Reforestation and Awareness Campaign, GHC Malawi

What are we doing?

This year, the Global Health Corp Malawi 2019 Cohort plans to raise awareness around deforestation and health, while working with a local, sustainable partner to reforest a part of the Zomba Pleateau where the water supply is vulnerable due to deforestation.


What’s the problem? Is it really so bad?

Malawi has the fastest rate of deforestation in Sub-Saharan Africa: 2.8% of forest coverage is lost per year. Over the past 30 years, Malawi has lost 85% of its forest  coverage. The Zomba Plateau, in particular, has been devastated by deforestation. It is estimated that Zomba loses 1 million trees annually due to deforestation. Due to deforestation on the Zomba Plateau, Zomba District’s main water supply is vulnerable, with major public health implications (see "More on deforestation and health" below).


Who are we?

We are Global Health Corp  (GHC) Malawi Cohort 2019, represented by 20 residents of Malawi and the United States! GHC is a leadership development organization focused on health equity. We are made up of a global community of diverse young leaders changing the face of global health. As a cohort, one of our fellowship goals is to organize an event or project that promotes health equity in a local community.


To do this we need your help!

Our project is two pronged and with your help we can achieve both goals!

With seed funding through GHC, the Malawi Cohort has partnered with Zomba TREEZ  (ZT) to facilitate a tree planting event. We are coordinating an event employing local farmers to reforest a ½ hectare of their community, but with every $400 we raise we can plant another ½ hectare!

We also need these funds fast! Due to the rainy season, the reforestation event will take place the last week of March, so our commitment is needed ASAP.

Focusing on sustainability, we are also excited to support ZT past March through donations of materials for fighting fires, protecting our tree babies! (We are still sourcing these prices, but will be prioritizing tree planting prior to the end of March)

We also are reaching out for support for our community awareness campaign on the health impacts of deforestation. We plan to create two 30-second videos that we will circulate through social media.

We need your help to get our fellows to Zomba to create these videos with someone whose livelihoods has been negatively impacted due to deforestation issues. This cost ranges from $110 to $300 based on the number of fellows we are able to support in attendance of the reforestation event and production for the communication campaign.  
Finally, advertising costs to spread this message are expected to cost $125, for which we anticipate reaching 10,500 people!

More on deforestation and health

Due to deforestation on the Zomba Plateau, Zomba District’s main water supply is vulnerable. This has major public health implications for residents, including scarcity of clean drinking water sources and greater susceptibility of diseases related to water, sanitation, and hygiene. Deforestation impacts water supply by increasing susceptibility to soil erosion and stream bed evaporation, resulting in increased contaminant runoff and decreased clean water availability. Thus, water pollution from domestic and agricultural runoff is intensified by deforestation. Public concern raised over water restrictions and cut-offs due to low water levels in the Zomba reservoir call for action on deforestation.