Malawi is a landlocked country south of the equator in sub-Saharan Africa bordering Tanzania, Mozambique and Zambia.

The country is 901 kilometres long and ranges in width from 80 to 161 kilometres . It has a population of 11 million, approximately 90% of which live in rural areas.

It has a warm tropical climate that is heavily influenced by altitude and the dominance of its lake - Lake Malawi - which comprises one fifth of the countries land area.

Malawi has a predominantly agricultural economy. Agricultural produce dominates Malawi exports with Tobacco accounting for over 60% of Malawi exports in 2006 followed by tea (7%) and sugar (6%). Other key exports include textiles (5%), cotton fabrics (2%) and edible nuts (2%). The country is largely self-sufficient for food and the population predominantly employed in small scale farming activities.

Malawi was under British rule from 1891 until 1964. In 1994, the country became a multiparty state and introduced: free primary school education, a free market economy, a bill of rights, and a parliament with three main parties. Malawi remains on of the poorest countries in the world with a GDP per capita of US$160 and ranked 165th out of 177 countries in the 2004 UN Human Development Report. An estimated 52% of the population living below the poverty line (Integrated Household Survey, 2005)

Life expectancy dropped from 45 years in 1990 to 38 years in 2005 (UNDP, 2004) and is expected to drop rapidly in the future due to HIV/AIDS pandemic. Exact figures for the HIV infection rate are difficult to substantiate, but the 2004 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey (MDHS) indicate that 12% of women and men age 15-49 in Malawi are currently infected with HIV.

Malaria is a major public health problem in Malawi. It is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, especially among children under the age of five years and pregnant women.

In terms of malnutrition, the Malawi Demographic and Health Surveys (2000 & 2004) concluded that the proportion of children who are under-weight is more than 12 times the level expected in a healthy well-nourished population. In addition, the proportion of children (48% in 2005) who, were found to be stunted (too short for their age), is almost 25 times the level expected in a healthy well-nourished population.

Administratively Malawi is divided into districts which are subdivided into Traditional Authorities (TAs), presided over by chiefs. Traditional Authorities are composed of villages, which are the smallest administrative units and are resided over by village headmen/women.

Temwa is operating in the Northern district of Nkhata Bay in the isolated rural area called Usisya under the Traditional Authority of Chief M’Bwana.