Umodzi Youth Organisation (Malawi)
Umodzi Youth Organisation (UYO) is a Malawian non-governmental organisation established in 2004 to address pressing social and economic challenges affecting vulnerable youth, women and children. Guided by principles of inclusion and equality, UYO works to improve access to education, nutrition, health services and human rights in rural communities. The organisation combines grassroots engagement with capacity-building initiatives, ensuring that women and marginalised groups are empowered to lead change. UYO’s programmes focus on sustainable development, gender equity and climate resilience, creating long-term impact for communities across Malawi.
In 2025-2026, the Eurofins Foundation is supporting the project “Empowering Community Women Through Solar Irrigation Farming.” This initiative aims to improve food and nutrition security for rural households in the Blantyre District by introducing solar-powered irrigation systems and climate-smart agricultural practices.
Despite fertile soils and access to a reliable river, smallholder farmers in the target area rely entirely on rain-fed agriculture, due to limited access to affordable and sustainable irrigation, leaving them vulnerable to seasonal hunger and malnutrition. Over 70% of households experience food shortages during the dry season. Children under five show signs of stunting and vitamin deficiencies, while women bear the burden of food provision and unpaid care work. Climate variability and rising temperatures further exacerbate these challenges, making traditional farming methods increasingly unsustainable. This project was launched to break the cycle of hunger and poverty by enabling year-round food production and empowering women as leaders in climate-resilient agriculture.
The project will install solar irrigation systems across 10 villages, train women and youth in climate-smart agriculture and cooperative management, and improve household diets through diversified crop production. The Eurofins Foundation will support the purchase and installation of the solar irrigation systems, seeds and farming inputs, and training sessions. The project will empower 120 women directly and benefit over 1,550 people indirectly, creating a sustainable model for food security, gender equality, and climate resilience in rural Malawi.
This project contributes to the following United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
