ABOUT US

We are a non-profit organisation working towards the prevention and relief of poverty in Malawi

We organise our work around these four areas:

Our work in numbers

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Our Values

We have learned the importance of the following values through 20 years of experience operating in Malawi.

WE LISTEN CAREFULLY

WE RESPECT THE LOCAL

WE BUILD SLOWLY

WE GIVE ENCOURAGEMENT

WE ARE A LEARNING ORGANISATION

We work in the Zomba and Mangochi districts of Malawi, in Southeastern Africa.

Economically, Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. In the area where we work our baseline surveys indicated that an average household income is just $0.60 per household per day.

Where we work

Map of Malawi highlighting the Zomba and Mangochi Districts

Our History

CEO Founder, Julian Watson, pointing to a whiteboard during a school presentation

An unexpected trip would change his life forever

Mbedza was founded by Julian Watson, a secondary school music teacher. It had never been his intention to visit Malawi. After all, he and his wife had enough on their plates raising their four daughters.  

However, in 1997 when a spare place became available on a friend’s visit to the country Julian jumped at the opportunity. He didn’t know it at the time but this trip would change his life forever.

Julian Watson and Peatry Ntodwa in a Malawian village

We are in a war with HIV and we are going to beat it

Unsurprisingly, Julian was hooked, and on his third trip to Malawi in 2001 he met a gentleman named Peatry Ntodwa, acting as a translator for the UK visitors. “What is the goal of your life”, asked Julian. “We are in a war with HIV and we are going to beat it!”, came the response from Peatry. This sparked a profound discussion about Peatry’s ambitions and aspirations for his fellow Malawians and so Mbedza, in its earliest guise, was established to support Peatry’s work as an HIV counsellor.

Mbedza team members posing in a group

The Mbedza family has grown!

Since then Mbedza has grown to address other areas of need and the team has grown significantly. In Malawi we now employ 22 members of staff on full-time permanent contracts, with a further 18 staff employed when project funds are available. Currently all our UK roles, apart from a part time communications and media manager, are provided by a team of UK volunteers.

Annual Accounts

Read our Annual Reports, where we take the opportunity to reflect on the past year and share our achievements and challenges with you.

2021 - 2022

2022 - 2023