Malawi - This year, severe weather devastated farmers across Malawi, leaving families and entire communities without enough food to last through the year.

The shortage was felt everywhere—even inside the prison system. Hunger was weakening entire communities, leaving people hopeless and afraid.

With limited funding, prisons can go months without government food allocations. Our partners stepped in to meet the immediate hunger crisis with meal distributions, while also launching a sustainable solution: Thrive garden training.

Inmates are now learning how to grow their own food on prison land. Crops that once seemed impossible are taking root, providing nourishment that will last long after the food distributions end. As one officer explained: “Since receiving this food, our inmates are healthier than other inmates in other prisons.”

Prison chaplain Precious Daniel Maniwa has seen the change firsthand. “The food has brought happiness to the face of everyone here,” he said. “It has tremendously improved their health and given them more energy. We are deeply grateful.”

The impact has reached beyond the prison walls. Our teams have already delivered more than a million meals throughout the region, while also providing seeds and garden tools for families. One recipient, 86-year-old Geoffrey, is a widower raising three children and two grandchildren. The meals he received carried them through the farming off-season, restoring both their health and their hope.

Thanks to your generosity, families and even prisoners in Malawi are experiencing dignity, strength, and a brighter future. What began as emergency food relief is now becoming a foundation for long-term food security.

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