About – HIFA

Health Initiative for All (HIFA) is an independent registered non-governmental and nonprofit organization with its headquarters based in Lilongwe Malawi. HIFA prime motto is empowerment of youth and women through capacity building and protection of their rights and other deprived and marginalized people of the society.

In 2007 a group of educated, dynamic and like-minded women and men working in the development sector, got together to establish an organization, for addressing the most urgent and pressing needs of girls in particular and all other vulnerable and marginalised people in society. True to this spirit the organization was named Health Initiative for All (HIFA). Considering their association with the development sector the group was cognizant of the plethora of problems plaguing the Malawian society. Consequently, the organization’s focus was not kept limited either in in terms of geography or sector. Whilst operating in different districts of the country, HIFA has been carrying a range of interventions in the areas of education, health & hygiene, girls & women empowerment, governance, human rights, etc.

The type of activities undertaken by the organization range from capacity building to service delivery, with focus remaining on girls and the other deprived and marginalized segments of the society. Whereas in terms of operations what characterizes HIFA’s functioning are its efforts to (a) enlist involvement of the locals when initiating activities at the grass root level; and (b) mobilize girls and women for bringing safety, tolerance, and development in society, (c) involvement of district authorities in education, health, justice, labour and social welfare, (d) working in partnership with other local NGOs with similar goals and objectives as HIFA.

HIFA owing to the linkages of its members with national & international funding agencies, enjoys a diverse portfolio, characterized by partnership with organizations like Hivos, UKAid, Hivos, SIMAVI, UN-FAO, Human Rights bodies and governmental Development Departments of education, health, social welfare, justice and community development.

What we do

Influenced by the new development paradigm, which puts people before things, HIFA follows a participatory approach in every sphere of its work. The traditional knowledge of the rural poor is valued and respected, and there is confidence that rural people are capable of self-reliant organization. On a practical level, the fundamental thrust of this approach is decentralization and empowerment.

Our approach

During the process of social mobilization, HIFA adopted a participatory, self-help, self-sustainable approach through community involvement and formation of volunteer groups in remote rural areas of Baluchistan

Our philosophy

Sustainable rural development is a dynamic process posing various needs at different phases of time. These can be dealt with continuous interventions based on designed frameworks that incorporate the requirements projected by the communities and with the help of the communities by strategizing for public-private partnership.

Scope of work

HIFA has strong linkages with major NGOs and funding agencies working in Malawi. It has undertaken initiatives in Kasungu, Salima, Ntchisi, Dowa, Mchinji and Lilongwe districts through collaboration with other NGOs, local government structures, CBOs and activists. HIFA enjoys a rich experience of working in the diverse socio-cultural environment of Malawi and an extensive networking with the District & Government’s line ministries, civil society organisations, media and decentralization structures.

Child and Girls Protection

Gender Based Violence

Youth and Women Economic Empowerment

Strategic Direction

Community / Social Mobilization

HIFA while implementing its programme/projects as a first step undertakes community mobilization so that to raise awareness in community on health and hygiene, importance of education in modern day affairs, gender related issues, socio-economic development and environmental protection. For this purpose HIFA management holds meetings with the community members, conducts training/capacity building sessions and also launches campaigns.

Advocacy

HIFA advocacy is achieving better results in the field of social/rural/community development, HIFA also believe in advocacy and therefore, the management has always strongly advocated for the issues related to HIFA. For achieving this objective, HIFA through its strong advocacy has approached the line departments of Government of Malawi, NGOs, CBOs, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), members of Parliament, Community leaders, notables and HIFA has always promoted the right based approach and supported the dialogue as an important tool for achieving the above mentioned objectives.

Service Delivery

HIFA is staunch believer in a very strong and efficient service delivery in the fields of sexual reproductive health, education, environmental protection, Human rights and WASH. For this purpose, HIFA management has always facilitated delivery of these essential services in the communities in a transparent manner taking care of quantity and quality. It is only because of this very reason that the HIFA interventions have always helped in meeting the community needs in general and the needs for girls and women in particular and achieving the desired objectives.

Net Working

HIFA has always promoted the networking with other NGOs, CBOs, CSOs, media groups and concerned stakeholders for achieving the goal of sustainable development. Networking with other organizations has always proved very productive by playing as medium between the service providers and those at the receiving end. Networking basically provides opportunity for looking at the issues from different angles i.e. from local, national and finally at regional level. At every level the perspective of issue changes, which then helps in comprehending the issue.

Vision

Healthy, protected and educated youth and society that contribute fully to the socio-economic development of their communities in Malawi

Mission statement

HIFA mission is to unleash sustainable development using value systems and rights based approaches through innovation, advocacy, capacity strengthening of community structures for provision of sexual reproductive health services, education, social protection and economic empowerment to the youth and women to help them attain their full potential as individuals and play a constructive role in society.

Goal

The goal of HIFA is to contribute in uplifting of the youth and women living standard through economic empowerment, protection, community mobilization, capacity building, advocacy & strengthening of institutions at the grass root level.

Strategy

A sustainable strategy is devised to achieve the maximum, a need based and right based approach initiated ascertains the problem with fully community involvement and mobilizing all indigenous and local resources. The program goals are materialized with a helping hand from members, donor agencies, Foundations, Trusts and Philanthropists