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
World Day of Social Justice 2026
On World Day of Social Justice, we’re reminded that too many adolescents still face futures shaped by inequality.
At NIHR-GHRG on Adolescent Health & Wellbeing in Malawi, we’re working to change this by elevating young people’s voices and examining how policies impact their lives.
Our research tackles gaps in education, health, protection, and representation, ensuring no adolescent is left behind.
Learn how we’re advancing fairer, more inclusive systems for young people worldwide.
Adolescents have a voice if we create a space to listen to them – co-planning a water refilling approach with adolescents and teachers
When a group of learners and teachers came together at a primary school in Mchinji, something powerful happened: young people were given the space to speak and adults truly listened. In this co‑planning meeting, adolescents shared practical ideas to improve how water is refilled at school handwashing stations, offering thoughtful solutions that surprised everyone. Their voices shaped the way forward, showing just how much can change when young people are invited into the conversation and given agency.
World Toilet Day
This World Toilet Day, we’re tackling one of the most overlooked challenges in education: safe, clean, and welcoming toilets for learners. Through the NIHR-GHRG initiative in Malawi, schools are co-creating practical solutions, from vibrant murals and sanitation-themed games to improved facilities and hygiene messaging. These changes go beyond cleanliness, they foster dignity, comfort, and wellbeing, ensuring every learner feels respected and supported.
Join us in making sanitation a priority. Share this message, support local initiatives, and help create environments where every child can learn with dignity. Together, we can turn neglected spaces into places of care and pride.