By Ruth Chinangwa
In Ndirande Township, Blantyre, thin plastic bags choke drainage channels, cling to bare patches of land and drift along rivers after every rainfall. What many residents have long considered an eyesore is now being linked to a much deeper crisis—one that threatens lives, health and the environment.
A recent study by the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Programme has raised fresh concern over waste management in the township, revealing that poor disposal of waste, particularly thin plastics, is contributing to blocked drainage systems, increased flooding and the spread of disease.
“The situation requires urgent and collective action,” says Kestern Nkola, a research assistant involved in the study.
“If we do not address these challenges now, they will get out of hand and continue putting communities at risk,” he says.
The research highlights how plastics that do not decompose easily accumulate in drainage systems, preventing water from flowing freely.
During heavy rains, this leads to flooding, while stagnant water becomes a breeding ground for disease-causing organisms.
For residents of Ndirande, the consequences are already devastating.
Lonny Mwalanduzi is still haunted by memories of Cyclone Freddy, which swept through parts of Blantyre in 2023.
She lost three of her children and two grandchildren when floodwaters overwhelmed her home.
“That day will stay with me for the rest of my life,” Mwalanduzi says, fighting back tears.
“The water came suddenly. The drains were blocked, and there was nowhere for the water to pass. I lost my family in one moment.”
Health experts warn that beyond flooding, poor waste management also increases the risk of waterborne diseases such as cholera and diarrhea—especially in densely populated townships like Ndirande.
In response to these growing threats, the Malawi Liverpool Wellcome Programme study recommends stronger enforcement of waste management policies, reduced use of thin plastics, and greater community involvement in sustainable waste disposal practices.
Yet even as the risks mount, some solutions are beginning to emerge from within the community.
Youth-led organisations such as The Impact are turning waste into opportunity—transforming organic waste collected from households and markets into compost manure.
Project coordinator Naphtalie Zefat explains that the initiative is helping to reduce the amount of waste dumped in the township while creating income opportunities for young people.
The initiative is helping to reduce the amount of waste dumped in the township while creating income opportunities for young people.
“We are showing that waste is not useless,” says Zefat.
“By recycling organic waste, we are protecting the environment, reducing waterborne diseases and earning a living at the same time.”
The group says community response has been encouraging, with more households beginning to separate organic waste and understand the dangers of improper disposal.
As Malawi continues to grapple with climate change and rapid urbanisation, the findings from Ndirande serve as a warning of what can happen when environmental management is neglected.
Experts say coordinated solutions—combining policy enforcement, community awareness and local innovation—are critical to addressing the growing plastic problem.
For residents like Mwalanduzi, the message is painfully clear.
“If we don’t take care of our environment,” she says, “we will keep losing lives.”
