Reforesting in Malawi

Practical support and awareness

Inspired By People are supporting the environmental programme of Ripple Africa, particularly their tree planting activities.

Geoff and Liz Furber started RIPPLE Africa in 2003. They have a passion for Africa, and in particular, the people and the area around Mwaya, Malawi, where the charity is based. Over the last few years the charity has grown from a handful of Malawians being employed to a staff of around 120, with an estimated 2,000 more people working on RIPPLE Africa's projects there.

RIPPLE Africa is involved with education and healthcare locally to Mwaya. It is also actively involved in an environmental tree planting and reforestation project in Nkhata Bay District, which covers an area of 4,000 sq.km.

We are supporting RIPPLE Africa’s reforesting projects by funding 20 tree nurseries.  Deforestation is a major problem in Malawi. More than 30% of the forests have disappeared in the last 10 years.

RIPPLE Africa is helping communities to plant trees and, at the same time, trying to help these communities to be aware of the value of protecting the few forests that remain.

In Nkhata Bay District, 98% of the population use firewood for cooking. There has always been an abundance of wood and families normally use a three-stone fire. This consists of three bricks on which to balance a cooking pot, and the logs are placed between these. This is a very wasteful method of energy use, and a family of five would burn approximately 120 small trees per year. 

RIPPLE Africa has designed a fuel-efficient oven and promotes this to the families in the communities. We are keen to hear more about this and are interested in supporting them with their projects. We hope you are too! Please check the project updates regularly to stay informed of their news and the progress they make.