Maloto Inc

MALOTO, INC. IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION DEDICATED TO IMPROVING THE LIVES OF SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN NORTHERN MALAWI BY FEEDING, EDUCATING AND EMPOWERING. MALOTO IS ROOTED IN THE BELIEF THAT, THROUGH ACCESS TO EDUCATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES, WOMEN AND CHILDREN CAN IMPROVE THEIR QUALITY OF LIFE AND LIFT THEMSELVES OUT OF POVERTY. WE ACCOMPLISH THIS BY PROVIDING FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO THREE EFFECTIVE LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS: KWITHU WOMENS GROUP (AKA KWITHU CBO), MZUZU INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY, AND KWITHU KITCHEN. TOGETHER, THESE ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDE A CONTINUUM OF SERVICES THAT CAN BE ACCESSED THROUGHOUT A BENEFICIARY'S LIFETIME AND ALSO PROVIDE A HOLISTIC SOLUTION FOR HEALTH, EDUCATIONAL, SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC NEEDS.AGAINST THIS LANDSCAPE, MALOTO, MEANING "DREAMS" IN THE LOCAL LANGUAGE, WAS FORMED IN 2007 BY A GROUP OF MALAWIANS LIVING IN THE UNITED STATES IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO THE SPECIFIC CHALLENGES FACING THEIR COMMUNITIES IN NORTHERN

MZUZU INTERNATIONAL ACADEMYIN 2003, MALOTOS FOUNDER, ANNA MSOWOYA, AND A GROUP OF LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS IN NORTHERN MALAWI IDENTIFIED THE LACK OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES CREATED BY THE CRITICAL SHORTAGE OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS AS ONE OF THE MOST URGENT CHALLENGES IN THE REGION: MALAWI HAS LOST A GENERATION TO HIV/AIDS AND CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE ANOTHER GENERATION DUE TO A LACK OF EDUCATION. THEY RAISED OVER $600,000 AND, IN SEPTEMBER OF 2010, MZUZU INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY WAS OPENED WITH 35 STUDENTS THE FIRST INTERNATIONALLY ACCREDITED SCHOOL IN NORTHERN MALAWI. IN 2013, MZUZU INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY EXPANDED TO INCLUDE AN INTERNATIONAL PRIMARY SCHOOL. CURRENTLY THERE ARE OVER 375 STUDENTS ATTENDING SCHOOL AT MZUZU ACADEMY. AT THIS TIME, MALOTO PROVIDES A SMALL ANNUAL OPERATING SUBSIDY TO MZUZU ACADEMY, WHICH IS PRIMARILY SUPPORTED BY TUITION AND BOARDING FEES. MALOTO PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS TO OVER 20 LOCAL VULNERABLE CHILDREN TO ATTEND MZUZU ACADEMY. MALOTO ALSO PROVIDES SOME FUNDING FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AS NEEDED.

KWITHU WOMENS GROUP (AKA KWITHU CBO)KWITHU, WHICH TRANSLATED MEANS "HOME", WAS FORMED IN 2005 BY AN INSPIRING GROUP OF WOMEN WHO CAME TOGETHER TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF ORPHANS LIVING IN THE OUTSKIRTS OF MZUZU, MALAWI EVEN THOUGH THEY THEMSELVES HAD LIMITED MEANS. THE KWITHU ORPHAN FEEDING PROGRAM WAS ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED TO PROVIDE HOT MEALS TO THESE ORPHANED CHILDREN AT A TEMPORARY, MAKE-SHIFT COMMUNITY CENTER CONSISTING OF A DIRT FLOOR AND A THATCHED ROOF. IN 2010, MALOTO PROVIDED FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTION OF A PERMANENT BUILDING TO REPLACE THIS TEMPORARY SHELTER. THIS NEW STRUCTURE HAS ALLOWED THE GROUP TO GREATLY EXPAND ITS CAPACITY AND FEED MANY MORE CHILDREN. THE FEEDING PROGRAM NOW SERVES HOT, NUTRITIOUS MEALS TO OVER 300 CHILDREN THREE TIMES A WEEK. FOR MANY OF THESE CHILDREN, THIS IS THE MOST NUTRITIOUS FOOD THEY WILL RECEIVE ALL WEEK. KWITHU IS A DYNAMIC, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION AND HAS GREATLY EXPANDED ITS ACTIVITIES AND ITS REACH. IN ADDITION TO THE FEEDING PROGRAM, THE GROUP NOW OPERATES A NUMBER OF OTHER INITIATIVES FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY, INCLUDING:BEFORE- AND AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING AND RECREATION PROGRAMS FOR OVER 270 CHILDREN, AN HIV/AIDS INFORMATION AND EDUCATION SERVICE, WHICH SUPPORTS MORE THAN 60 HIV+ CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES AND CONDUCTS INFORMATION AND EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS IN THE BROADER COMMUNITY,AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES TWO FULL-DAY LEARNING PROGRAMS FOR 60 CHILDREN, AGES 3-5 YEARS, PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OVER 70 LOCAL ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN TO ATTEND LOCAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND MALAWIAN UNIVERSITIES, ANDTHE DEVELOPMENT OF INCOME-GENERATION PROJECTS FOR WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY WHO OFTEN BEAR THE BURDEN OF PROVIDING FOR THEIR FAMILIES ALONE.THE GROUP ALSO OWNS AND OPERATES ITS OWN GARDEN, WHICH NOT ONLY PROVIDES FOOD FOR THE FEEDING PROGRAM, BUT ALSO PRODUCES EXCESS PRODUCE THAT IS SOLD IN LOCAL MARKETS AND GIVEN TO THE NEEDIEST OF FAMILIES WITHIN THE GROUP.

IN 2010, THE 20 WOMEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE KWITHU WOMENS GROUP, IN CONJUNCTION WITH SEVERAL MALOTO BOARD MEMBERS, RECOGNIZED THAT TOMATOES, AMONG THE COUNTRYS MOST IMPORTANT NATURAL RESOURCES, WERE NOT BEING WELL-UTILIZED BECAUSE OF THE EXISTING AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS LIMITATIONS. THE ORGANIZATION TOOK AN ENTREPRENEURIAL APPROACH TO ADDRESSING THE MATTER. LEADERS OF KWITHU KITCHEN BROUGHT THE WOMEN TOGETHER WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS AND DEVELOPED ITS FIRST COMMERCIAL PRODUCT: A NATURALLY PRESERVED WHOLE TOMATO PRODUCT, CALLED GARDEN FRESH TOMATOES. RESPONDING TO CONSUMER DEMAND, KWITHU KITCHEN DEVELOPED POPULAR CHOPPED TOMATO AND TOMATO PUREE PRODUCTS.SINCE 2014, KWITHU KITCHEN HAS BUILT TOMATO AND HONEY PROCESSING FACILITIES AND BUILT RELATIONSHIPS WITH MORE THAN 750 SMALL-HOLDER FARMERS AND BEEKEEPERS. KWITHU KITCHEN - CONTINUEDIN 2020, KWITHU KITCHEN RECEIVED GOVERNMENT APPROVAL TO BEGIN SELLING HONEY PRODUCTS. KK QUICKLY BECAME THE COUNTRYS LARGEST HONEY PROCESSOR AND SUPPLIER (PROCESSING AND SELLING MORE THAN 40 TONS OF HONEY ANNUALLY). KWITHU KITCHENS TOMATO AND HONEY PRODUCTS CAN BE FOUND IN ALL OF THE COUNTRYS MAJOR SUPERMARKET AND HOTEL CHAINS.THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO MAKE KWITHU KITCHEN A VIABLE BUSINESS, WHICH WOULD PROVIDE EMPLOYMENT FOR UP TO 50 PEOPLE AND A MEANS OF REGULAR INCOME FOR 1,000 SMALL-HOLDER FAMERS AND BEEKEEPERS. A PORTION OF KWITHU KITCHENS SALES IS DONATED TO THE KWITHU WOMENS GROUP TO SUPPORT THEIR PROGRAMS (DESCRIBED ABOVE).