BAHASI (Bangwe HIV/AIDs Self Help Initiative)

Jamie read

Apr 9

1 min read

Updated: Apr 11

In the township of Bangwe on the outskirts of Blantyre Malawi, BAHASI has been doing amazing work since 2004. It is a community organisation that has made itself indispensable to the people around it.

At its core BAHASI is a home, It houses up to 50 orphaned and vulnerable children referred by local social welfare offices and police, providing them with meals, accommodation, and stability while permanent placements are found. It also runs a free preschool for over 100 children under six, a home-based care programme for chronically ill patients, an HIV support group, and youth sports initiatives designed to give young people something better to do than the alternatives.

Like almost every grassroots organisation of its size, BAHASI operates on the edge of what its resources allow. A tailoring school sits dormant for lack of materials, A poultry project helps cover some costs but not enough. The organisation relies heavily on donations and the personal contributions of its own trustees. What keeps it functioning is not funding, it's the relationships it has built. Strong connections built over two decades both within Malawi and in the UK provide a thread of support.

If you want to find out more about BAHASI or support their work, you can visit their website here .https://bahasi.org/