Malawi after Live Aid

Malawi is dependent on agriculture and as a result is largely underdeveloped, currently languishing at 153rd on the Human Development Index. It also suffers from the significant problem of HIV/AIDS and is prone to natural disasters, both of which have a devastating impact in the country. Encouragingly however between 1980-2012, Malawi's life expectancy at birth increased by 10.4 years, a sign that things are slowly improving.

SOS Children has worked in the country since 1994 and now has three communities there including much needed SOS Medical Centres.

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Time Line

• 1964 Nyasaland declares independence and becomes Malawi.

• 1966 Banda is sworn in as president of the Republic of Malawi. He quickly ensures the constitution establishes a one-party state and suppresses opposition. There is great international concern about human rights.

• 1971 Banda is voted ‘president-for-life’.

• 1978 The first elections since independence are held, however all potential candidates must belong to the Malawi Congress Party and be approved by Banda.

• 1993 Banda becomes very ill. A referendum is held in which voters reject the one-party state which provides other parties with an opportunity to hold office.

• 1994 Bakili Muluzi, leader of the United Democratic Front, is elected president, he appears to be more liberal as he frees political prisoners and re-establishes freedom of speech. SOS Children opens a Children’s Village in Lilongwe with three schools, a vocational training centre and an SOS Social and Medical Centre. 

• 1997 Banda dies in hospital. SOS Children opens a Medical Centre in Malawi.

• 1999 President Muluzi is re-elected for a second, and final, five-year term.

• 2000 The World Bank says it will cancel half of Malawi's foreign debt. SOS Children’s Village Lilongwe constructs an SOS Youth Home.

• 2002 Drought causes crops to fail, national and international critics accuse the government of contributing to the crisis through poor management and corruption. SOS Children open a second Children’s Village in Mzuzu and extends the community at Lilongwe to include the Social and Medical Centre which coordinates AIDS outreach in the area and also specialises in physiotherapy and rehabilitation for children with disabilities.

• 2004 Bingu wa Mutharika wins the presidency. His government announces that it will provide free anti-viral drugs to AIDS sufferers. SOS Children’s Village Lilongwe adds a Vocational Training Centre to its facilities providing much needed skills training for local youngsters.

• 2005 Five million people are in need of food aid as Malawi suffers from a severe regional drought and failed crops. SOS Children’s Village Mzuzu opens an SOS Primary School.

  

• 2007 SOS Children constructs Children’s Village Blantyre, in an area that has a very high percentage of orphans.

• 2009 President Mutharika wins his second term in election. 920,000 people Malawians are living with HIV/AIDS.

• 2010 The maternal mortality rate stands at 460 deaths per 100,000 live births, 22nd worst in the world. Drinking water source has improved for 83% of the population, 17% still remain without access to improved sources.

• 2011 Britain halts all aid to Malawi due to the government’s poor handling of the economy and violation of human rights.

• 2012 President Mutharika dies; he is succeeded by Joyce Banda. Real GDP growth slows due to contractions in both the agricultural and manufacturing sectors thanks in part to drought.

• 2013 The infant mortality rate stands at 76.98 deaths per 1,000 live births, 10th worst in the world.