(CHAFO) is a local, legally registered nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of vulnerable communities in Malawi through sustainable, community-based healthcare initiatives.CHAFO was established in response to the growing health disparities and systemic gaps affecting vulnerable populations in rural Malawi. Founded by local professionals and community advocates passionate about equitable healthcare access, CHAFO was officially registered as a nonprofit organization under the laws of Malawi. Since its inception, the organization has focused on delivering sustainable, community-based healthcare interventions that respond directly to the needs of the underserved.
Operating with the motto “Empowering Communities for Health,” CHAFO brings a grassroots approach to health promotion, disease prevention, and maternal and child health, striving to transform lives in hard-to-reach areas through locally led solutions.
CHAFO currently operates in Nsanje District, one of the most vulnerable and disaster-prone districts in Southern Malawi. Its interventions primarily target rural and hard-to-reach communities with limited access to healthcare services.
While Nsanje remains its immediate geographic priority, CHAFO’s strategic vision includes expanding operations to other underserved districts in Malawi as the organization builds its institutional capacity and mobilizes additional resources.
CHAFO’s governance framework reflects transparency, accountability, and participatory leadership. The organization is overseen by a Board of Trustees, which provides strategic direction and fiduciary oversight. The Board is responsible for setting policies, approving annual budgets, and guiding overall governance practices.
The Management Team, led by the Executive Director, handles the day-to-day operations, program implementation, stakeholder engagement, and reporting. Despite financial limitations, CHAFO is supported by a team of dedicated part-time staff and committed volunteers with professional backgrounds in clinical medicine, nursing, community development, social work, accounting, environmental health, communication, and administration.
Efforts are currently underway to strengthen the capacity of both the Board and management structures, with targeted institutional support from the NGO Regulatory Authority (NGORA).
Our ProgramsHealthy and thriving communities where everyone has access to quality healthcare services.
To improve the health and well-being of vulnerable communities through sustainable community-based healthcare initiatives.
CHAFO has successfully reached 172,652 beneficiaries through its Vitamin A Supplementation, Deworming, and Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation programme, with support from Vitamin Angels, USA. This includes 69,500 children dewormed with Albendazole, 29,500 children supplemented with 100,000 IU of Vitamin A, 64,250 children with 200,000 IU of Vitamin A, and 9,402 pregnant women provided with essential micronutrient tablets.
The organisation has established strong partnerships with key local structures, including the Nsanje District Health Office (DHO), District Executive Committee (DEC), and Area and Village Development Committees (ADCs and VDCs). These alliances have strengthened CHAFO’s programme delivery and community integration.
CHAFO plays a vital role in health governance, currently serving as the Chair of the Health Committee under the Nsanje Civil Society Organizations Network. Through this role, the organisation has actively advocated for the availability of essential drugs and the adoption of Health Service Charters in public health facilities, contributing to improved healthcare accountability.
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, CHAFO launched innovative, community-led awareness campaigns using tools like radios, megaphones, and local mobilisation. Additionally, the organisation has secured institutional development funding from NGORA to strengthen its internal systems, governance, and human resource capacity, laying a solid foundation for growth.
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Nsanje
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California (USA)
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Lilongwe
Lilongwe
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USA
Malawi
