Educate | Equip | Empower
Malawi Matters Inc. is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization whose mission is to develop and facilitate HIV and AIDS education with the people of Malawi, Africa. By connecting agencies and organizations and using hands-on techniques grounded in Malawian culture, we believe that Malawian youth and adults can find solutions to the HIV and AIDS crisis as well as improve and enhance the quality of life in this economically impoverished, but spiritually rich nation.
CASE STATEMENT
WHY MMI?
HERE’S WHY
Many programs exist to address such an overwhelming need…
Why then is Malawi Matters necessary? What makes MMI essential in the worldwide effort to stem the AIDS epidemic?
First, and most important, Malawi Matters’ training design is unique. Since Malawi is essentially an oral culture, with many who are illiterate and impoverished, our program brings meaningful training at a grassroots level by:
- designing lessons based on storytelling, music, drama, dance, and art — methods and approaches that Malawians already know and understand, but also best practice strategies that make for effective instruction.
- equipping key leaders so that they, in turn, can train those in their constituency, who then continue to pass on the training to others.
- sustaining cost-effective practices, using simple supplies that do not require expensive or impractical teaching aids.
Second, but also important, Malawi Matters builds relationships, involving everyone in the process in learning and caring for one another by:
- including members of Parliament, traditional authorities, city and village persons, staff of agencies and organizations serving Malawi, leaders of denominations, pastors and members of congregations.
- building successful, on-going partnerships which have the structure in place to deliver services, the reputation for caring, and the trust of the people in the country.
- providing the positive rapport necessary to address negative cultural practices that continue the spread of HIV and AIDS.
- celebrating the mutual learning connection, enriching the lives and understandings of participants and facilitators, and honoring the contributions of all.
- establishing long-term commitments with volunteers.
- maintaining the link between our region’s expatriate Malawian community and the needs and culture of this African nation.
”“Malawi Matters to me is a tool that has been given to me fighting against the life of discrimination among those people living with HIV/AIDS. It is therefore a milestone of a new Malawi of total oneness, because of Malawi Matters.”