Forum for African Women Educationalists in Malawi

What Forum for African Women Educationalists in Malawi does

FAWEMA (Forum for African Women Educationalists in Malawi) is a Malawian non-governmental, non-profit organization established in 1993 and officially registered in 2001 under the Trustees Incorporation Act of 1962. Operating as the Malawi national chapter of the continental Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), whose secretariat is based in Nairobi, Kenya, FAWEMA advances girls' and women's education in Malawi through scholarships and bursaries, sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) education, literacy improvement, community engagement via mother groups, and policy advocacy with government ministries. The organization is headquartered in Lilongwe and employs 55 staff.

The organization's portfolio is structured as a set of discrete multi-year projects rather than a unified product. Active programs include the Mastercard Foundation-funded Second Chance Pathways (2024–2030) covering TEVET and university bridging programmes; the USDA-funded TIWOLOKA Project (October 2024 – September 2029) implemented with CARE, WaterAid, and the Government of Malawi across six districts; the Global Affairs Canada-funded iHEARD Project (2021–2025) on SRHR for adolescent girls and young women; the Malawi Washington Foundation Scholarship Programme initiated in 2009; the Let's Read Ntchisi literacy project with CODE; the Kuyenda Collective transnational alliance; and the recently concluded BreakFree Programme with Plan Malawi and SRHR Africa Trust. Delivery channels include 500+ schools nationwide, public technical colleges, six partner universities, and a community-based mother group network covering Lilongwe, Dowa, and Ntchisi districts.

FAWEMA does not generate revenue from sales of goods or services. Its operations are funded entirely through grants and donations from bilateral donors (Global Affairs Canada, Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, USDA), foundations (Mastercard Foundation, Malawi Washington Foundation, CODE), and consortium partners (CARE, WaterAid, Plan Malawi, SRHR Africa Trust, FARM Radio Trust, MSI Reproductive Choices). Reported cumulative outcomes include supporting over 20,000 girls, training 200+ women in leadership, and reaching 500+ schools nationwide.

Name

Forum for African Women Educationalists in Malawi

Legal name

Forum for African Women Educationalists – Malawi Chapter

Website

https://fawema.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

FAWEMA is a Malawi-registered non-profit NGO established in 1993 as the national chapter of the Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE), advancing girls' and women's education through scholarships, SRHR programs, literacy initiatives, and policy advocacy, funded by grants from bilateral donors and foundations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Non-profit Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDADALAC

NGO/Nonprofit Education Programs & Service Delivery

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Education Partnerships, Intergovernmental & NGO Programs

SECONDARYEDADALAF

Education Partnerships for Equity, Inclusion & Gender

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Education Partnerships, Intergovernmental & NGO Programs

SECONDARYEDAMAKAF

Scholarship, Financial Aid & FAFSA Support

Education/Supplemental & Enrichment Programs (Arts, STEM, Language)/College & Career Enrichment (Mentorship, Internships, Portfolio)

SECONDARYEDADALAJ

STEM, Digital Skills & Innovation Partnerships

Education/Education Administration, Accreditation & Policy/Education Partnerships, Intergovernmental & NGO Programs

Keywords

• Girls education programs
• Scholarship programs
• Women empowerment
• SRHR education
• Policy advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Lilongwe

HQ country

Malawi

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

FAWEMA is a non-profit NGO in Malawi that supports girls' and women's education through scholarships, bursaries, mentorship, sexual and reproductive health rights (SRHR) education, and policy advocacy. It delivers programs in partnership with primary and secondary schools, technical colleges, universities, and community-based mother groups across Malawi, focusing on keeping girls in school and supporting their transition into higher education and skilled livelihoods.

Product overview

FAWEMA offers a portfolio of education-focused programmes and projects rather than a unified technology product. Core offerings include scholarship programmes (Malawi Washington Foundation Scholarship, FAWE/Mastercard Foundation Bursary), literacy initiatives (Let's Read Ntchisi), SRHR education projects (iHEARD, BreakFree), food security and education programmes (TIWOLOKA), and youth advocacy initiatives (Kuyenda Collective). These projects function as standalone programmatic interventions aimed at advancing girls' and women's education in Malawi through bursaries, mentorship, community engagement, and policy advocacy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Scholarship Program Scholarships awarded to girls in Malawi to support continuation of education at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels. Targeted at disadvantaged girls at risk of dropping out of school.
• Bursary Program Bursaries covering ancillary schooling needs (uniforms, learning materials, exam fees) for girls enrolled in partner schools to reduce financial barriers to education.
• Mentorship Program Mentorship activities delivered through schools and community mother groups to support retention, build confidence, and provide role models for school-age girls.
• SRHR Education Program Sexual and reproductive health and rights education integrated into school and community programming for adolescent girls and young women, addressing health-related barriers to education.
• Re-entry Policy Advocacy Policy advocacy and implementation support for re-entry of girls who drop out of school due to pregnancy or early marriage, working with government and school systems.
• Mother Groups Community Mobilization Community-based mother group structures that mobilize parents and communities to support, protect, and retain girls in school at the local level.
• Vocational Skills Training Vocational and livelihood skills training for older girls and young women, typically delivered through partner technical colleges, to support transition into employment or self-employment.

Quantifiable outcome

• 20,000+ girls supported to stay in school
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Malawi Washington Foundation (MWF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplementing partner for the Malawi Washington Foundation Scholarship programme providing scholarships to marginalized girls and women from secondary to university level. The partnership began in 2015. MWF was initiated in 2009 by Malawian women in Washington DC metropolitan area.
• CAREcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner for the TIWOLOKA Project - a five-year USDA-funded initiative through the McGovern-Dole Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program, targeting education and nutrition outcomes in six districts of Malawi.
• WaterAidcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner for the TIWOLOKA Project implementing WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) components alongside education and nutrition programs.
• Plan MalawicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner for the BreakFree Programme addressing child marriage and teenage pregnancy. Plan Malawi focused on addressing harmful social norms contributing to these issues.
• SRHR Africa Trust (SAT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner for BreakFree Programme, promoting meaningful youth participation and innovative delivery of ASRHR information through Youth Wyze platform.
• FARM Radio TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner for iHEARD Project (2021-2025), funded by Global Affairs Canada, focused on Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights for AGYW.
• MSI Reproductive ChoicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConsortium partner for iHEARD Project, working to improve SRHR access for Adolescent Girls and Young Women aged 10-24.
• Government of MalawicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey government partner working with various ministries including Education, Gender, Labour, Youth and Health for program implementation and policy alignment.
• National Council for Higher Education (NCHE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment body partnered with FAWEMA to disseminate guidelines, develop assessment tools for bridging programs, and create minimum body of knowledge for bridging curriculums.
• Kuyenda CollectivecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransnational alliance of five organizations including FAWE-Malawi, CESC Mozambique, Teach for Zimbabwe, and PSAM (project lead at Rhodes University, South Africa) working to address learning crisis through systems strengthening.
• FAWE-Secretariat (Nairobi)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent organization of FAWE-Malawi; FAWEMA is the national chapter of the Forum for African Women Educationalists with secretariat based in Nairobi, Kenya.
• Catholic University of MalawiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university for bridging programmes under the Second Chance Pathways project.
• Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural ResourcesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university for bridging programmes under the Second Chance Pathways project.
• Malawi University of Science and TechnologyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university for bridging programmes under the Second Chance Pathways project.
• Mzuzu UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university for bridging programmes under the Second Chance Pathways project.
• University of LivingstoniaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university for bridging programmes under the Second Chance Pathways project.
• University of MalawiminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner university for bridging programmes under the Second Chance Pathways project.
• Ministry of Education Science and TechnologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry partnered with FAWEMA for higher education initiatives and programme implementation. Ministry Director for Higher Education, Dr Robert Fritz Kadyoma, commended FAWEMA as a long-time partner.

Scale indicators14 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• FAWE Secretariat: Parent organization of FAWEMA headquartered in Nairobi, coordinating the FAWE network of 34 national chapters across Africa. Directly comparable as a continental umbrella for girls' education advocacy and programming.
• CAMFED (Campaign for Female Education): International non-profit focused on girls' education and women's leadership across sub-Saharan Africa, including Malawi. Comparable mission, scholar-learner model, and community-based mentorship approach to FAWEMA.
• Plan International Malawi: FAWEMA's actual consortium partner on the BreakFree Programme and a major INGO operating in Malawi on child rights, girls' education, and child marriage prevention. Directly comparable programmatic and donor profile.
• CARE Malawi: FAWEMA's consortium partner on the USDA-funded TIWOLOKA Project. CARE Malawi operates education, food security, and WASH programmes with comparable donor mix and rural community reach.
• WaterAid Malawi: FAWEMA's consortium partner on the TIWOLOKA Project. Comparable INGO profile in Malawi, operating education-linked WASH programmes with similar institutional donor mix.
• Room to Read: Global non-profit focused on girls' education and literacy across Africa and Asia, with operations in Malawi. Comparable scholarship/literacy programming and donor-funded model.
• Malala Fund: Global non-profit advocating for 12 years of free, safe, quality education for girls. Operates a network of local education champions in Malawi and comparable African countries, similar funder-driven programmatic model.
• FAWE Tanzania Chapter: Sister national chapter of FAWEMA within the FAWE network, implementing girls' education scholarships and advocacy in Tanzania. Closely comparable scope, governance, and donor engagement model.

Broad incumbents

• UN Women Malawi: UN entity focused on gender equality and women's empowerment in Malawi. Comparable gender-equity and policy advocacy mission, though with a broader remit than FAWEMA's education-specific focus.
• UNICEF Malawi: UN agency operating nationally on children's education, gender, and SRHR in Malawi. Comparable target population and policy-level work, but operates at significantly larger scale and as part of a global UN mandate.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks2 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MalawiFawe
• Facebookfacebook.com/fawemamalawi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/forum-for-africa-women-educationalists-in-malawi
• Instagraminstagram.com/fawema_malawi/?hl=en

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Forum for African Women Educationalists in Malawi