A charity in Africa – Providing a hand UP, not a hand out
Ripple Africa’s overriding aim is to empower communities so they themselves can achieve a sustainable future – we strongly believe that the local people can be the solution to many of the challenges they face. We are not just another charity in Africa, everything Ripple Africa does is in response to the local communities’ needs. By enabling them, great things can happen. Ripple Africa’s belief is “Providing a hand UP and not a hand out,” and that philosophy has been central to the charity’s ideology for nearly two decades.
We run large scale Environmental projects across six Districts in Malawi.
FISH CONSERVATION
TREE PLANTING
FUEL-EFFICIENT COOKSTOVES
ORANGE-FLESHED SWEET POTATO
FOREST CONSERVATION
Environmental Projects in Africa
Over the years Ripple Africa has developed its environmental projects. As a result of deforestation in Malawi our first environmental project was community tree planting which continues to be a very successful project with about two million trees planted each year. We also realised it was important to enable the local communities to protect their forests so our forest conservation project started.
At the same time we became aware that one of the big causes of deforestation was the traditional method of cooking which used large amounts of firewood. We worked with the communities and developed a fuel-efficient cookstove which we called the Changu Changu Moto (Fast Fast Fire). Today, we have over half a million people who have their food cooked every day on one of these fuel-efficient cookstoves. This is saving 250,000 bundles of wood every week.
With the success of these projects and the community engagement, we realised the same approach could be utilised in Lake Malawi to address the over-fishing problem. That was the start of the Fish Conservation project in 2012 and today there are over 5,000 Beach Village Committee (formerly known as Fish Conservation Committee) members protecting 736km of lakeshore.
KM OF PROTECTED SHORELINE
MILLION TREES PLANTED
COOKSTOVES BUILT AND IN USE
Care for our Planet
OFFSET YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT
Our approach as a charity in Africa
We believe in empowering local people to manage the projects which affect their own community. Our charity in Africa is big enough that it is making a huge difference in Malawi, but small enough that it remains effective, efficient, innovative and fun. Everyone involved is so passionate about what the charity is doing, and it is this great enjoyment and enthusiasm which makes Ripple Africa the charity that it is.
We also run small scale Education and Healthcare initiatives in and around our base at Mwaya Beach.
EDUCATION PROJECTS
Education in Africa
To improve local education in Malawi, Africa, we run eight pre-schools, support six primary schools and a secondary school where volunteer teachers are welcome to assist. We also run Children’s Corner and Adult Literacy classes, and a community library in and around the community of Mwaya, in Nkhata Bay District.
HEALTHCARE PROJECTS
Healthcare in Africa
Get Involved – Make a Difference with a Charity in Africa
Corporate Support
Is your company looking for a tree planting project in Africa? Or maybe you have an interest in one of our other environmental projects in Africa.
We love developing partnerships with companies who are as excited about what we do as we are. By creating a long-lasting partnership with us means your company will make a visible impact on our work with the local Malawian communities.
We provide tailor-made partnerships giving you the freedom and flexibility to achieve your charitable objectives and social responsibility goals whilst engaging your staff and customers. Take a look.
MEET THE BENEFICIARIES
Wondering who the man is with the big fish? He is one of the many fishermen who have benefited from our Fish Conservation project.
As a charity in Africa working in Malawi, the aim of Ripple Africa has always been to inspire local communities to become the change and the solution to the problem.
Take our tree planting project, over 4,000 Malawians and their families are growing two to three million trees each year. We’d like to introduce you to just a few of these incredible people who have embraced the change and are benefiting from the projects.
Volunteer in Malawi
Do you want to volunteer in Malawi, Africa?
We have various volunteer opportunities working within rural Malawi. Volunteering in Malawi does not replace or take jobs away from local Malawians — instead you assist them with the various projects the charity runs and supports in the area around Mwaya.
Our projects are great for a number of skills including volunteer teachers, volunteer nurses and midwives and volunteer physios. Volunteers often make life-long friends and return to Mwaya for visits.
Read more and enquire today.
See what the Lonely Planet think of Malawi.
Leaving a legacy
Everyone should have an up to date Will, regardless of age. A Will means you can determine what happens to your money, property and belongings. It gives you peace of mind – and it also saves your close family unnecessary stress at a distressing time.
By leaving a gift to Ripple Africa in your Will you can ensure that Ripple Africa’s work continues into the future.
Have you been inspired by our environmental projects in Africa? Keen to support tree planting in Malawi or Fish Conservation? Maybe you would like to leave a gift for our local Education and Healthcare projects in Malawi.