Our aim is to lift every person in Malawi above the extreme poverty line.

Since 2019, GiveDirectly has delivered over $101M in unconditional cash transfers to more than 226,000 of the poorest households in Malawi. We’ve worked with the Government of Malawi to reach the most vulnerable communities in both rural and urban areas across 4 cities and 11 districts.

226,000+
people reached
11 of 28
districts reached
$101M+
delivered

Our Partners

Interested in partnering on our work in Malawi? Get in touch.

Cash transfers have measurable impacts across communities and contexts.

GiveDirectly has partnered with the Government of Malawi to run programs targeted for poverty reduction and improved food security, education, and farming.

FEATURED ACTIVE Programs
Filosi and Zione in Chiradzulu

Poverty Eradication II

Ongoing program launched in 2025 to deliver large one-time cash transfers to extremely poor households in Chiradzulu. Building on the 2023 pilot, Phase 2 is designed as a RCT and is implemented at the district-wide level.

Transfer Size

$550 one-time transfer per person

Target Number of Recipients

75,000

Outcomes

Similar programs have shown that participants often invest more in assets, experience better food security, and gain easier access to energy, education, and clean water, aligning with key UN Sustainable Development Goals. 

More info will be made available as the program progresses.

Partners

Government of Malawi, Canva

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Kulezi in Mzuzu

Urban Response

Ongoing program launched in 2024 to deliver cash for three months to food-insecure urban households identified via mobile phone targeting in Mzuzu.

Transfer Size

$40 monthly for 3 months

Recipients Reached

12,264

Outcomes

The project aims to generate learnings on the most cost-effective mix of in-person and digital methods to speed up cash delivery and maintain accurate urban registries, while also identifying what’s needed to scale phone-based targeting through government systems.

Partners

Government of Malawi

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Winnex and Nema in Chikwawa

Climate Resilience

Launched in 2024 to deliver unconditional cash transfers to adults vulnerable to the effects of climate shocks in Chikwawa.

Transfer Size

$550 to adults in climate vulnerable farming households

Recipients Reached

10,456

Outcomes

Our midline monitoring found that, two months after payments, 85% of recipients had improved their resilience by meeting at least one of the three capacity targets (absorptive, anticipatory, or adaptive).

71% had purchased livestock, a key form of savings and asset-building, while 38% of recipients had invested in agriculture, whether through seeds, tools, or land preparation. Iron-sheet roofs increased from 35% to 44%, improving ability to withstand extreme weather. Recipients spent about a fifth of their transfer on food on average, and hunger fell by more than half from 69% to 32%. The share of households with any savings more than doubled from 20% to 49%.

Partners

FCDO

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Fanny in Mulanje

Cash for Health I & II

Launched in 2022 (Phase 1) and 2024 (Phase 2) to deliver unconditional cash to people living with complex HIV and cancer in Blantyre, Chiradzulu, and surrounding areas.

Transfer Size

Phase 1:

  • $250 followed by $55 monthly payments for 1 year
  • $250 followed by $80 monthly payments for 1 year

Phase 2:

  • Standard cohort: $743 (initial $115,  $43 monthly for 12 months, and a final lump-sum of $115)
  • Vulnerable cohort: $1051 (initial $115, $68 monthly for 12 months, and a final lump-sum of $115) 
  • Palliative care cohort: once-off total of $250
Recipients Reached

Phase 1: 944

Phase 2: 470

Outcomes

Recipients have reported that cash transfers improved their quality of life and access to medical care. Comparing recipient survey responses before and halfway through the program:

  • 20% more felt increased self-reliance 
  • 67% more were able to access nutritious food
  • 30% fewer had to take loans  
  • 31% more had enough money for transport to health facilities
  • 30% more had better quality housing
  • 42% had more access to clean water
Partners

Medecins Sans Frontieres

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Memory and her child in Ntcheu

Cash for Nutrition

Launched in 2021 to deliver monthly payments to pregnant and nursing women in Balaka and Ntcheu. Compares the impact of two different payment amounts on nutrition. 

Transfer Size

30 monthly payments — one group receives $17 per month and the other receives $43 per month

Households Reached

5,724

Outcomes

From the midterm results, recipients in both cash treatment groups spend a bulk of their transfers on food, but the higher cash arm appears to allow for increased spending on other categories that could have an elevated and more sustained effect on nutrition outcomes. 

We are also seeing reduced levels of depression in women and an increase in children’s dietary diversity score. There are fewer severely food insecure households in the high-cash treatment group, but no change in low-cash arm. We have not observed any change in stunting levels in either group.

Partners

Conrad Hilton Foundation, Power of Nutrition, Save the Children

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FEATURED PAST Programs
Samson in Lilongwe Rural

Poverty Eradication I

Launched in 2023 to deliver large one-time cash transfers to extremely poor households in Lilongwe Rural.

Transfer Size

$550 to every adult living in poverty

Recipients Reached

72,430

Outcomes

Three months after transfers, we find rapid gains in financial well-being and quality of life — with no significant inflation after cash was delivered.

Partners

Government of Malawi, Canva

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Mwayiwawo and his child in Nsanje

Climate Justice

Program from 2023 to 2024 that delivered cash to families who survived the world’s longest cyclone to spend on housing, food, and send their children to school in Nsanje district.

Transfer Size

$750 to internally displaced households, with access to land for relocation

Recipients Reached

2,719

Outcomes

This program provided cash transfers to communities participating in a government-organized relocation effort, moving from flood-prone areas to safer locations. 96% of recipients reported spending on productive assets, including building a home, purchasing livestock, and starting a new business and education. There was a 7.7x increase in the proportion of houses with iron sheet roofs. We observed a 235% increase in average total weekly consumption between the start and end of the project.

Partners

Scottish Government

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Tembwe in Lilongwe Rural

Basic Income Pilot

Launched in 2022 to deliver a monthly basic income to people in the poorest sub-district in Lilongwe Rural, and inform plans to address extreme poverty in Malawi at scale.

Transfer Size

$50 monthly for 1 year

Recipients Reached

12,794

Outcomes

This program leverages mobile-phone usage data to remotely identify and register people. This method is more cost-effective for targeting cash transfers when there are significant differences in poverty levels within a region and the geographic area is large.

Proxy means testing (PMT) can more precisely identify people living at a given level of poverty, but it is almost 7 times more costly than remote registration. With a limited budget, a combination of remote registration and PMT reduces costs.

Partners

Canva

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Agnes in Balaka

Climate Resilience

2022 program that delivered cash and climate smart agricultural support to poor farmers in Balaka district, timed to help with the growing season, land preparation, purchase of inputs, and planting.

Hear about how giving cash helps people in poverty survive a climate crisis they did not create →

Transfer Size

$800 total, delivered across 2 transfers

Households Reached

6,017

Outcomes

This program was designed to support farmers on the frontlines of the climate crisis by helping them to access more resilient agricultural methods. After receiving cash, recipients reported:

  • Diversifying their farms to grow 2+ crops, which improves soil fertility and controls weeds, diseases, and insects
  • Transitioning to fuel efficient cooking tools such as the Chitetezo Mbuala stove
  • Using 1+ water conservation techniques
  • 46.2% increase in food security

Read more about GiveDirectly’s approach to climate adaptation here.

Partners

Self Help Africa

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Ali in Mangochi

Poverty Alleviation

2020 program that delivered large, one-time cash transfers to the poorest households in Mangochi and Balaka districts.

Transfer Size

$800

Households Reached

29,410

Outcomes

This cash transfer model draws on a substantial body of evidence demonstrating that large cash transfers have a significant positive impact on the lives of people in poverty. Recipients reported spending their funds on:

  • food (79%)
  • building a new house or improving their current one (79%)
  • clothing and furniture (55%)
  • farming investments(35%) 
  • savings (31%)
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Patrick in Balaka

Large Transfer Study

2019 program that delivered cash to the poorest households in Machinga and Chiradzulu districts. Included a randomized control trial component to compare how different cash transfer amounts affected food security, spending on food and other purchases, and non-agricultural income in rural households.

Transfer Size

Recipients received 1 of 3 transfer amounts: $250, $500, or $750. Those in the group receiving $250 got one transfer; those receiving $500 or $750 received 2 or 3 transfers over consecutive months.

Households Reached

11,497

Outcomes

Recipients reported sustained improvements in food security years after the program ended, along with gains in agricultural productivity, household assets, resilience and psychological wellbeing. No evidence of spillover effects on households not included in the program were found. Local goods prices were not affected.

Partners

IPA, USAID

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Bitiriss in Dedza

Cash+ Food and Nutrition Security

2022 program that delivered one-time cash transfers to farmers in Dedza district. Transfers were timed with the start of the lean season and were accompanied by nutrition and agricultural diversification interventions.

Transfer Size

$350

Households Reached

2,243

Outcomes

Recipients reported spending their transfers on food, agricultural inputs like fertilizer, and livestock to improve their families’ nutrition and earn income.

Partners

GIZ, Self Help Africa

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Mary in Lilongwe

COVID-19 Emergency Relief

2020 program to deliver cash transfers to poor households impacted by the pandemic in the cities of Lilongwe, Blantyre, Zomba, Mzuzu, and Dzaleka refugee camp as part of Malawi’s National COVID-19 response plan.

Transfer Size

$35 per month for 3 months

Households Reached

33,720

Outcomes

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted livelihoods and made it difficult for the poorest and most vulnerable families in Malawi to afford their basic needs. Here’s how recipients reported spending the cash they received:

  • 47.7% purchased food
  • ~14% invested in existing businesses or started new ones to help rebuild their livelihoods
  • 13.3% covered school fees and education expenses
  • 12.6% rebuilt or improved their homes
Partners

Government of Malawi, Conrad Hilton Foundation

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Flooded fields in Mulanje after Cyclone Ana

Cyclone Ana Emergency Relief

2022 program that delivered emergency cash assistance to households affected by Cyclone Ana in Mulanje district.

Transfer Size

$75 monthly for 3 months

Households Reached

6,658

Outcomes

The aftermath of Cyclone Ana saw houses leveled by the flooding and families displaced into humanitarian camps. Recipients reported using their transfers to rebuild— 84% of people spent their cash on improving existing housing, or building a new house with better materials. Before the flood, many houses were built with mud and thatch and were not able to withstand the damage.

Other common ways people used their transfers:

  • 71% bought food
  • 22% bought clothes and furniture
  • 11% put money into savings
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Felisita in Chikwawa

Tropical Cyclone Freddy Emergency Relief

2023 program that delivered one-time cash transfers to households displaced by Tropical Cyclone Freddy in Chikwawa District.

Transfer Size

$300 one-time transfer

Households Reached

2,795

Outcomes

Communities in Chikwawa district are increasingly impacted by flooding as a symptom of the growing climate crisis in the region. Recipients used their cash to fortify or rebuild their homes with bricks and iron sheets as many mud-built and thatched-roof homes were damaged in the cyclone. Recipients also purchased food and invested in businesses like selling dry fish and raising goats or chickens.

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Malawian families are using cash to transform their lives.

Manes bought a bicycle for emergency traveling

“I am 36 years old and I am married. We bought a bicycle because we have always had problems traveling in times of emergencies. I was very happy because our lives really changed. “

Machilika

Winnex bought food and his wife joined a Village Savings and Loans (VSL) Group

“We are so glad we were able to withdraw our transfer right here in the village without having to travel a long distance. This feels very safe for us. We have managed to buy maize because food was our top priority. My wife has also joined a Village Savings and Loan (VSL) group, and we are planning to start a business together. Next, we plan to buy bricks and iron sheets to finally rebuild a house after ours collapsed in the rain last year.”

Chikwawa

Cosmas and his family invested in their lifelong farming business

“Farming, just like any other business, needs capital. For us farmers, the main capital we need is money, so we can buy things like fertilizer, more land, seeds, labor, and other supplies to ensure we make a good profit. I’m so happy, and I can’t wait for the rainy season to start. I’m fully prepared for this year’s farming season—I have food, fertilizer, enough land, and with my business, I’ll be able to buy seeds. I believe next year will be my best year yet!”

Kamchila

Julius kept his shop running

“I have been running the shop for a while, but due to a lack of sufficient capital, it became a challenge to keep it going, and at one point, I was on the verge of closing it down. With the cash I received, I invested K600,000 into the business. Now, the shop is thriving, and I am making K150,000 a day.”

Mazengela

Poverty in Malawi

22.7M
population in Malawi
72%
live on less than $2.15/day
86%
lack access to electricity
5.4M
experience food insecurity

In the past 15 years, $16.5 billion has been spent on development assistance in Malawi. Yet in that same time, poverty rates have hardly changed. Malawi remains one of the poorest countries in the world with at least 70% of the population living below the international extreme poverty line of $2.15/day. Malawi is also a climate change “hotspot” characterized by declining agricultural productivity and very low resilience to shocks. These economic and climate challenges feed into the chronic food insecurity that affects 5.4M people in Malawi and leaves 35% of children under 5 years of age stunted.

The Government of Malawi’s First 10-year Implementation Plan of its ‘MW2063 Agenda’ (2021-2030) focuses on meeting the Sustainable Development Goals, which crucially include “No Poverty,” and emphasizes enhancing human capital, adopting climate-smart practices in agriculture and other sectors, diversifying the economy, improving productivity, and creating employment opportunities among others.

Sources: Government of Malawi, World Bank, IPC

22.7M
population in Malawi
72%
live on less than $2.15/day
86%
lack access to electricity
5.4M
experience food insecurity

We commend the impactful work of GiveDirectly in our shared mission to realize His Excellency Dr. Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera’s Vision of wealth creation. Through our collaboration, we are empowering communities, especially women and the youth, to thrive and fully engage in economic activities, ensuring that every contribution leads to tangible change.

Colleen Zamba

Secretary to the President and Cabinet of Malawi

Life & Culture in Malawi

Nature

A UNESCO World Heritage site, Lake Malawi is the second deepest lake in Africa and home to the largest number (1000+) of fish species of any lake in the world.

People

Malawi is known for its friendly and hospitable people. It’s often referred to as the Warm Heart of Africa.

Cuisine

20% of Malawi is covered by water. Fish are a popular and important source of protein in the local diet. Chambo (tilapia), mlamba (catfish) and matemba (minnows) are the most common and commercially significant fish.

Culture

Dance is a distinctive feature of Malawian culture. One notable dance is “gule wa mkulu” (big dance) featuring drums and elaborately costumed dancers.

Facts and highlights shared by GiveDirectly staff in Malawi.