Service
Rotary Projects in Malawi Africa
JOLIET ROTARY IN MALAWI, AFRICA
A conversation between Joliet Rotarians one summer morning in 2011 turned to the topic of worldwide lack of clean water, primarily in third world countries, and how the Joliet Rotary Club could help alleviate the problem – even if it was one drop at a time.
Joliet Rotarians solicited the advice of a catholic priest from Malawi, Africa, who had first-hand knowledge of the needs in the third world. Fr. Philp Mbeta, who was living in the Joliet are while pursuing a PhD at Illinois Benedictine University, grew up in a small village in the Thyolo region of Malawi, where clean water is scarce and learning happens in dilapidated schools lacking in supplies and staff.
The initial discussion about clean water spawned a project to build simple wells in the villages of rural Malawi – which over the years progressed into an effort to combine clean water sources with improved educational facilities. Through the efforts of the Joliet Rotary Club, its Rotary Club partners and grants from the Rotary Foundation, wholesale renovations of schools in Thyolo, along with books, desks, teacher housing and training, have transformed grade schools and a high school into first-class rural institutions.
Along the way, Fr. Philip became a member of the Limbe, Malawi, Rotary Club, and he and Limbe Club have spearheaded more than $450,000 in projects to improve access to clean water and educational opportunities for the poorest of the poor.
Click this link to watch a video chronicling the efforts of Joliet Rotary and its partners:
Our efforts have been featured prominently in the Malawi news, one example of which is this article in a national newspaper:
A radio story airing in Blantyre, Malawi, and its surrounds, also details a program implemented by the Rotary Clubs of Joliet and Limbe, Malawi, to provide bicycles to students at a rural High School. The program is designed to empower students – some of whom walk a 10K each way to attend school – to get the most out of their education, stay in school and thrive. The story can be found with this link:
Our next effort in Malawi is projected for 2026 and you can watch this page for your opportunity to help!