In 2019, an estimated 70% of Malawi’s population was living in severe poverty, while 51% could not consume a survivable amount of calories per day. Poverty in Malawi is intense, with millions struggling daily and the challenge is worsening as the population grows rapidly. Despite this, the Malawian government continues to fight poverty. Here are three ways it is working to address the crisis:

The Malawi Growth and Development Strategy

The Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) was a policy started in 2018, aiming to reduce poverty in Malawi and improve education, health care and sanitation standards. Primarily, the MGDS focused on creating employment opportunities in agriculture, tourism and trade to enable more people to earn money and uplift the country’s overall economy.

Although not entirely successful, the increase in agricultural jobs led to an expansion of food production. Similarly, construction jobs improved the country’s infrastructure, giving many a substantially larger income while also strengthening community development and boosting rural livelihoods.

Mtukula Pakhomo Program

The Mtukula Pakhomo Program, also called “Malawi’s Social Cash Transfer Programme” (SCTP), is an initiative the government founded to help households living in poverty in Malawi. The program aims to reduce poverty and malnutrition while boosting school enrollment through bi-monthly cash transfers that the receivers can use.

By 2017, 11 years after the program began, more than 174,000 households had received support, enabling families to purchase nutritious food and secure adequate shelter. Extra money was gifted to families with children as an incentive to send them to school, increasing the number of children enrolled in education by an estimated 20%.

Beyond education, the SCTP empowered households to invest in small businesses and access health care more easily. It also helped reduce reliance on negative coping mechanisms, strengthening long-term resilience against poverty.

Women’s Empowerment Schemes

Gender equality is essential to ending poverty, as uplifting women and expanding their opportunities significantly increases household income. In Malawi, one strategy the government adopted was to strengthen women’s voices in leadership. Several key ministerial positions were filled by women and a 40/60 percent rule on employment was introduced to ensure greater inclusion in decision-making.

When women are represented in these critical positions, it inspires those at home to pursue work with confidence, allowing them to earn an income, support their families and boost overall household prosperity. This shift also challenges traditional gender roles and empowers younger generations of girls to prioritize education. It further fosters more inclusive policies that address community needs, creating a ripple effect of long-term social and economic development.

Conclusion

Poverty in Malawi is still a significant issue, with an estimated 13 million people still struggling in 2025. However, the government’s conscious efforts toward a country without poverty bring hope for a brighter future for many while showing how important the fight against poverty is still in the modern world.

– Daisy McDonald

Daisy is based in Nottingham, UK and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Flickr