Jonathan Buick, Mansi Narula and Lana Moore from Action Renewables recently travelled to Malawi for a site visit to Mulanje Mission Hospital, located in the Southern Region of Malawi. The visit provided a valuable opportunity to meet Dr Thomas, Dr Andrea Van Acker, Medical Director at Mulanje Mission Hospital, and the wider hospital team, seeing first-hand, the importance the role Mulanje Mission Hospital continues to play in supporting local people and surrounding communities.
Visiting the Mulanje Mission Hospital:
Mulanje Mission Hospital is a charitable hospital that provides essential healthcare services across the district and beyond. During the visit, the Action Renewables team gained an insight into the operation of the hospital, the challenges faced by staff, and the dedication shown by the hospital team when delivering care to patients. It was clear the hospital is not only a place of medical support, but also a vital community hub offering care, reassurance and practical support to many families.
Furthermore, the visit also provided an opportunity to hear how the solar panels previously donated and installed with support from Action Renewables, have made a meaningful difference to the hospital’s services. In a setting where reliable energy is essential for patient care, lighting, medical equipment and wider hospital operations, the solar installation has helped strengthen energy resilience and reduce reliance on more costly and carbon intensive alternatives. The hospital team expressed their appreciation for the support received and explained how the system has helped them continue to deliver essential services more effectively, particularly during periods where energy reliability can be a challenge.
Wider Community Initiatives and Challenges in Malawi:
As part of the visit, the team learned more about wider initiatives connected to the hospital, which includes local enterprise activities such as chilli sauce and honey production. These initiatives are helping to create job opportunities for local people, support livelihoods, and generate additional income that contributes towards the hospital’s running costs. As a charitable hospital, this type of income generating activity is particularly important when helping to strengthen resilience and support long term sustainability.
The visit also gave the team a better understanding of the wider challenges faced by local communities, including the period referred to locally as the, “hunger season”. This is a particularly difficult time of year when household food stocks can be lower, income can be stretched, and families may face additional pressure in meeting their essential needs. In this context, the work being carried out by Mulanje Mission Hospital is especially important, as its healthcare services, community initiatives and local development activities provide practical support to people during times of increased vulnerability.
The Changu Changu Moto Cookstoves Project:
In Addition, a key part of the visit was the opportunity to meet and spend time with the team involved in the Changu Changu Moto efficient cookstove project. The team explained the purpose of the project, the approach being taken locally, and the positive difference the cookstoves are making for households across surrounding communities. The project aims to deploy approximately 25,000 efficient cookstoves across the Mulanje region, with each cookstove expected to reduce approximately 1.72 tonnes of carbon emissions. This represents a significant opportunity to deliver practical climate action while also improving the lives of local households.
The Action Renewables team were also able to speak with members of the local community and some of the Changu Changu Moto cookstove recipients. Many of the recipients shared how grateful they were that organisations such as Action Renewables and Mulanje Mission Hospital were taking the time to visit, listen and support communities in Malawi. One message that particularly stood out was that this support helps people feel seen and valued, particularly in rural communities that can often feel overlooked.
Cookstove recipients also spoke about the practical difference the improved stoves are making in their homes. One woman explained that, because the stove uses less firewood and cooks food more quickly, she now spends less time collecting fuel and preparing meals, giving her more time to care for her children and manage other household responsibilities. Others noted that reduced firewood use means fewer trips to collect wood, helping to reduce physical burden, improve safety and free up time for other productive activities.
The benefits of the Changu Changu Moto project are wide ranging. By reducing firewood consumption, the cookstoves can help lower household fuel costs for families who purchase wood, increasing disposable income and supporting poverty reduction. Reduced indoor smoke exposure has also supported improved health and wellbeing, particularly for women and children who are often the most exposed to smoke from traditional cooking methods. In addition, reduced time spent collecting firewood can help ease the burden placed on women and girls, while also improving safety by reducing the need for frequent and lengthy journeys to collect fuel.
Furthermore, the project also supports access to cleaner and more efficient cooking technology, contributing to affordable and cleaner energy at household level. It is expected to support local economic activity through cookstove construction, installation, user engagement, maintenance, monitoring and data collection, helping to create employment opportunities and build local skills. Environmentally, the project contributes to climate action by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supports life on land by lowering pressure on forests, helping to reduce deforestation, protect ecosystems and preserve natural resources.
Through these outcomes, the Changu Changu Moto project contributes to several Sustainable Development Goals, including SDG 1: No Poverty, SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing, SDG 5: Gender Equality, SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 13: Climate Action, and SDG 15: Life on Land. This demonstrates how a practical, community-based solution can deliver meaningful environmental, social and economic benefits whilst improving quality of life for local households.
Rounding off the Visit:
Throughout the visit, the Action Renewables team were struck by the commitment of the Mulanje Mission Hospital team and the positive impact their work is having beyond the hospital itself. From healthcare and local employment to community development, sustainable livelihoods, renewable energy and environmental action, the hospital is supporting people in a wide range of ways. It was inspiring to see how these projects are helping to build stronger, healthier and more resilient communities.
In conclusion, the visit was a valuable opportunity for Action Renewables to better understand the work taking place on the ground and to meet the people involved in delivering these important initiatives. Action Renewables is grateful to Dr Thomas, Dr Andrea Van Acker and the wider Mulanje Mission Hospital team for their warm welcome, their time, and for sharing the impact of their work.
By Mansi Narula