Malawi, known as “The Warm Heart of Africa,” is a small African country on Zambia’s eastern border. It also shares borders with Tanzania and Mozambique and a large portion of its eastern border is lined with Lake Malawi, the third largest lake in Africa. As Nyasaland, Malawi was a British colony until 1953, gaining its full independence in 1964 when it adopted its current name. Malawi’s government is located in the capital city of Lilongwe. The government’s multi-party, democratic system is currently led by Joyce Banda, the country’s first female president. The country remains one of the world’s least-developed nations, as its economy is largely based on agriculture and its population predominantly resides in rural areas.

At the most basic level, poverty and AIDS are Malawi’s two greatest humanitarian issues. The country is densely populated with little development, heavily dependent on agriculture, and a victim of severe cycles of drought and heavy rainfall. Furthermore, over 1 million Malawians are infected with HIV, and AIDS is the leading cause of death for 20 to 49 year olds. These deaths have an extremely negative impact on future generations, leaving the country with over 500,000 AIDS orphans. Spiritually speaking, aside from the root sin issues related to Malawi’s AIDS epidemic, the country is also facing a growing number of Muslims, with almost 17% of the population now claiming adherence to Islam. Malawi needs the people of God to be fervent in prayer, that the Church and the Gospel might overcome these numerous challenges.

Sources: Wikipedia and Operation World