Where Your Sponsored Child Lives

Mpama (pronounced Mm-pah-mah) is a group of 94 villages in one of the most highly populated and poorest districts in Malawi, approximately 32 kilometres from Blantyre, the major centre for the region. All the villages lie in the shadow of Chiradzulu Mountain, with some villages situated in the highlands and hills and others in the dambo, a seasonal wetland. The area has experienced soil erosion as a result of deforestation and erratic rainfall, which means water is unreliable for personal use and for agriculture. This greatly affects the people of Mpama because more than 90% of families make their living off the land. People live in simple grass-thatched homes made from sticks, wood, or bricks. Although there are mixed ethnic groups in the area, the main groups are Lomwe and Yao. Chichewa is the dominant language.

Challenges in 2007

Lack of Food
Mpama experiences severe climate conditions with both drought and heavy rainfalls each year. This, coupled with dependence on a single crop (maize) and ineffective agricultural practices, has resulted in food shortages. For years, villagers have tried a variety of strategies to feed their families, including borrowing money or food, and selling livestock and seeds. In many instances, people feel they have no alternative but to engage in life-threatening occupations such as sex work to earn money to buy food.

Lack of Education
Although primary education is free and most children do start school, there are few schools and a shortage of teachers. Buildings are dilapidated and lack resources such as learning and teaching materials and desks. Classrooms are overcrowded with only one teacher for every 105 students. As a result, many students drop out of school, fewer than half of all girls finish their education, and the illiteracy rate is high.

HIV and AIDS
The Mpama HIV prevalence rate of 16% is higher than the national average. More than a third of all households are now headed by people older than 50 who are shouldering responsibility for children orphaned by AIDS. The impact of HIV and AIDS contributes to Mpama having the highest percentage of female-headed households in the area.

Unsafe Water and Poor Health
With no source for piped water, broken boreholes, and an unpredictable climate, more than half the families in Mpama use unreliable water sources. Only 37% of households have year-round access to sufficient, safe water from a protected source within 30 minutes of the family home. Other health issues arise from a lack of pit latrines. This lack of proper sanitation puts children at risk of contracting easily preventable diseases and infections.

How Does Child Sponsorship Help?