Proclaiming and Reflecting

Namikango is connected to over 1500 congregations within the Churches of Christ in Malawi, as well as with people from other church backgrounds and denominations. A major component of Namikango’s ministry centers on walking with men and women in these congregations towards deeper spiritual growth and a greater understanding of unity and grace that are core to the gospel message. We seek providing education, resources and training through seminars, weekend trainings at a village location, literature and radio broadcast. Our Journey Groups are means of intentionally discipling small groups of men and women leaders over the course of several years in order to equip and partner more intentionally with individuals on their journey.

The Discipleship Training Institute (DTI) is the newest Namikango educational initiative aimed at providing a theological education to church leaders through a discipleship model. It is the climax of Namikango’s work, as all of Namikango’s programs and ministries will be represented and taught here. The DTI is a three-year program that takes place on Namikango’s campus, utilizing both new buildings and the mission’s current facilities. Students, along with their spouses and children, will live on campus as a cohort, taking classes together, studying together, eating together, and working for Namikango for income. Students and their spouses will take thirty-two courses that focus on four themes: spiritual leadership, biblical theology, community development, and personal identity. These classes will help students learn good biblical theology as well as develop their leadership skills in the church. Likewise, students will learn how to understand their relationship with God and with neighbor as well as gain skills in Namikango’s community development programs. The DTI is more than a school program for leaders, however. It is an intensive training in becoming disciples of Jesus. Students will learn in the classroom, and then immediately apply their new knowledge in a local church and community. Students will learn how to care for themselves, their families, their communities, and the earth. The DTI launched on May 1, 2021 with our first class of 18 students. Click here to learn more about them and how you can support them through our student scholarship program.

Most individuals living in rural Malawi (which is about 80% of the population) do not have access to financial services. One of the ways of providing financial services that has proven effectiveness is called Village Savings and Loans Methodology. This provides a method of individuals forming groups and then saving and giving loans to one another within the group. Over time, savings increase as well as capital from each loan which enables group members to provide access to a savings account, a debit account and loans for one another.

For this method to take place, Namikango trains qualified leaders from the local Church of Christ who are then able to train group members in the methodology as well as basic financial practices. The only amount that Namikango spends on this program is in the training of trainers and follow up once a quarter with all the trainers. Still, because of the impact and growth of this program, there are now 65+ trainers all over Malawi.

It is estimated that about 85% of Malawians farm in some way, while about 75% of Malawians rely on farming as their primary source of income and sustenance. With the decrease in rains at crucial periods over the past few years, it is becoming more and more difficult to farm maize with results strong enough to support one’s family or to sell for the year’s income.

One of the unique possibilities that has already yielded strong results in Malawi is through the strategy of the conservation agriculture farming method (also known as Farming God’s Way). Its main tenants promote zero tillage, minimal soil disruption, mulching, blanket (with stalks or mulch) covering and crop rotation. With this method, Namikango has seen massive increases of maize yields in our own fields over the last four years. We have since begun utilizing this method on campus for teaching and conducted trainings of over 2000 individuals in 2017 in order to share the wealth of knowledge that is encompassed in this method. We are confident that this program will change the lives of the farmers involved and all trained by these lead farmers.

Namikango has a lead farmer training program which is in its third and final year. Within this program, we have 45 lead famers who have successfully implemented the conservation agriculture and have trained at least 25 people in their home areas.

There will be two lead farmer trainings of the 45 farmers this year to finish out the program by adding more knowledge and practical understanding of what more they can do to improve their crops and their livelihoods. Each training costs about $3,000 due to transport reimbursement, food, housing and seed start-ups.

While massive evangelism events and programs are very helpful for spreading the good news to large crowds of people, Namikango Mission also believes that intentional small group discipleship is vital to spiritual formation for individuals and Christian communities. In small groups that meet frequently, real transformation can take place that affects every aspect of the Christian’s life.

On top of this, Namikango believes that the spiritual development of women has long been neglected and must be at the top of church’s effort towards the development of families and youth. As such, the Women’s Development Groups have been operating for 3 years.

These groups aim to gather women at a given local Church of Christ to meet twice per month for a discipleship and physical lesson, as well as to sing, learn how to teach children and be a model for other women.

There are currently 10 development groups which meet once per quarter, totaling 40 meetings per year. The total women within these groups is around 610 women. The meetings consist of our Women’s Development Officer driving out to the village in order to be with the women in their community for 3-4 hours.

Malawi has one of the highest rates of HIV+ persons in Africa. Malawian traditional religion and culture also promote many false and problematic understandings of why and how HIV/Aids is spread as well as false knowledge about marital and sexual issues between a husband and wife.

Because of these difficulties, Namikango has started a training program for church leaders (and their spouses) concerning a biblical understanding of marriage, sexual relations, family life and a medical-based understanding of HIV/Aids.

In this program, we have 7 primary trainers, who will each lead 3 seminars (4 day seminars) in 2020. Thus, we will have 21 total 4-day seminars this year.

The coffee farm began in 2015 with the planting of 4000+ coffee plants of three different varieties, with its first solid crop in 2018. After several years of harvest and a lengthy process of refining the care and processing of our bean to be of the highest quality, Namikango Estate Coffee is now available in Malawi.

While there are many coffee farmers throughout Malawi and several roasters, Namikango is the first custom coffee roastery, and delivers directly to homes throughout Zomba, Blantyre and Lilongwe.

With the recent launch of the line of coffee products, we were met with an overwhelming demand, and currently are providing coffee to 10+ cafes and over 50 individual family units on a weekly basis. The demand is far higher than the production of Namikango coffee alone, so we have partnered with local farmers in the northern region of Malawi who were previously struggling to make ends meet because of a lack of fair price for their product in their area.

In addition, we source beans from all over the world to cater to different palates, as well as provide a de-caffeinated bean, which was previously near impossible to find. For more information, to support or to order, Namikango Coffee click here…

The Namikango Maternity Clinic has been in operation since 1974 on Namikango campus, and has been an invaluable part of Namikango’s ministry.  Highly recognized as one of the leading Clinic’s in the district, an average of almost 100 babies per month are delivered at this small clinic, serving a population area of approximately 33,000 people.  In addition, approximately 200 patients come each week to receive other services provided by the clinic, ranging from our anti-natal clinic to HIV testing.

Due to the excellent service provided by the clinic, for several years now we have received requests from the government, as well as from people in our community, requesting that we extend our services to accommodate Out-Patient services.  The government clinic in our town (Thondwe) is over-run, and another facility to serve the community is desperately needed.

The Out-Patient Clinic has been built and is ready for operation. The expected launch date of March earlier this year was delayed due to COVID. We plan to open as soon as possible.

Ntonda Primary School has been a part of Namikango since its inception.  Starting out in a small grass-thatched hut, the school has now grown to over 2000 students, and approx. 30 teachers.  Located 40 minutes from Namikango’s campus, this school operates under the funding of the government, but is overseen and staffed by Namikango. Different than other schools, Namikango pays for a “Bible teacher” to remain at the school for biblical education, as well as discipling kids in an after school “bible club” of about 150 kids.

Ntonda school is surrounded by 13 villages. Its geographical position makes it convenient and accessible to most families in the area. The school has been a star performer in athletics and academics ever since it became a full primary in the Zomba province. Ntonda is one of Namikango’s major avenues to make a difference in Malawi’s next generation.