WaterAid is an international charity based in the United Kingdom which was established in 1981 with the mission of transforming the lives of the poorest and most marginalised people by improving access to clean water, improved sanitation and good hygiene. It was incorporated in 1984 as a company limited by guarantee (Company No. 1787329) and was registered with the charity commission in the same year (Charity Registration No.288701).

WaterAid has grown into one of the most respected international development agencies in the field of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), and currently works in 28 countries across America, Europe, Africa, Asia and the Pacific Region. So far, it has reached over 25 million people.

WaterAid has had a strong and stable presence in Malawi since 1999, supporting direct WASH service delivery, sector strengthening and advocacy.

The WaterAid Country Program is mandated to operate through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed with the Malawi Government in 1999. In addition to the MOU with Government, WaterAid Malawi is registered with the Malawi NGO board and is a member of the Council for Non-Governmental Organizations in Malawi (CONGOMA), registration No. C110/2000.

The Malawi Country Program is led by a five-member senior management team (SMT) overseen by the Country Director. Five departmental heads support the Country Director in the areas of Finance and IT; People, Organizational Development and Administration; Business Development and Partnerships; Policy and Advocacy and Programme Delivery.

The country programme is also supported by regional personnel based in Pretoria, South Africa and across the Southern Africa region. Additionally, it receives support from several departments from the UK global office and other offices within member countries. 

The Malawi Country Programme Strategy 2016-21 is aligned with WaterAid’s Global Strategy 2015-20.

Where we work

We work in rural and urban communities across the country to make sure that geography isn't an obstacle to accessing essential services.

Stories from our work

From the people we work with, to those whose lives have changed because of clean water, good toilets and decent hygiene.