ECCHE was a community engagement initiative that used participatory methods to explore communities’ lived experiences of climate change and its health impacts in Malawi. The project was conducted in Blantyre (urban) and Chikwawa (rural) in the Southern Region.  

Thirty-six community members participated in a photovoice process, using photography to document and identify priority climate-related health issues affecting their communities. Following this, the project supported community-led interventions to raise awareness of the identified issues and promote action. These interventions included theatre for development, school engagement activities, community debates, a journalist-in-residence initiative, a radio programme, and community outreach activities.  

All activities were led by community members to increase awareness of climate change, engage young people in developing awareness messages, stimulate dialogue on climate and health issues, and generate locally driven solutions to mitigate climate-related impacts. This approach aimed at empowering communities as drivers of change.  

The project also engaged policymakers through a community exhibition and a policy stakeholders’ event, where participants presented their photovoice findings and voiced their concerns to duty bearers. A policy brief was developed and shared with key stakeholders. The findings will contribute to the development of Malawi’s National Health Adaptation Plan, which will subsequently inform the broader National Adaptation Plan.