By Sam Saidi

My childhood memories are filled with vibrant green hills rolling down to meandering rivers, teeming with life. Now, a shadow hangs over Malawi. Deforestation paints the landscape with exposed scars, thirsty riverbeds crack under the relentless sun, and the land, once fertile, cries out for nourishment. These aren’t just changes; they’re signs of an unfolding crisis, a vulnerability to climate shocks that leave us all exposed..

That’s why at CARDEA, we choose not to be passive observers. We see the erratic rainfall that brings both floods and droughts, the erosion that washes away homes and livelihoods, and the disappearing birdsong that speaks of a broken ecosystem. We hear the whispers of fear and feel the sting of injustice.

But instead of despair, we choose action. We become the voice for sustainable policies that empower communities to heal their land. We work alongside farmers to plant trees, terrace hillsides, and nourish the soil back to life. We push for laws that protect watersheds and encourage responsible land use. It’s a long road, a fight against deeply ingrained habits and powerful forces. But with each sapling planted, each farmer trained, and each policy advocated for, we chip away at the vulnerability, replacing it with hope.

We believe in a Malawi where the whispers of change transform into songs of resilience, where harmony with nature thrives, and where future generations inherit a land brimming with life, not scars. Join us in writing this new story, a story where every action, big or small, becomes a brushstroke painting a brighter future for Malawi.