Who We Are
The Foundation for Inclusive and Sustainable Development (FISDEV) is a Malawian youth-led social enterprise registered under the company's incorporation Act. We are dedicated to challenging the social status quo, breaking vicious cycles of poverty, and building sustainable pathways for youth and other underserved communities in both urban and rural areas to achieve economic independence and successful transition out of poverty.
- Our Vision: A society where youth and communities thrive through inclusive opportunities, sustainable solutions and amplified voices towards a life with dignity and poverty free.
- Our Mission: To empower young people and underserved communities by providing innovative, sustainable and inclusive pathways for economic growth, access to essential services and social justice across diverse sectors.
- Our Foundation: In Malawi, where over 70% of the population is under 35, youth face barriers to education, decent work, and decision-making. Rural communities remain vulnerable to poverty, food insecurity, and climate shocks — inspiring the creation of FISDEV.
- Our Approach: We empower youth and underserved communities through three strategic pillars: advancing economic empowerment, unlocking access to essential social services, and amplifying voices of vulnerable groups on social injustice.
- Our Alignment: Strongly aligned with Malawi 2063 vision — "an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant nation" — through human capital development, private sector-led growth, agricultural commercialisation, and enterprise growth.
FISDEV integrates youth and community-centric sustainable solutions to accelerate inclusive, equitable development across Malawi. Our work blends economic empowerment, social service access, and advocacy for vulnerable groups.
Continental & Global Alignment: African Union Agenda 2063 (Aspirations 1, 4, 6) — a prosperous Africa based on inclusive growth, transformed economies creating youth opportunities, and people-driven development.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Goal 1 (No Poverty), Goal 5 (Gender Equality), Goal 8 (Decent Work), Goal 9 (Industry & Innovation), Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities), Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption), Goal 13 (Climate Action), Goal 17 (Partnerships).
National Policy Alignment: National Youth & Gender Policies, National Agriculture Policy, National Climate Change Management Policy.
Read MoreLives Impacted
Active Projects
Districts Reached
Team & Volunteers
Resilience
Building capacity to withstand shocks, promoting sustainable livelihoods and diversified income beyond project cycles.
- Climate-smart agriculture
- Enterprise resilience training
Innovation
Creative, evidence-based solutions that improve efficiency and impact while responding to evolving needs.
- Digital tools for farmers
- Solar innovation hubs
Inclusion
Equitable access for all, especially youth, women, and underserved populations. Gender-responsive programs.
- Women-led enterprises
- Youth leadership councils
Partnerships
Collaboration with communities, donors, government, and private sector for greater scale and sustainability.
- Strategic alliances
- Multi-sector collaboration
Programs
Amplified Community Voices & Tourism Drive
Tagline: Echoing Voices from the Margins. This program empowers youth and communities to tell their own stories as tools for social change. Young people are trained in community research, persuasive writing, public storytelling, poetry, drama, and acting to document lived experiences, inspire action, and influence policy. The program facilitates creative platforms that showcase talent, amplify voices, and commercialize artistic skills for sustainable livelihoods. It also promotes cultural heritage preservation through professional tour guide training, historical site conservation, development of model cultural villages, and sustainable tourism initiatives.
Ed-Tech Skills Development
The program equips youth with practical digital, technical, and employability skills for the modern economy. It delivers digital skills training, supports young innovators to develop and commercialize tech solutions, strengthens TEVET skills with a focus on agribusiness, and provides on-the-job training opportunities to help graduates transition smoothly into the workforce.
Spark Incubation Program
Spark Incubation supports start-ups and emerging enterprises to grow into investment-ready businesses. The program provides access to finance, co-working spaces, enterprise development training, mentorship, and coaching. Start-ups are connected to ecosystem players through networking, market expos, and conferences, enabling market access, partnerships, and exposure to investors and industry trends.
Eco-Agri Commercial
This program promotes sustainable agribusiness and green entrepreneurship. It supports market access through outlet stores, strengthens value addition via agri-processing, promotes agri-innovations to boost productivity, delivers hands-on agripreneurship training, and offers product branding and marketing services to improve visibility, competitiveness, and profitability.
Early Child Development
The program strengthens early learning and creativity for young children. It builds the capacity of nursery school teachers, supports curriculum development, establishes quality assurance mechanisms, and facilitates exchange visits. It also creates child-friendly innovation spaces such as the Dreamers’ Corner and safe entertainment and play areas to nurture creativity, curiosity, and holistic development.
Youth Friendly Health Corner
The Youth-Friendly Health Corner promotes the physical, mental, and social well-being of young people. It provides mental health and wellness support through peer educators and trained youth workers, facilitates access to SRHR services, and addresses GBV through awareness, survivor support, and referral systems. Sports and physical activities are used to promote healthy lifestyles, identify talent, and link youth to further development opportunities.
Testimonials
Ready to Make an Impact?
Join us in building inclusive and sustainable pathways for all. Whether you want to partner, volunteer, or support our work, we'd love to hear from you.
Partner With UsProjects
- All
- Agriculture
- Energy
- Digital




