Malawi’s Catholic Bishops Reach Out to Hundreds of Needy Families with Cash Transfers in Partnership with Trocaire

Blantyre, 14 January, 2026 / 4:26 PM

Malawi’s Catholic Bishops have provided financial assistance to hundreds of needy families in an initiative realized in partnership with the overseas development agency of the Catholic Bishops of Ireland, Trócaire.

According to a Tuesday, January 13 report, the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM), Caritas Malawi, facilitated the distribution of the “once-off cash transfer to 427 beneficiaries in Balaka District, TA Mpilisi, to support vulnerable households.”

“Each beneficiary received MWK 90,500 (US$ 52) to purchase essential food items, including a 50kg bag of maize (currently costing about MWK 65,000 on the local market), as well as pulses and cooking oil,” the report published on multiple forums, including the Malawi Conference of Catholic Bishops (MCCB) indicates.

Those involved in the partnership have explained how the beneficiaries were selected.

“Implemented in collaboration with the Balaka District Council, beneficiary selection was guided by the Department of Disaster Risk Management using the JEFAP system, ensuring that assistance reached those most in need,” they have reported.

The financial assistance aimed “to strengthen household food security and provide timely support during this critical period,” according to the report.

In a separate on the partnership published on January 13, the National Coordinator of CEDCOM, Vincent Tenthani, is quoted as describing it as “part of the broader mandate” of the MCCB to implement empowerment programs aimed at improving the livelihoods of vulnerable families in Malawi. 

“We expect that you will utilize the funds for the intended purpose,” Mr. Tenthani is quoted as saying.

He expresses hope that the 427 beneficiaries of the MCCB-Trocaire partnership will buy food items that improve the nutritional levels of their respective family members. 

An October 2025 report by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) indicates that Malawi is facing a significant food security crisis, with nearly four million people projected to be in Phase Three (Crisis) acute food insecurity by March 2026.

“Approximately 4 million people (22 percent of the analyzed population) are experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity, classified as IPC Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse) between October 2025 and March 2026—the lean season in Malawi,” the report reveals, adding, “These people urgently require immediate, life-saving assistance to prevent a catastrophe.”

Earlier, in March 2024, members of the MCCB announced that they were targeting thousands of vulnerable households in a cash transfer initiative as part of their response to the hunger crisis in the Southern African nation.

“The Church is planning to reach out to 4,520 families with cash transfers of MK100,000 (US$ 58) to each household as a short-term solution to aid them with food during this hard season,” Bishop Alfred Mateyu Chaima of Malawi’s Zomba Catholic Diocese said.

According to a 28 February 2024 report, the project that CADECOM spearheaded was to target hunger victims from Malawi’s 10 districts whose situation was escalated by the 2023 Cyclone Freddy.

The project that was to be realized in partnership with the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) had been projected at US$ 316,223 (MK 452 million).