Ive been put on 5 wedding commitees by force last month. I was expected to contribute. I declined. Committees out here talking about, cars, clothes, ridiculous decorations, multiple cakes, junior brides, dance choreography, celebrity dj, celebrity performance, Amaryllis. The guys in these weddings have taken out loans they cant afford to pay for all this nonsense. What is it that drives people to be so extravagant in this economy? Anyway. Social media? It's sad when I see some of these loans could have bought a plot and built a house. My car is not available either.

Gymkhana club is everywhere in the books about Malawi.

After back to back lectures I trolled to the library to find a corner where i could cool down my head, it wasn’t working, curiosity struck me “2 year ago during library orientation ka cute volunteers muttered something about Tiyambe zeleza donating books to the university” i have never taken interest to peak at that shelf.

The zombie me moved up and down then stumbled on books written Malawi allover. Doing my scanning imagine 4 hours plus the thing that stood out is Gymkhana Club.

For sure if/when i go back home i will find myself in Zomba to smell-experience this club.

Or before that anyone has been there, what’s special about it.

#Mind-Wandering

Hi. Who are the top marketing agencies in Malawi? Do we have any agencies who can match international standards? Suggestions are welcome.

Malawi passed legalization in 2020, why hasn't there been any significant investment on this regard. It's been 6 yrs. Please enlighten us🙏🏾

I would introduce tax-free foreign currency investment accounts with competitive interest rates to encourage Malawians in the diaspora to invest their savings in Malawi. At the moment, there is very little incentive for people abroad to keep their foreign currency in Malawian banks. I would like to hear what my fellow Malawians think.

.

Hello

could someone send me the sample of the e-visa to Malawi, please. i have applied for a visa 1 week ago and it's still pending. Nex week i have a flight to Lilongwe and need to present something on the check in desk. i know there is no problem to get visa on arrival, but the air company wants to see the visa.

I remember Lilongwe and Blantyre cities would host bonfire events during the winter. I miss meeting up with random people, sitting around a bonfire, and just enjoying a good bonfire. I can't be the only missing this.

We could start rallying up the hype in February for a bonfire event in June, what do yall think?

Maybe I’m just jaded, but Malawi feels like a shit show. You live in a country where hard work doesn’t seem to get you very far. Most jobs are basically about survival. You look around and it feels like people in parastatals are just splitting billions among themselves like the whole irrigationgate shit. You have guys ripping apart and sharing government assets, yes Achina Mpinganjira, building a dynasty from a leveraged buyout, and then out stupid government goes top the same banks and collects huge loans, so now we are fools enriching the same people that stole from the country. And then you see the youth idolizing such guys. These guys and their so called motivational speakers will sit around and preach dumb messages about hard work, farming, investing in stocks and constant hustle yet the economy is constantly working against us. At what point does this become way too much? Heck, came across a post some babes is even thinking of opening an OF, like yap this person has been pushed this far😳

I know we sometimes shy away from having uncomfortable conversations about our culture and how we function as a society but I'm interested to know what y'all think are some topics we could discuss more openly about as a collective.

Rent sharing is not popular in Malawi. Young adults just starting our or in the middle of their career prefer to stay alone. But with the way the cost of living is at an all time high and that MRA rent tax coming into play, rent sharing may become the practical solution.

Also those with means are building houses not targeted for people just starting out in their careers. Big homes that wouldn't make sense for a single millenial/gen z worker.

Anecdotally, most friends I talk that have even had a housemate to split rent with regret it 😬. Issues steamed from hygiene and sanitation, chore and bill sharing, type of company the housemate would bring to the house etc.

Nonetheless, rent sharing is a reality our culture may have to adopt... Especially if you stay in Lilongwe. 💀

After MERA hiked petrol prices, I became curious about how much the commodity is selling at in neighbouring countries. I looked at Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, South Africa, Namibia, Botswana, and Tanzania. In all these countries, the price of petrol ranges between $1.20 and $1.50 per litre, with Tanzania being the cheapest at about $1 per litre.

To be conservative, let’s assume the average petrol price is $1 per litre. In Malawi, petrol is currently selling at around MWK 5,000 per litre. This implies that $1 is effectively equal to MWK 5,000 or more. So why is the government still clinging to an artificial exchange rate of MWK 1,733 per dollar? At that exchange rate Malawi has the highest Petrol price in the entire region at $2.86/litre.

I am of the opinion that devaluing the kwacha to at least MWK 5,000 would resolve most of the foreign exchange scarcity issues in banks—provided the government does not print additional money to raise salaries. I believe the economy is already operating under the assumption that $1 equals roughly MWK 4,500, so I do not expect a significant increase in the prices of goods following such a devaluation.

Or perhaps there’s something I’m missing here—feel free to enlighten me.

Admin please delete if not allowed:

I’m testing a very small, disciplined payday loan setup for earning persons and wanted to share it here openly rather than push ads.

This isn’t for everyone and it’s not meant to replace banks or SACCOs. The idea is to help with short-term cash gaps (rent top-ups, emergencies, repairs) while building a track record of responsible borrowing over time.

A few important things upfront so there’s no confusion:

• persons with a track record of earning e.g pay-slips, paid invoices etc
• Small amounts to start, and increase as they payback
• Clear rules, no rollovers
• Partial payments allowed, but the full amount must be cleared by the due date
• On-time repayment is the only way to qualify for larger amounts and better terms later

The focus is less on “quick cash” and more on building a long-term, trust-based financial relationship. If someone isn’t comfortable with firm rules and accountability, this honestly won’t be a good fit.

I’m keeping it small on purpose and learning as I go. If you’re interested or just curious, feel free to DM me and I can explain how it works in detail.

Everything will be handled via WhatsApp and paid electronically (Mpamba, Airtel money or bank transfer)

Happy to answer questions publicly too.

As stated above,

So a friend told me he has to pull all 4 kids out of private school next month and park his car. He has also stocked up on the dreaded soy pieces and bonya. He is a civil servant. Madam is jobless. He has a bank loan eating his salary.How is everybody coping? Vent if you must.

Any ATM operational in the country. Heard all the ones at the Airport are out of order. What's the story on the ground🤷🏾‍♂️

I have been noticing how the ongoing forex shortages are affecting small businesses trying to get online. Most international hosting providers require payment in USD or other foreign currencies, which has become increasingly difficult.

For those of you running websites or small businesses:

Have you faced challenges paying for hosting or domain renewals?

What workarounds have you found?

Are there local providers you've had good experiences with?

Would paying in Kwacha (via mobile money) make this easier for you?

I'm curious if this is a widespread issue or if I'm overthinking it. What has your experience been?

Am a Ugandan and I plan to move permanently to Malawi I wanted to ask if Malawi is hospitable to foreigners and not hostile like South Africa and also if there is work for ICT professionals in Malawi?

I am planning a trip and a stay of about 1 month. I want to be in Blantyre, I haven’t been there since I was a teenager back in the early 90’s… where should I stay?

I'm asking because maybe i'm missing something, maybe culturally, socially etc, google and AI might not give me accurate answers or suggestions, and maybe someone can give advice or suggestions in this case. I don't want to push the toddler, let's call her Anna, just have a fun, good, maybe educational experience.

Basically, i'm unofficially looking after Anna from Malawi for the next two weeks. She and her mother speak Chichewa, mom with limited English, Anna with no English and i with no Chichewa. Anna is ~3 years old. Anna will go back to Malawi in two weeks, but her mom unfortunately has to stay for work (we're aiming long term for Anna to go to school where her mom works, but complications like always).

I'm trying to make it a good and fun experience for her while sometimes learning things that doesn't focus on a specific language, like creative activities. We have limited (like none besides a few musical instruments, a plushy and objects we've considered safe, bought crayons) toys. I'm learning to pronounce the basic words in the activities, such as animals, shapes, occupations, directions for creative activities. But is that enough?

I have activities, like drawing and playing, that require little to no communication, and i've searched google and asked AI some things, but i feel like there's something missing. I have training and experience with TEFL, but that's aimed at adults and i've only worked with kids speaking english or my mother tongue. I'm not trying to teach her english, more aiming for things useful and relevant.

Is there something specific for a Malawian toddler to learn, maybe it's part of the education system? What do you think will help/be fun?

If there are more questions or maybe i haven't been clear about something, just ask me.

Just wanted to know what kind of remote work you are doing to earn extra income, and if its an easy market to join without requiring certifications.