Chapter 20: Project Malawi

Project Malawi is a UW–Madison student organization dedicated to supporting various developmental organizations in Malawi. The student organization also aims to educate the UW campus community about the nation of Malawi. Previously, Project Malawi served as a conduit for medical support through partnerships with Project CURE and Malawi Children’s Village. During that time, the organization assisted in the delivery and distribution of medical supplies, as well as helping to establish the Sanitary Pads Project alongside Malawi Children’s Village Secondary School. More recently, the organization has pivoted to promoting agricultural development by partnering with the Association for Agro-Based Development (ACADES) in Lilongwe, Malawi. ACADES is a local non-profit that aims to encourage Malawian youth to engage in agricultural entrepreneurship by providing young farmers with the financial resources and agribusiness training necessary to succeed. Project Malawi fundraises and builds partnerships between ACADES and UW–Madison by hosting symposiums, giving educational presentations, and providing international internships. This chapter aims to provide a background and a preview of the international intentions and accomplishments of Project Malawi. It further highlights Project Malawi’s implementation of the Wisconsin Idea by presenting how students have interacted with international organizations and fostered long lasting, impactful relationships beyond the university.