7 Ways to Make a Living in Malawi - It’s Time to Get Inspired
- Fisherman's Rest Malawi
- Jan 12
- 5 min read
The Malawi Government released a report at the end of 2025 that stated the net enrolment in secondary schools in Malawi was at 17% in 2024.
The true horror of this statistic is that 83% of secondary age children are not accessing secondary education.
There are a number of reasons for this:
📚 Not enough secondary education places for the population.
💸 Secondary education had paid fees, therefore unaffordable for most of the population.
🌱 When 99% of the people around you subsistence farm, there’s little vision or inspiration for any other way to make a living in Malawi.
BRAVE (if you don’t know) is a pre-adolescent after school programme that works with young boys and girls to encourage them to stay in school. It covers all things growing up, to help equip young minds for good, healthy and successful futures.
Practically we give hygiene materials at the end of the 12 workshops.
But the real strength and impact in the program is the way learners and their parents shift perspective on life and gain control over how they want to live it and who they want to become.
On a micro level this has lead to changes like:
A parent from Nansembe Primary School saying; ‘since the sessions, my child stands up against jokes that belittle girls and is more patient with younger siblings during their mood swings’
And “the youths are openly discussing emotions and managing conflicts more constructively”.
Despite growing support from parents, (take a look at this photo of Mbame parents meeting with Mark)
we’ve noticed a real lack of diversity, clarity and focus in young people when they talk about the future. It’s clear that young learners in schools have a lack of awareness around jobs, business and career opportunities.
Trying New Strategies and Testing Ideas for 2026
The team decided to test run something new at the end of 2025. Each year we’ve tweaked and adapted the project to meet needs arising. Last year was no different.
With a test pot of funding the team decided to run a careers day at Mbame Primary School. Mbame had concluded 12 sessions of BRAVE workshops in the September-December term and the team wanted to see what a careers day could facilitate.
So they set about networking with the rest of the FR team to see who had links with business people and professionals who’d be willing to share their stories, and how they make a living.
The catch is they’d have to be willing to travel to a school down a dirt road, sit outside under trees, well outside Blantyre city, on their time. They all said yes and we are truly grateful.
7 inspiring ways to make a living in Malawi (that’s not subsistence farming)
(As reported by the team in Malawi)
The Pastor: Spiritual guidance and blessing
The pastor opened the event with a word of prayer and shared the word of God from Luke 2:41–52, emphasizing growth in wisdom, stature, and favor with God and people. He prayed for the learners and the rain stayed away for the morning!
The Journalist: A story of determination and rising from hardship
The journalist, who currently works with the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC), shared how he grew up in a village in Phalombe District, raised by a single mother. Despite many challenges, he worked hard, pursued his education, and eventually studied at The Polytechnic (University of Malawi). His story encouraged learners to believe in the power of resilience and determination.
The Lawyer: Turning pain into purpose
The lawyer shared a personal and emotional testimony of being sexually assaulted when she was a young girl by someone who was supposed to care for her. Despite the trauma, she persevered and excelled in her studies. She graduated from Chancellor College (Chanco) University of Malawi and is now a practicing lawyer. Her message reminded learners that their past does not have to define their future, and in her final remarks she encouraged the leaners to come open if they have been abused and she is going to help them legally.
The Nurse: Perseverance through poverty
Coming from Chikwawa, the nurse explained how difficult her upbringing was. Through perseverance and focus, she completed her training at the Malawi College of Nursing and now works as a practicing nurse. Her story encouraged the learners to remain committed to their education.
The Businessman: Success beyond schooling
The businessman shared that he did not continue with formal education because he felt school was not for him. However, through hard work and determination, he is now a successful entrepreneur who owns houses, farms, and runs agribusiness ventures. His testimony reminded learners that success comes in different forms but always requires discipline and effort.
The Policewoman: Encouraging hard work and independence
The policewoman motivated learners to take their education seriously. She explained how working hard in school helped her build a stable career, earn her own income, and support her family.
The Chef: Embracing new paths
The chef shared that he originally wanted to become a journalist, but due to life challenges, that dream did not come to pass. However, he refused to give up. He trained as a chef and now works at Amaryllis Hotel, a renowned hotel in Blantyre. His story highlighted the importance of adaptability and determination.
Why These Conversations Matter for Learners in Rural Malawi
As humans we tell ourselves stories like, “I’m from a village, I will never get into secondary school” or, “No one in my family has finished school, I won’t be able to finish school.”
We’ve heard learners say, “I don’t know if it’s possible for us to go to college and get a job and have a career in the city.”
By hearing accounts of how people came into the roles and jobs they have - from equal challenges to the learners we work with on the BRAVE program, we can inspire young minds as to what is real, and what can happen when you set your mind to it.
And that’s exactly what the day achieved.
Remarks from the Headmistress
“Events like these hold lasting positive effects on learners and their academic motivation. I can see the morning has opened the minds of many and broadened understanding of future possibilities.”
What the Press Said:
School children living under Senior Chief Somba in Blantyre District say they will stop dropping out of school on the way to or from class, following an initiative being implemented in the area by Fisherman’s Rest Community Project (FRCP).
One of the leaders at the organisation, Esnart Mtamira, said this at Mbame Primary School in the district when the organisation invited people who have succeeded in life through education to act as positive role models for the children.
Mtamira said the organisation promotes education and also encourages learners to report to authorities whenever they experience any form of abuse.
The district’s head of Child Protection structures, Harry Makumbi, said they will continue working to strengthen children’s rights to education.
Makumbi said they are joining forces with community members to eliminate all barriers to education — including early child marriages.
Will there be future careers days to inspire the next generation to make a living beyond small-scale farming?
We hope so. The team loved organising and delivering the day. The feedback they received was overwhelmingly positive and of course requested again for future years.
What can you do?
Project BRAVE has funding for 2026. Career days are an “extra” which we haven’t budgeted for at £250-500 per event and 12 BRAVE schools, we hope funds will trickle in to make more events possible this year!
Or if you’d like to fundraise for BRAVE please email us here