CARE Malawi has unveiled a K3 billion emergency response aimed at addressing the rising food insecurity highlighted in the latest Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) report.
The funds will be distributed through cash transfers targeting more than 16,500 households currently facing severe food shortages.
The organisation warns that the country’s hunger crisis is intensifying at an alarming rate. Nearly 3 million Malawians are already experiencing Crisis-level food insecurity, with projections indicating the number could surge to 4 million during the 2025–2026 lean season if no decisive action is taken.
Speaking in Lilongwe on Tuesday, CARE Malawi Country Director Pamela Kuwali said the humanitarian response reflects a dual strategy: strengthening community resilience before crises hit and offering rapid relief when disasters strike.
She described the situation as a “critical moment” requiring coordinated national action.
Kuwali highlighted that CARE’s ongoing programmes reached more than 976,000 people between June 2024 and June 2025 across 20 districts.
These interventions span food security, climate resilience, women’s empowerment, education, health and governance—areas she said remain vital to reducing long-term vulnerability.
In recent years, CARE Malawi has played a leading role in major emergency responses, providing food aid, cash transfers and recovery support after Cyclones Freddy, Jude and Chido.
The organisation has also responded to widespread hunger associated with El Niño–related climatic shocks.
Kuwali emphasized that CARE’s efforts deliberately prioritize women, girls and marginalised groups, noting that these populations disproportionately bear the brunt of climatic and economic shocks.
Protecting their rights and access to services, she said, is essential for sustainable recovery.
Central to CARE’s humanitarian strategy is the Humanitarian Partnership Platform (HPP), a coalition of 11 local organisations co-chaired by CARE and CADECOM Blantyre.
The platform coordinates relief responses nationwide, ensuring they are fast, efficient and aligned with government systems.
Through the HPP framework, partners have jointly rolled out large-scale food assistance initiatives and piloted anticipatory action programmes designed to cushion communities before disasters escalate. These efforts, Kuwali noted, demonstrate the value of unified, locally led humanitarian action.
The latest MVAC findings present a worrying picture: repeated climatic shocks, rising food prices, low crop yields and economic instability are pushing vulnerable households into desperate coping mechanisms. MVAC warns that without adequate funding and timely support, thousands could fall into Emergency-level hunger.
CARE Malawi and HPP leaders stressed that addressing the crisis requires both immediate relief and sustained investment in long-term solutions.
They called for expanded social safety nets, scaled-up cash assistance, stronger early warning and response systems, and increased investment in irrigation and climate-resilient livelihoods.
Coordination with the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) remains a priority for both CARE and HPP to prevent duplication and maximise available resources. They also underscored the importance of inclusive disaster-response frameworks that safeguard women, girls and other marginalised groups.
Ensuring that vulnerable populations have access to assistance, livelihoods and protection services, they said, is key to breaking the cycle of chronic food insecurity. CARE reaffirmed its commitment to working closely with government, local councils, NGOs, donors and the media to deliver timely aid while strengthening long-term resilience.
“Resilience is possible,” Kuwali concluded, “but only if we act early, invest in local systems and place communities at the centre of all our solutions.”
