Stories & Insights

This summer, the dusty grounds of Traditional Authority (T/A) Chikowi in Zomba, Malawi transformed into a vibrant stage of celebration, hope, and transformation. The Community Independence Initiative (CII), a bold project by Root Change, held its first-ever Graduation Ceremony. This was a powerful moment marking two years of resilience, growth, and community empowerment. Launched in

Since its launch in June 2023, Root Change’s Community Independence Initiative (CII) has been making waves in Malawi. Designed to empower families and foster sustainable development, the initiative has already shown impressive results. Initially 50 families were selected to participate and receive a monthly stipend of 25 USD. After six months, each family received an

Since June 2023, Root Change has been supporting the Community Independence Initiative (CII) in Zomba, Malawi with 50 families. At the heart of this peer-driven change model lies a profound emphasis on community talents, strengths, and resourcefulness. Today, we’re thrilled to share a heartwarming story unfolding in T/A Chikowi at Ulumba Primary School, which truly

CII Malawi Update November 2023 In a mere few months, the Community Independence Initiative (CII) in Zomba, Malawi, has yielded tangible benefits, capturing the attention of neighboring leaders eager to replicate this transformative program in their villages. Launched by Root Change in June, CII has brought together 50 families in a peer-driven change model, emphasizing

Root Change is excited to share that after careful preparations and months of planning, CII Malawi launched in Zomba District Council with the Ulumba community. CII Malawi started with 50 families in the Ulumba area under Traditional Authority Chikowi in Zomba.  Root Change has partnered with Youth for Development and Productivity (YODEP) to identify and

Are you a young researcher, evaluator, or practitioner passionate about using data to make informed decisions within a local organization? If so, we invite you to apply for the Research-to-Change Mentorship Academy (R2CMA), led by Root Change and IREX as part of the Youth Excel program. What is Research-to-Change? Research-to-Change (R2C) is an approach that

This summer, Root Change is thrilled to introduce the groundbreaking Community Independence Initiative (CII) in Zomba T/A Chikowi, Malawi. The CII pilot project will engage 50 families in a transformative, peer-driven model that seeks to leverage their innate talents, strengths, and resourcefulness. Contrary to conventional development approaches, CII refrains from providing services or advice, opting

This post was written by Sabine Sleijffers, a Root Change Communications Intern based on interviews with Madalitso Juwayeyi and Daniel Mvalo. In 2019, Segal Family Foundation (SFF) launched the Malawi Social Impact Network Map on Pando with the goal of learning more about the organizations and relationships that make up the innovation ecosystem and to

About the Authors Emas Potolani and Myson Jambo are Root Change’s Social Lab Field Managers and Malawi Ambassadors who served on the frontlines of a USAID-funded Local Works Initiative in Malawi. The purpose of the Social Lab is to test alternative approaches to supporting, sustaining and measuring locally owned and led development. The Social Labs

This post was originally published by the Global Partnership for Social Accountability on July 9, 2019. “We need the local people themselves to prescribe solutions to the problems they’re facing, and they must be able to lead in testing and implementing those solutions.” Charles Kajoloweka, Founder and Executive Director of Youth and Society (YAS) in Malawi. The

This post was originally published on the CIVICUS blog on June 28, 2019. Real change happens when local communities are in the lead—leveraging their assets, ideas, and expertise to implement solutions to their own problems. Unfortunately, too often, development initiatives bypass local communities and local resources in designing and carrying out programmes. At Root Change, we