Malawi overview

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Malawi

In this Image The Malawi Family Planning Project Field Officer in an interview session in Lilongwe. © 2022 Viola Nyirongo for IPA

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Research Findings

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The Effect of Cash Transfers and Market Access on Households in Rural Liberia and Malawi

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A body of research supports cash transfers as a way to improve the lives of vulnerable and poor populations, but few studies have examined how the impacts change over time. In addition, poor rural households face institutional and market obstacles, and transfers alone may not be enough to overcome these barriers. In Liberia and Malawi, researchers are partnering with IPA, GiveDirectly, and USAID to evaluate the impact of an unconditional cash transfer and market access program on food security, wealth, resilience, intimate partner violence, and psychological well-being over four years.

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Making Networks Work for Policy: Evidence from Agricultural Technology Adoption in Malawi

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Many farmers in sub-Saharan Africa may be reluctant to adopt productivity-enhancing technologies because they lack persuasive information on the proper use of new inputs or agricultural techniques from credible sources. Researchers conducted a randomized evaluation to test whether the position of a trained lead farmer within a community’s social network affected other farmers’ decisions to adopt a new agricultural technology in Malawi. Results suggest that having access to multiple lead farmers/central individuals has the potential to increase adoption and speed the diffusion process of the technology. In other words, the researchers showed that targeting multiple central lead farmers was necessary to generate technology adoption in Malawi. Photo: A farmer in Malawi checks her maize crop that is struggling as a result of the worst drought in three decades. © 2016 CIAT/Neil Palmer

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The Impact of Family Planning on Fertility, Birth Spacing, and Child Development in Urban Malawi

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Improving access to family planning in sub-Saharan Africa has the potential to help women and couples achieve their desired family size, reduce high-risk pregnancies, and improve child health and growth. In Malawi, IPA worked with researchers to measure how an increase in access to family planning—through information, free transportation, and reimbursements for family planning services—impacted women’s fertility, health, and well-being. Researchers found that women were 6 percentage points more likely to be using contraception after two years of exposure to the services and were at lower risk of short birth spacing, among other positive outcomes. Preliminary results also suggest that the intervention reduced child stunting and increased young children’s cognitive development.

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In this image:A photo of Country Office staff in Malawi. © 2022 Peter Nambwale for IPA
Malawi

Our Team

Malawi

Our Team

Country Manager, Malawi & Zambia

Tamara Billima-Mulenga

Tamara is the Country Manager for IPA Zambia and Malawi. She provides general management and oversight of projects and staff, ensuring that the projects are implemented within IPA’s high-quality standards.

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Associate Research Manager

Charles Amuku

Charles Amuku is Associate Research Manager for IPA Malawi. He previously served as Senior Research Associate for IPA Kenya, managed several IPA projects including the Aspirations Projects, Solar Lighting, Rural Electric Power, and Universal Basic Income (UBI) projects.

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Associate Research Manager

Ansila Kweka

Ansila is an Associate Research Manager for IPA Malawi. She previously worked for IPA Tanzania as a Senior Field Manager and later transitioned to a Research Associate role, where she managed several projects including the Foreigner Effects and RESPECT II.

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Senior Field Manager

Violet Chitsulo

Violet Chitsulo is currently a Senior Field Manager for the Malawi Behavioral Biases study.

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Senior Human Resources Assistant

Kelvin Kanchowa

Kelvin is a Senior HR Assistant at IPA Malawi. Prior to joining IPA, he held multiple HR positions for Baobab Health Trust, G4S Secure Solutions, and Jibs Security.

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Procurement Assistant

Francis Kaseka

Francis is a procurement professional with over four years of experience researching, evaluating, and negotiating with prospective suppliers. He is skilled in enforcing procurement policies and procedures while maintaining standards.

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Field Manager

Diana Macheso

Diana Macheso is currently working as a Field Manager on the Graduation Model Evaluation project.

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Human Resources Associate

Peter Nambwale

Peter Nambwale joined IPA Malawi as a Human Resources Associate in January 2021. He has more than ten years of work experience in a broad range of programmatic and administrative functions.

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Senior Field Manager

Viola Nyirongo Nyirenda

Viola is the Senior Field Manager for the Malawi Family Planning Study (MFPS) at IPA. She has been involved in IPA since 2014, working on projects related to WEEC, BRIE, Finger Printing and the Impact of Election Observers on Electoral Fraud.

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Senior Field Manager

Patrick Simbewe

Patrick joined IPA as a Senior Field Manager in May 2019 on the Graduation Model Project and later managed the Digital Credit Project.

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Finance Associate

Yamikani Sondo

Yamikani Sondo is a Finance Associate at IPA Malawi. He is currently working on level two of the Institute of Chartered Accountants for his Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification.

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Office Assistant

Wales Tambala

Wales joined IPA Malawi as an Office Assistant in March 2021. He previously worked as an Office Assistant for Feed the Children.

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Country Manager, Malawi & Zambia

Tamara Billima-Mulenga

Tamara is the Country Manager for IPA Zambia and Malawi. She provides general management and oversight of projects and staff, ensuring that the projects are implemented within IPA’s high-quality standards.

Read Full Bio

Associate Research Manager

Charles Amuku

Charles Amuku is Associate Research Manager for IPA Malawi. He previously served as Senior Research Associate for IPA Kenya, managed several IPA projects including the Aspirations Projects, Solar Lighting, Rural Electric Power, and Universal Basic Income (UBI) projects.

Read Full Bio

Associate Research Manager

Ansila Kweka

Ansila is an Associate Research Manager for IPA Malawi. She previously worked for IPA Tanzania as a Senior Field Manager and later transitioned to a Research Associate role, where she managed several projects including the Foreigner Effects and RESPECT II.

Read Full Bio

Senior Field Manager

Violet Chitsulo

Violet Chitsulo is currently a Senior Field Manager for the Malawi Behavioral Biases study.

Read Full Bio

Senior Human Resources Assistant

Kelvin Kanchowa

Kelvin is a Senior HR Assistant at IPA Malawi. Prior to joining IPA, he held multiple HR positions for Baobab Health Trust, G4S Secure Solutions, and Jibs Security.

Read Full Bio

Procurement Assistant

Francis Kaseka

Francis is a procurement professional with over four years of experience researching, evaluating, and negotiating with prospective suppliers. He is skilled in enforcing procurement policies and procedures while maintaining standards.

Read Full Bio

Field Manager

Diana Macheso

Diana Macheso is currently working as a Field Manager on the Graduation Model Evaluation project.

Read Full Bio

Human Resources Associate

Peter Nambwale

Peter Nambwale joined IPA Malawi as a Human Resources Associate in January 2021. He has more than ten years of work experience in a broad range of programmatic and administrative functions.

Read Full Bio

Senior Field Manager

Viola Nyirongo Nyirenda

Viola is the Senior Field Manager for the Malawi Family Planning Study (MFPS) at IPA. She has been involved in IPA since 2014, working on projects related to WEEC, BRIE, Finger Printing and the Impact of Election Observers on Electoral Fraud.

Read Full Bio

Senior Field Manager

Patrick Simbewe

Patrick joined IPA as a Senior Field Manager in May 2019 on the Graduation Model Project and later managed the Digital Credit Project.

Read Full Bio

Finance Associate

Yamikani Sondo

Yamikani Sondo is a Finance Associate at IPA Malawi. He is currently working on level two of the Institute of Chartered Accountants for his Chartered Accountant (CA) qualification.

Read Full Bio

Office Assistant

Wales Tambala

Wales joined IPA Malawi as an Office Assistant in March 2021. He previously worked as an Office Assistant for Feed the Children.

Read Full Bio