The First Lady of the Republic of Malawi, Her Excellency Professor Gertrude Mutharika, on Sunday presided over the launch of the Muslim World League (MWL) Orphan Allowances Programme 2026 at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe, where she was the guest of honor.
The programme is set to benefit over 6,000 orphaned and vulnerable children across the country, with support focused on school fees, food and clothing throughout the year 2026.
The First Lady expressed her sincere gratitude to the Muslim World League for its continued support to Malawi, recalling the organization’s assistance during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020.
Professor Mutharika emphasized that the Muslim World League works regardless of religion, culture or political affiliation, a principle she described as key to fostering unity and inclusive development.
In her closing remarks, the First Lady said she is humbled to serve as Matron of the programme, assuring vulnerable children that they are not forgotten and describing the initiative as a bridge to a brighter future, especially at a time when global challenges such as climate change continue to disproportionately affect women and children in Malawi.
Speaking at the event, Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Mary Navicha, revealed that Malawi has an estimated one million orphans who are in urgent need of support.
Navicha said the launch of the MWL programme comes at a critical time, as government efforts alone are not sufficient to meet the growing needs of vulnerable children.
She noted that the support from the Muslim World League will significantly complement government initiatives by helping to provide education and other essential necessities such as housing and clothing for children across the country.
During the ceremony, Sheikh Walid El Saad, Executive Director for Africa at the Muslim World League, presented a gift to the First Lady as a gesture of goodwill and partnership.
Sheikh El Saad said the League’s work should not be viewed as charity, but as giving back what rightfully belongs to the beneficiaries, explaining that MWL mobilizes resources from the wealthy to uplift the less privileged.
He further pledged that the League will continue supporting orphans in Malawi, adding that the organization is moving away from short-term charitable assistance towards long-term empowerment of orphans through various development avenues.
Beneficiaries Ms. Shamia Osman and Mr. Dalitso Gama shared emotional testimonies on how the programme has transformed their lives and continues to give hope to thousands of orphans in the country.
Ms. Osman explained that she grew up in a family of three children facing serious challenges in accessing school fees, uniforms and food, and thanked the Muslim World League for supporting her education from secondary school to technical college since 2016.
