People of Malawi
Meet the warm-hearted people who make Malawi the Warm Heart of Africa.
Meet the warm-hearted people who make Malawi the Warm Heart of Africa.
Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. Most families live on less than two dollars a day. There are no big factories, no highways full of cars, no shopping malls. And yet — when you arrive here, you will be welcomed with a smile that comes straight from the heart. People share what little they have. A neighbor who cooked too much nsima will bring you a plate without you asking. A stranger on the road will walk with you just to make sure you find your way.
This is umunthu — the belief that we are only truly human through our connection with others. It is not a word you read in books here. It is how people live, every single day. Happiness in Malawi does not come from what you own. It comes from who you love, who you help, and who sits beside you when the sun goes down.
This is also why Tree of Life is here. Together with Under African Skies, they support local communities — helping children go to school, families grow food, and villages build a better future. When you visit Malawi through our astro-tourism program, you are not just a traveler. You become part of that story.
Below, two Malawians tell you about their lives — in their own words.
Mangochi, Lake Malawi
Moni! Welcome to my country. My name is Thandiwe, it means "beloved" in Chichewa. I live near the lake with my family — my mother, my grandmother, my two brothers and my little sister. Every morning I wake up early to help my mother prepare phala, our warm maize porridge. Then I walk to college where I study to become a nurse.
On Sundays we go to church together and sing — oh, you should hear our choir! After church my grandmother tells us stories about the old days while we cook nsima together. Nsima is our food, you eat it with your hands and dip it in a delicious relish of vegetables or fish.
What I love most about Malawi? The people. We say "Kali kokha nkanyama, ali awiri ndi anthu" — alone you are an animal, together you are human. That is how we live. When you come here, you are not a stranger. You are family. I will teach you to cook nsima, and at night my brother will show you our stars. We call Lake Malawi "The Lake of Stars" because the fishermen's lanterns on the water look like stars that fell from the sky. Come and see — you will never forget it!
Nkhotakota, Central Malawi
My name is Chikondi, it means "love." I am a father of three children and I work as a guide in the wildlife reserve near my village. My wife Mercy is a teacher. We grow our own maize and groundnuts, and we keep chickens and a few goats. Life is simple here, but it is good.
My father taught me everything about the bush — which trees the elephants prefer, where the fish eagles nest, how to read the clouds for rain. Now I teach my own children. In the evening we sit together outside, my children on my lap, and I tell them the same stories my grandfather told me. The best stories are the ones about Kalulu, the clever hare who always tricks the bigger animals!
What makes me proud is our word umunthu — it means being truly human by caring for others. When my neighbor needs help building his house, we all come. When there is food, we share. When a visitor arrives, we give the best seat and the first plate. That is who we are. I hope one day you visit us. I will take you to see the baobab trees at sunset, and at night the sky here will change how you see the world. I promise you that.