GAPS in DRR in Malawi
Disasters in Malawi rarely make the global news. Yet they increasingly influence the daily lives of residents, the Malawian economy and the state itself. Since 2015, the Government of Malawi has declared a State of Disaster in each year apart from 2018. The reasons are manifold: pandemics, floods, pests, and drought-related crop losses. The effects are devastating.
Devastating, but seemingly not newsworthy. Devastating, but poorly researched. Similarly, the ingenuity of residents to avoid or cope with disasters, as well as the work of state agencies and NGOs, receives little attention.
As a result, funding remains scant, needs remain poorly understood, vulnerabilities remain unaddressed and learning opportunities remain unused.
The GAPS Network Malawi aims to create an interdisciplinary platform for scholars, practitioners and activists engaged in the field of DRR in Malawi to exchange, explore and address these gaps.
About GAPS
The GAPS Network Malawi is an interdisciplinary platform for scholars working on disaster-related topics, spanning Geography, Anthropology, Political Sciences, and Sociology.
Founded in 2024, it connects researchers from various countries and facilitates exchange at its monthly meetings. The network aims to contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of vulnerabilities, hazards, and disasters, as well as ingenuity and coping capacities rooted in residents' everyday lives and practitioners' tireless efforts.
Join the Network
If you work in the broad fields of risk research, climate change adaptation, food and livelihood security or public health in Malawi and look forward to scholarly engagement, please feel free to reach out!
We would love to welcome you to our meetings, to hear and learn from your work,
and to work together!