MALAWI: Virtual Tour

Rich in natural beauty and filled with a people who are gentile and friendly, the country of Malawi has long been known as the "warm heart of Africa."

Located in the southeastern section of the continent, Malawi is a small land -locked country whose most dominant physical feature is one of the largest lakes in the world.

Yet, despite its warmth and beauty Malawi has one of the lowest per capita income levels in the world and the people of Malawi find it extremely difficult to acquire even the basic necessities of life. Picking tea in the hot sun, these men make about ten dollars a week.

Poverty such as this brings with it grim statistics. It is estimated that over one half of the preschool children of Malawi suffer from malnutrition. One out of every four do not live to see their fifth birthday.

This is one of the highest child death-rates in the world. Weakened by inadequate diets, they become susceptible to measles, malaria, pneumonia, and waterborne diseases.

One of the biggest problems facing Malawi today is AIDS. The World Health Organization estimates that as many as 30% of the adult population of Malawi is HIV positive. Cultural and traditional practices combined with a lack of understanding on how the disease is transmitted, as well as official government denial, has led to this alarming rate of infection, one of the highest in the world.

Since 1994, when a new government came to power, AIDS awareness and education have become a priority, but for millions of people the information is coming too late. One of the most common public events in Malawi is the funeral, as thousands succumb to the ravages of this dreadful epidemic every day.

Children are often the innocent victims of AIDS in Malawi. When parents die from the disease, the children are left to the care of grandparents, relatives, or the village. The nature of the typical African family structure has usually been more then adequate to care for the orphan, but with so many parents dying so suddenly, the extended-family system of Malawi has been taxed beyond its limit.

It is estimated that there are over 500,000 orphans in Malawi today and that number is growing rapidly.

As pregnancy tends to accelerate the onset of AIDS, the child that is left behind is often a nursing infant. Hardly able to provide for the nutrition of her own children, adoptive mothers are hesitant to nurse an orphan.

If left to a grandmother who is no longer producing milk, it is unlikely that the child will survive more then few weeks. Unable to afford baby formula, the grieving family hopelessly stands by as the baby slowly starves to death.

The few orphanages that are established in Malawi are just not enough to meet the overwhelming need.

One agency that is assisting the people of Malawi is ADRA. Through the drilling of wells and the installation of pumps and water kiosks ADRA provides clean safe drinking water to many communities in Malawi.

ADRA also strengthens food security for many villages through agricultural training programs.

With continued assistance from the developed nations of the world, children can look forward to a new Malawi where education can bring an end to poverty and preventable disease.

Thank you for visiting Malawi!