Located in the Shire Highlands of southern Malawi in the Thyolo District – known as the tea capital of Malawi – is a region of breathtaking beauty, but also growing environmental challenges. Framed by mountains, rivers, and streams, this area typically receives around 1,125 mm (44 inches) of rainfall each year. Its landscape is diverse — muddy, uneven, and rich with savanna vegetation.
In Traditional Authority (T/A) Mbawela, one of Thyolo District’s locally governed areas, widespread environmental degradation is accelerating. Driven by poverty and dwindling crop production due to scarcity of land for agricultural activities, the local communities are encroaching the forest reserves and cultivating in the buffer zone of the rivers and streams which is leading to more serious problems including river siltation & sedimentation, drying up of perennial rivers, soil erosion of up to 37% annually, reduced water levels in the rivers, rampant deforestation along the river banks, reduction in wild animal population and loss of vegetation cover resulting in bare hills.
But there is hope. Chipembere is working hand-in-hand with local communities to reverse this damage. Together, they’re planting trees, forming community-led forest restoration committees, and strengthening conservation through the enforcement of local bylaws and national environmental policies.
Since 2020, communities in T/A Mbawela have reduced tree-cutting for firewood and charcoal by an incredible 65% – thanks to ongoing awareness campaigns and hands-on training. By tackling the root cause of environmental degradation – poverty – Chipembere is empowering people with real alternatives.
Local residents are now learning the basics of entrepreneurship, with practical support to launch small businesses like poultry farming. This shift helps reduce dependency on the forest for income and survival.
So far, 123 hectares of degraded land have been restored, with even more restoration on the horizon. Together, the community is proving that when people have the tools and knowledge to thrive, nature can too. This is restoration in action: protecting nature while building resilient livelihoods.
Since 2020, Chipembere has planted 270,000 trees across 123 hectares — a powerful step toward restoring the landscapes of T/A Mbawela.
More than 6,500 community members have taken part in environmental restoration trainings and awareness campaigns. They’re now not only informed about Malawi’s environmental conservation laws but have also played a key role in creating local bylaws to protect both existing forests and newly planted trees. This collective action has led to a remarkable 65% reduction in tree-cutting in the T/A Mbawela area.
Driving this change are 15 community-led environmental conservation committees, trained and fully active in guiding, mobilising, and inspiring their neighbors to protect the land and keep planting.
At the heart of this work is economic empowerment. Five hundred community members have launched their own poultry businesses after completing Chipembere’s entrepreneurship training – helping families generate sustainable incomes without depending on forest resources for survival.
Chipembere is currently working with the Sustainable Agricultural Network (SAN), Thyolo District Forestry Office, Thyolo District Agricultural Office. They are also the process of partnering with Malawi Environmental Endowment Trust (MEET).
Tree planting
Food growing
Erosion control
Agroforestry
Restoration of livelihoods
Fire prevention
Cover cropping
Compost making
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