Habitat for Humanity Malawi has committed $40 000 (about K70 million) to support research on sustainable housing and community development under a new partnership with the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar).
The commitment was announced on Wednesday when the two institutions signed three agreements aimed at generating evidence and practical solutions to challenges affecting communities across the country. The agreements include a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), a General Partnership Agreement Framework and a Letter of Agreement.
Habitat for Humanity Malawi national director Rex Chapota said the partnership would help the organisation better understand how decent housing links with other aspects of community development, including water and sanitation, energy access and climate-smart agriculture.
“We provide decent homes for Malawians, but we realise that decent housing should operate within an ecosystem where we also address issues of water and sanitation, energy access, climate-smart agriculture and others,” he said.
Chapota said the partnership goes beyond a conventional MoU because it is supported by immediate funding for research.
“We are releasing the first tranche of around $40 000 to the university to undertake this research and evidence gathering. We believe community transformation starts with housing, but we need to understand the dynamics that make housing sustainable and climate resilient,” he said.
He said the research findings would guide Habitat for Humanity Malawi’s programmes and inform similar interventions in Tanzania and Lesotho.
Luanar Vice-Chancellor Emmanuel Kaunda said the collaboration would help develop practical, evidence-based solutions to interconnected challenges such as poverty, climate change and food insecurity.
“This partnership is bringing a holistic solution to community problems by looking at issues of water and sanitation, climate-smart agriculture and other interventions that can support people living in these houses,” he said.
The initial six-month project will focus on strengthening capacity in water, sanitation and hygiene (Wash), climate-smart agriculture and grant management, with lessons expected to benefit Habitat for Humanity partners in Malawi, Lesotho and Tanzania.
