Improving Adolescent Health and Wellbeing in Malawi
We are working with adolescents, family and community members, health workers, policy makers, and other organizations to design, implement and evaluate approaches to improving adolescent health and wellbeing.
How we work
We are working with adolescents, parents and guardians and other interested parties to develop promising approaches to improve their health and wellbeing using a multi-sectoral approach. The following are our main work strands:
Capacity Strengthening and Training
Economic and Policy Frameworks
Formative Research and Longitudinal Observatory
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, and Adolescents
Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
Inspiring Adolescent Wellbeing
We are a joint research initiative of:
News and Events
Engineering a fresh path: my PhD journey to exploring adolescent health and behaviour science.
From water pumps to wellbeing, I never imagined my engineering journey would lead me here.
Chasing a long-standing passion for WASH, I stepped into the world of adolescent health – armed with technical skills, a curious mind, and a growing desire to drive real change.
Starting a PhD remotely from Tanzania, disconnected from peers in Glasgow and Malawi, left me wondering: how would I fit in?
Between parenting, packing, and pivoting into behavioural science, I found myself learning not just how to research – but how to listen, adapt, and connect.
This is not just a story about water or sanitation – it’s about finding my place in global health, and why centring adolescents is reshaping everything I thought I knew.
NIHR-GHRG Steering Group Meeting 2025
The NIHR-GHRG Steering Group Meeting 2025 brought together researchers, policymakers, and institutional partners in Blantyre to reflect on progress, share insights, and shape the next phase of work to improve adolescent health and wellbeing in Malawi. With presentations across six Work Strands and leadership from key ministries, the meeting reaffirmed a shared commitment to youth-centred, evidence-driven impact.
It’s not just a process! Co-designing workshops also strengthens Mental Health
“It’s Not Just a Process: Co-Designing WASH Interventions Also Strengthens Mental Health”
During Mental Health Awareness Week, NIHR-GHRG Work Strand 4 (WASH and Adolescent Health) reflects on how community-led co-design workshops have supported more than just sanitation solutions – they’ve nurtured adolescent mental wellbeing.
By bringing together adolescents, parents, teachers, health workers, and local leaders to collaboratively design interventions, we created safe, inclusive spaces where young people felt heard and valued. Discussions around menstruation, bullying, and hygiene facilities became gateways for building trust, empathy, and dignity—key pillars of mental health.
This experience reinforces a vital truth: community-driven participation isn’t just about solving problems – it’s a powerful act of collective care.