Help train healthcare workers
When one young woman is trained, care is brought closer to home and whole communities are changed.
In the early hours of the morning, in a rural village in Malawi, a mother begins a long walk to the nearest clinic. The journey may take hours—sometimes across dusty roads or flooded tracks—because in many parts of the country healthcare simply isn’t close enough to reach quickly.
For millions of people living in remote communities, illness doesn’t just bring fear; it brings the uncertainty of whether help can be reached in time.
Malawi faces one of the most severe shortages of healthcare workers in the world. There are around two doctors for every 100,000 people, far below the 20 doctors per 100,000 recommended by the World Health Organization. And while over 80% of Malawians live in rural areas, most trained health professionals are based in urban centres, leaving vast communities without reliable access to care.
In rural clinics, a single nurse may care for hundreds of patients in a day. Some families travel seven kilometres or more to reach the nearest health facility, only to find long queues and too few staff to treat everyone who arrives.
Yet the solution to this crisis lies not only in buildings or equipment—it lies in people.
A future in healthcare
Across Malawi, thousands of bright young girls dream of becoming nurses, doctors, and healthcare workers in their own communities. But too often those dreams are cut short. Poverty, gender inequality, and the cost of education mean that many girls never get the chance to continue their studies. In fact, only around one in five women in Malawi completes secondary education, limiting their opportunities and the number of skilled health workers available in rural communities.
But when girls are able to pursue education—especially in healthcare—the impact can be extraordinary. They become the nurses who treat children with malaria, the midwives who ensure safe births, and the clinicians who bring life-saving care closer to home.
A gift today could help more young women train to serve their communities.
Queen's Story
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Queen is one of those health workers.
Queen grew up in a lakeshore village in Nkhata Bay, Malawi. As the middle child in a family of twelve, her hopes of further education came to an end after secondary school.
“Being the middle child in such a big family was not easy. My parents could not afford school fees for all of us. My elder brother shouldered the responsibility from primary to secondary school, but after that, reality dawned on me. There was no money for university which meant end of the road.”
Then one Sunday at church, Queen heard about an EMMS International-supported project helping disadvantaged girls continue their education. Through the programme, now called Healthcare Career Pathways, she received a full scholarship to study Clinical Medicine.
Queen graduated in 2021 and today works as a medical assistant at Chilambwe Health Centre, a rural facility serving more than 11,000 people near the shores of Lake Malawi.
“When I heard about the sponsorship opportunity, I thought it wasn’t true. I prayed and applied. When I got selected, I felt my prayer had been answered.”
A life changed
Reflecting on the change in her life, Queen says:
“Before this project, I lost control of my life as I could not take care of myself. Now I am independent socially and financially. I fend for myself and family. I still save enough to pay school fees for my two younger siblings. I also support my parents on their house project. I am so grateful to the project for being a bridge navigating us from poverty to glory.”
Queen’s success has brought hope to her family and inspired young girls in her community to believe that education is possible.
“There are many girls like me. They are smart but cannot go to school because their parents have no money. Some end up in early marriage. If this project continues, it will release many girls out of the poverty trap.”
Queen continues to dream of building her career and helping others.
“This has changed my life and that of my family. My dream is to grow in my career and help girls who are struggling like I once did. I have made this commitment to myself to return the love shown to me by others.”
Queen’s story shows what is possible when a young woman is given the chance to learn, qualify and serve.
Your gift can help train the next healthcare worker
One trained healthcare worker can bring care to thousands of people who might otherwise have none.
This spring, you can help make that possible.
A gift of £32 could help support the training of future healthcare workers in Malawi—providing learning materials, mentoring, and practical training so that more young women like Queen can gain the skills they need to serve their communities.
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Your generosity could help ensure that:
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More girls are able to continue their education
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More rural clinics have trained health professionals
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More families receive the healthcare they urgently need
Together, we can help bring healthcare closer to the communities that need it most.
Every gift matters
Please give £32 today to help train the next generation of healthcare workers in Malawi—and help ensure that no one is left without care simply because of where they live.
We never take your donations for granted. Every gift, large or small, helps train future healthcare workers in Malawi and brings life-saving care closer to communities that need it most.