World Relief Celebrates Legacy as Programs Transition to Impact Relief

After more than three decades of service in Malawi, humanitarian organization World Relief has celebrated its legacy as it officially hands over its programs to local organization Impact Relief.

Speaking during the legacy celebration, World Relief Senior Vice President for International Programs, Lanre Williams Ayendun, said the organization had worked closely with government, churches, and communities to implement interventions in agriculture, child development, economic empowerment, community development, and family strengthening across several districts.

Ayendun said World Relief was proud to transition its work to a local institution, noting that its programs had positively impacted more than three million people in Malawi. She expressed confidence that Impact Relief would sustain and expand the gains through continued collaboration with government, communities, and faith-based institutions.

Impact Relief Executive Director Matilda Matitha said the organization is committed to continuing the work left by World Relief, focusing on agriculture, livelihoods, health and nutrition, youth development, child protection, and water, sanitation and hygiene programs aimed at supporting vulnerable populations.

Matitha said Impact Relief has already commenced operations in six districts—Mzimba, Dowa, Salima, Dedza, Chitipa and Ntchisi—with a target of reaching one million vulnerable children, families and communities through various interventions.

Principal Social Welfare Officer in the Ministry of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare, Triphonia Limbani, commended World Relief for its contribution to child protection and early childhood development, highlighting its efforts in building the capacity of caregivers and child protection workers, as well as strengthening community-based child protection systems.

Limbani further called on development partners to support Impact Relief in its mission to improve the lives of vulnerable people across the country.

World Relief has been operating in Malawi since 1989 and has a global presence spanning 82 years across more than 100 countries.