing I can help with. I can’t afford to feed my family and I’m suffering endlessly worrying about how to fend for my children on a daily basis… I had lost all hope until three weeks ago when Mary’s Meals started feeding in Athulepe’s school. It’s become normal to go one or two days without having any food at home… You worry where the next meal is going to come from. But my next meal will be the porridge. It will be from you, Mary’s Meals, where I will next get to eat. The next few months are going to be extremely tough for everyone. Without Mary’s Meals here we would probably have been forced to close the school. Hunger is like a war. So, bless Mary’s Meals for giving us some strength – like armour – to battle this hunger. It’s a great encouragement for the community. Millions are going hungry. Help us reach more children now.