• Prashant Thakur
  • Story Title: Program Officer in Malawi, Africa with (Non Profit) MALOTO
  • Student Profile: Thakur, Prashant
  • Prashant Thakur in Malawi

In October, I will be headed to Malawi to work for Maloto, a U.S. based nonprofit organization as a Program Officer. Maloto's mission is to ‘feed, educate, and empower’ vulnerable populations in northern Malawi by supporting three local organizations that implement a wide range of social, economic, educational and health programs. The three organizations are: Kwithu Community-Based Organization (CBO), Kwithu Kitchen (KK), and Mzuzu International Academy (MIA).

Kwithu CBO provides educational, nutritional, and social support programs in the Luwinga area of Mzuzu. Kwithu CBO has a large community center that serves as the focal point for the programs. Of particular note is Kwithu’s scholarship program. Kwithu provides more than 80 scholarships to local secondary schools, to Mzuzu International Academy, to its center-based Early Childhood Development program, and to select universities in Malawi. Kwithu provides a nutritious meal, three times a week, to more than 200 children. Kwithu also provides support to more than 60 HIV+ youth and adolescents by helping them access medication, educating them and their families, and working with the larger community to combat the stigmatism, bias and discrimination that still affects HIV+ persons. Kwithu Kitchen is a women-owned cooperative that has built and is operating the first tomato food processing facility in the northern region of Malawi. KK now sells four products (soon to be five), and these products are found throughout Malawi. KK’s focus is to improve its financial performance and long-term viability. Mzuzu International Academy is the first

internationally accredited high school (with the British IGCSE system) in northern Malawi. MIA opened in 2010. MIA now operates a primary school as well. Enrollment for the upcoming academic year is expected to be just over 300 students.

My primary responsibilities will be to review and update existing Monitoring and Evaluation systems for all three organizations and improve their ability to communicate their impact.

I will also be assisting the COO on developing project proposals for each organization. I am excited to start this journey and use my skills on the ground for international development.

Here is a link to the organization: https://maloto.org/