From Crisis to Classroom: Strengthening Children and Families in Malawi

Through a coordinated, full-cycle response, Feed the Children and its partners are helping children recover from climate-driven hunger while strengthening families for the future.

In Malawi, Community-Based Child Care Centers (CBCCs) serve as lifelines for families, especially during times of crisis. Across the country, these centers sit at the heart of communities, providing daily nutrition, early learning, and a sense of stability for young children.

Late last year, southern Malawi was deep in crisis, facing one of the most severe lean seasons in recent history. Erratic rainfall and extended periods of drought led to widespread crop failure, leaving many households without a stable food source. During this challenging period, the support provided by CBCCs became increasingly vital.

Bridging the Drought: Transforming Childhood Amid Adversity

Just months ago, three-year-old Omega’s mother, Catherine, feared for her daughter’s survival.

Omega weighed only 13.7 pounds, far below a healthy weight for her age (a healthy weight for the average three-year-old girl is around 30 lbs.). Healthcare workers noted that her mid-upper arm circumference, an indicator used to assess nutritional status and identify severe malnutrition in children, was dangerously low.

“I was told she was extremely underweight,” Catherine recalls.

Omega spent a week receiving care at a small local hospital. After that, she was sent home – to a house that still didn’t have enough food, and a mother still worried for her daughter’s future.

Determined to find a way to save her daughter, Catherine enrolled Omega at Feed the Children’s CBCC after hearing that children received nutrition support there.

“My motivation was to save my daughter because I heard the children are given nutritious porridge,” Catherine says.

A Lifeline in the Lean Season, and Beyond

At the CBCC, Omega started receiving a daily serving of VitaMeal, a corn-soya blend fortified with essential vitamins and minerals, produced locally in Malawi. The VitaMeal is provided by Nu Skin, a long-term partner of Feed the Children. VitaMeal donated by Nu Skin customers, affiliates and employees feed thousands of children across Malawi each day.

In the Care Group, Omega also participates in structured early learning activities led by trained caregivers, joining other children her age in a consistent daily routine that supports both recovery and long-term development.

Esther, a teacher at a local elementary school, has seen the difference in students whose parents have enrolled them in the CBCC:

“These children already know how to handle writing materials, use sanitation facilities, and, most importantly, they understand lessons faster than those who go straight to primary school,” Esther says.

It isn’t just Omega, but Catherine’s other two children, who have benefitted:

“I’m a single mother, and I must fend for myself and my children,” Catherine explains. “With my youngest child at the CBCC, I can focus better on other responsibilities. At the same time, Omega is learning a lot.”

Responding to Crisis, Strengthening Communities

As Malawi declared a state of disaster in late 2025, Feed the Children, in partnership with the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability, and Social Welfare, Nu Skin, and UNICEF, expanded emergency nutrition support.

As part of that emergency response, VitaMeal is delivered to 401 CBCCs, reaching more than 47,000 children in badly drought-affected areas every day.

While formal assessment data are still emerging, early signs point to improved attendance and more consistent nutrition among young children, both critical during the lean season. Health Surveillance Assistants have also reported signs of improvement in nutrition status among children attending CBCCs.

Attendance rose not only because children were receiving daily nutrition, but also because parents increasingly recognized CBCCs as safe, supportive environments.

At the Care Center Omega attends, caretaker Mafalina reported encouraging changes:

“Since November 2025, the total number of learners has increased from 245 to 311, and this can be directly attributed to the school feeding initiative,” she says.

During a visit, Honorable Minister Mary Navicha, MP, observed that the initiative was “significantly improving the health of our children,” adding that “Feed the Children is [our] reliable partner in safeguarding the lives of our children here.”

At the height of the hunger crisis, CBCCs such as this one were more than a pathway to school readiness boost: they were a lifeline.

From Immediate Relief to Lasting Resilience

Beyond supporting individual children, the response helped stabilize households. With Omega attending CBCC regularly, Catherine regained time to focus on farming and caring for her family.

Omega’s journey reflects the broader way Feed the Children strengthens families through its Child-Focused Community Development approach, supporting both immediate recovery and long-term stability. By supporting the adults who care for children through nutrition, early learning, livelihoods, and community systems, this work creates opportunities for children to thrive.

“In Malawi, we work to improve the health and nutrition status of children and adults through interventions that combine nutrition, health, water and sanitation, livelihoods, and resilience-building, during shocks like drought and food insecurity, and beyond,” explains McHenry Makwelero, Feed the Children’s Country Representative in Malawi.

One Story, A Broader Impact

Work in Malawi continues, carried forward by partnerships, community leadership, and families determined to give their children a strong start.

Omega’s story is one of many that illustrates what becomes possible when nutrition, learning, and support come together at the right moment, in the right place.

This is how change happens: one child, one family, one community at a time, strengthened by partnership, resilience, and care!