Malawi is a landlocked country in southeastern Africa with a diverse landscape, several substantial lakes, and a mostly tropical climate. More than 7 million Malawians over the age of 15 are illiterate, and over 70 percent of the population lives below the poverty line of $1.90 a day. Nearly half of all primary school-age children dropout before advancing to secondary school.
About 80 percent of Malawi’s population lives in rural areas, and the economy is heavily reliant on its agricultural industry which accounts for one-third of GDP and 80 percent of export revenues.
The village of Chibwe is a rural community located in the Kasungu region and has a population of about 2,340 people. Most community members are subsistence farmers who rear livestock and grow tobacco, groundnuts, beans, soya, and corn.