On 24th March 2026, as part of the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Programme (MLW) Board of Governors visit, a Community Engagement activity in Mnthumba, Chikwawa, demonstrated the powerful role that Theatre for Development (TFD) can play in addressing difficult and often sensitive issues within communities.
Centered on climate change and health, the theatre performance explored a pressing and uncomfortable question: what happens when those entrusted with leadership, chiefs and community committee members, are the very ones contributing to environmental destruction? In this case, the focus was on the cutting down of trees that communities had planted along the Mnthumba River to help prevent annual flooding.
Through a carefully crafted drama, the TFD group brought this issue to life, portraying the tension between community efforts to protect their environment and the actions of some local leaders who undermine these efforts and how powerless community members feel in confronting them. What made the session particularly impactful was not just the performance itself, but the reaction it sparked among community members.
Audience members openly related to the story, acknowledging that the events depicted in the drama reflected their lived realities. Many confirmed that trees planted to mitigate flooding had indeed been cut down and sold, leaving communities more vulnerable to environmental disasters.
A defining moment came during the final “court scene” of the performance, when a Group Village Head stood up and, in a rare and candid admission, acknowledged that traditional leaders had, in some cases, failed their communities. He openly recognized that chiefs were among those responsible for cutting down the very trees meant to protect the environment. Calling for accountability, he urged fellow leaders to take responsibility and emphasized the need for concrete measures to address the issue. He went further to commit to acting, stating that he would begin by ensuring accountability among chiefs under his own jurisdiction.
This moment captured the essence of what Theatre for Development seeks to achieve. By creating a safe but provocative space, the performance enabled honest reflection and dialogue on an issue that might otherwise remain unspoken. It transformed spectators into participants, encouraging not only discussion but also ownership and commitment to change.
The Mnthumba engagement highlighted how theatre can go beyond awareness-raising to actively spark community-led solutions, even around complex challenges like climate change, governance, and accountability. It reinforced the idea that when communities are engaged in ways that reflect their realities and emotions, they are more likely to confront difficult truths and take meaningful action.
