A long, narrow country, Malawi sits in southeast Africa and is bordered by Mozambique, Zambia, and Tanzania. Lake Malawi-the world's 10th largest lake-covers about 20 percent of eastern Malawi. The beautiful scenery includes the Great Rift Valley, mountains, and plateaus.

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·         Population: 14,901,000

·         Life Expectancy: 50 years

·         Access to Safe Water: 80%

·         School Enrollment: 91%

·         Land Mass: 45,746 sq. mi.

·         Literacy Rate: 74%

·         Under Age 5 Mortality Rate: 92/1000

·         Average Annual Income (GNI): 330

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Despite a recent surplus of maize, Malawians still struggle with food insecurity. The chronic food crisis is a major cause of malnutrition and has increased the risk of diseases. The World Food Programme estimates that almost half of the children under age 5 suffer from chronic malnourishment.

Malawi is one of the least developed countries in the world, with over half of Malawians living below the poverty line.

While primary school enrollment rate is relatively high at 91 percent, almost three-quarters of secondary school-age children are either working or staying home to care for their families instead of receiving an education.

The HIV and AIDS pandemic continues to grow, killing tens of thousands of Malawians each year. The HIV prevalence rate is more than 11 percent; over 900,000 people in the country are living with the disease. More than 550,000 children have lost one or both of their parents to HIV and AIDS.