Iness, 60, is a widowed farmer living in a village in central Malawi. She has three adult children—a daughter and two sons—who are married and tend their own farms. Iness also has eight grandchildren.
After one of her sons was injured in a farming accident that left him with limited mobility in his arms, Iness began caring for his three children. “In our culture, supporting those in need is a deeply held value,” Iness explains. “These are my son’s children, so it is even more important to me because of the love I have for my family.”
Since her husband’s passing ten years ago, Iness has been successfully growing maize and groundnuts—both in high demand locally and regionally. With her earnings, she has been able to support herself while also buying food, soap, and school supplies for her grandchildren.
In recent years, however, growing seasons in Malawi have been severely affected by erratic rainfall, leading to widespread crop failure. Iness has experienced a significant reduction in her maize yield and the complete loss of her groundnut harvest. Without enough crops to sell, she has struggled to support herself and her family.
World Renew, in partnership with Nkhoma Relief and Development (NRD)—the development arm of the Central Church of Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Nkhoma Synod—has been working to address food insecurity in Iness’s community with funding support from Canadian Foodgrains Bank. Over the course of five months, 1,715 households impacted by drought and crop failure received maize flour, beans, cooking oil, and sweet potato vines to meet their immediate food needs while supporting longer-term food security.
Iness’s household was among those that received assistance. Today, she shares her gratitude with a smile. “I am so thankful for the food support and sweet potato vines provided by World Renew and Nkhoma Relief and Development,” she says.
Looking ahead with hope, Iness’s commitment to her family and community remains strong. “I dream of having a thriving farm and a sustainable livelihood again,” she shares. “With hard work and determination, I believe I can achieve this.”
Together with partners like Canadian Foodgrains Bank, World Renew continues to support families like Iness’s through locally led disaster response and long-term food security programs—helping communities build resilience and move toward a more secure future.
