The Malawi National Association of the Deaf (MANAD) is delighted to announce new funding from the Hilden Charitable Fund, a UK-based charity dedicated to advancing social justice, reducing poverty, and supporting marginalized communities.
Hilden Charitable Fund works in just three African countries—Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda—with a strong emphasis on locally led organizations. Malawi is the focus in 2025, followed by Tanzania in 2026 and Uganda in 2027.
This support strengthens MANAD’s ongoing work with the Finnish Association of the Deaf (FAD), which focuses on mobilizing Deaf women and youth to become self-reliant through small-scale businesses and by advocating for their rights. Together, these partnerships create opportunities for sustainable livelihoods and stronger advocacy.
The project officially began on 23 August 2025 with a planning meeting that brought together the Program Officer, Finance Officer, Executive Director, and two trainers. Ahead of training, the procurement team sourced soap-making materials from Limbe and Ndirande markets. To ensure sustainability, all materials were selected based on their availability in local districts, making it easier for participants to continue their businesses after training. Despite some price variations, overall costs remained within budget, and all purchases were receipted to ensure transparency.
To maximize impact, districts were categorized by the level of women’s participation and engagement. Active districts include Rumphi, Embangweni, Ntchisi, Lilongwe, Blantyre, and Chiradzulu; moderately active ones include Mulanje, Thyolo, Nkhotakota, Mzimba, Nkhata Bay, and Mzuzu; while less active districts include Karonga, Chitipa, Mchinji, Salima, Dowa, Machinga, Balaka, Ntcheu, Dedza, Neno, and Mwanza. A special note is given to Likoma District, which MANAD last visited in 2012 due to its remote island location.
For the first phase, training will take place in Ntchisi, Embangweni, Rumphi, Blantyre, and Chiradzulu. Each district will involve 7 women and 3 youth participants in intensive, hands-on sessions. With Malawi’s national elections set for 16 September 2025, MANAD has carefully scheduled activities to conclude by 9 September so that Deaf women, youth, and staff can fully exercise their democratic right to vote, as enshrined in Section 40(3) of the Constitution.
The rollout begins on 30 August 2025 in Ntchisi, followed by Embangweni and Rumphi, before concluding with Blantyre and Chiradzulu. Activities under this phase are expected to run until November 2025.
Through this initiative, Deaf women and youth will gain practical business skills—such as soap-making—while also strengthening their capacity to advocate for inclusion and equality. With the support of both the Hilden Charitable Fund and the Finnish Association of the Deaf, MANAD is committed to ensuring that Deaf communities across Malawi are not left behind in the pursuit of self-reliance, empowerment, and equal opportunities.
