Kaudzu

Kaudzu is a rural village in Nsanje District. It is an agrarian community in the Southern Region of Malawi where most families rely on subsistence farming for their livelihoods. Despite a strong sense of community, households face persistent challenges such as poverty, food insecurity, especially during the lean season, limited access to safe water and sanitation, and under-resourced health and education services, which leave many families vulnerable. The area is located in the Shire Valley and is characterized by very hot conditions with average temperatures of about 38 degrees Celsius. The area is also associated with very erratic rainfall which makes the communities fail to harvest enough to feed their families all year round. All rivers in this area are seasonal. Communities rely on water from boreholes which in the worst case scenario members, especially women and girls, move long distances to fetch water for household use. In the picture, some FARM STEW participants for the Kaudzu community were captured as they were doing their transactions during a Village Savings Group. This activity is meant to empower participants economically.