Fund Projects That Villages Choose
because everyone deserves democracy and development


meet the villages
people
people helped

42,145

in Malawi, Africa

trending_up
dev score impact

+138%

from 2014 to 2017

attach_money
cost per person

$1.08

per year

Fund Projects That Villages Choose

because everyone deserves democracy and development
MEET THE VILLAGES

Nearly 400 million people (and growing) live in extreme poverty in rural Africa. We're changing that with a model that celebrates village democracy, direct giving, and data analysis.

How It Works

Villages choose projects

Search the projects page or interactive map for tenacious villages battling extreme poverty in rural Africa. Find a village-led development project that speaks to you.

#democracy

You help fund them

Make a donation directly to a rural village that not only identifies local solutions to its biggest problems, but also contributes labor, materials, and, importantly, cash.

#directgiving

We send you updates

Enjoy email updates with pictures and data from the field providing a vivid accounting of how your donations change development outcomes for rural Africans.

#development
Latest Updates

100%

radically
transparent
our model
deploy cash, retrieve data

Featured Projects

(100% completion rate)
timeline =  village data trends available
fiber_new =  data trends coming soon
Build a Teacher House fiber_new
Makunula Village

$1726 out of $2000

Locals Contributed: $100

Grow More Food timeline
Chikumbu Village (since 2015)

$100 out of $2000

Locals Contributed: $100

Provide Clean Water timeline
Mphyakula Village (since 2018)

$2711 out of $6200

Locals Contributed: $310


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Field Updates

Maloya Village finally has clean water! On two occasions the borehole company drilled dry holes that failed to strike an underground aquifer. Drilling multiple dry holes is pretty rare in the well-drilling business. Residents of Maloya felt like they were cursed and would never benefit from a clean source of water. We stuck by Maloya, taking a financial risk by drilling for a third time. Thankfully, the risk paid off! On December 2, 2018, we learned that the drilling company had struck clean water on its third attempt. The rainy season caused a delay in finishing the borehole, but, on January 31, 2019, residents of Maloya and Field Officer Macford Chinonga gathered to celebrate the opening of the well.
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On Saturday, January 12, 2019, Chiyuni gathered with Field Officer Wedson Kondowe to open the nursery school. Guests of honor included a local counselor (politician) and the Primary Education Advisor from the Ministry of Education. The chief of Chiyuni was very happy, as this was the first development project in his area in recent memory. The nursery school will help not only Chiyuni Village, but also neighboring communities. The school just opened and already has an enrollment of over 80 learners. A representative from NGO Feed the Children committed to providing flour for children attending the nursery school to eat porridge when school is in session. At the ceremony, people danced and expressed their joy that the nursery school will help prepare kids for primary education.
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On August 12, 2018, Likoswe procured materials. Mushroom growing requires a clean base material in which mushroom spores can germinate (in this case, corn husks) and a relatively cool, dark space for mushrooms to grow. As shown in the pictures below, the project committee used wooden poles to build a shed to house the mushrooms. Community members covered the shed in grass and lined the structure with plastic. After sanitizing the corn husks in boiling water, Likoswe mixed the husks with mushroom seeds and stuffed the mixture into plastic bags with holes. Mushrooms grew from the bags. Mature mushrooms were harvested and sold, earning the community about $500. On January 10, 2019, the project halted because heavy rains damaged the shed and mushrooms inside. As of this moment, it is unclear whether the mushroom project will resume. It appears that residents working on the project decided to divvy up their profits instead of reinvesting them in another round of mushroom growing.
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The borehole was drilled by Vonder Water Technologies in early December 2018. The borehole's depth is 63 meters. The local government tested the water and confirmed its safety for drinking. On January 5, 2019, after allowing the cement around the borehole to dry, Yelemiya gathered to celebrate its new borehole. The borehole will provide clean water not only Yelemiya, but also the neighboring villages of Yakumutu and Chaluchamala, helping about 350 households in all. The chiefs from these villages were present at the celebration, as was field officer Wedson Kondowe.
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On Sunday, December 9, 2018, Sosola and surrounding villages gathered to celebrate the completion of the market shelter. The ceremony started with traditional dances, including the Gule Wamkulu dance. Many locals chiefs were in attendance. After traditional dances, several of those chiefs made speeches thanking you and Village X for investing in local development. Speakers emphasized how the market shelter will foster business growth in the area and help communities develop economically. Field Officer Alfred Piyo also spoke, complementing the chiefs on their collaboration to achieve development and explaining the Village X model to all in attendance. After speeches, attendees toured the market shelter while the chairperson of the project committee briefed the audience on how the community designed and built the structure.
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