Freshwater citizen science in Malawi: how young scientists inspire positive change
Added: 3rd July 2025
FreshWater Watch is our global movement of volunteers who test the water quality of their local rivers, lakes, ponds and streams. The data they collect can be used to fight for real change. Discover how young community champions use freshwater citizen science in Malawi to inspire positive action for nature.
How climate change impacts communities in Malawi
The biosphere – the thin layer of life sustaining ecosystems on earth – is under escalating stress from multiple, interconnected environmental factors.
In Malawi, this global crisis manifests locally through rising temperatures, deforestation, water pollution, and biodiversity loss. Climate change is altering rainfall patterns, intensifying droughts and floods, and reducing agriculture productivity.
In Mulanje and Mzimba districts, erratic weather increasingly threatens crops, undermining food security and livelihoods.
These changes hit young people the hardest as they face reduced access to clean water, which often means longer distances and time spent collecting it, especially for girls, food insecurity that disrupt school attendance and increases early labour, environmental hazards like floods that threatens homes and health of livelihoods.
For young women these risks intersect with gender-based challenges such as early marriages, school drop-out, and limited access to decision making spaces.
Using citizen science as a tool for positive change
As part of our wider FreshWater Watch work in Africa, we enable communities across different countries to monitor the health of their precious freshwater resources and feed the results directly into national reporting for the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
We are proud to be part of the Conservation Livelihoods in Malawi’s Biospheres (CLIMB) project, joining forces with Plan International Malawi, Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust (MMCT) and Total Land Care, and contributing our expertise in citizen science.
The project trains young people from rural communities in the Mulanje and Mzimba districts to do freshwater citizen science in Malawi. They take a lead in monitoring and restoring the environment.
Communities engaging in freshwater citizen science
Inspiring young community champions – Gorate’s story
Gorate Chapweteka from the Mulanje District in the Southern Malawi is one of the young community champions who decided to take part in the project.
Equipped with Secchi tubes, nitrate and phosphate tests and data sheets, she has been conducting monthly tests in nearby streams and rivers to measure turbidity, nutrient levels, and visible pollution.
Over the course of twelve months, Gorate’s findings revealed high phosphate levels, notable turbidity and plastic pollution. This valuable data has been added to the global FreshWater Watch data map, helping build a picture of freshwater health in this region and beyond.
Measuring nutrient levels with our FreshWater Watch water testing kit
Equipped with this knowledge, Gorate didn’t stop at data collection. She has become a voice for action, sharing her findings at local meetings and engaging elders and peers alike. Her message is clear: the whole community has a role to play in restoring the environment.
I never knew how much our actions could impact the environment. But through CLIMB, I have learnt the importance of protecting our forests and water sources. I’m proud to be part community that’s taking action to ensure a sustainable future.
Gorate Chapweteka, CLIMB participant and freshwater citizen scientist
Gorate joined hands with others in CLIMB project participants to support a tree nursery initiative, raising thousands of seedlings to restore deforested slopes and river banks.
Her leadership has inspired more community members to get involved in freshwater citizen science in Malawi, including young women, challenging gender norms and demonstrating that protecting the environment is a shared responsibility.
The success of the CLIMB project shows that citizen science is about more than just data collection. It’s a pathway to environmental stewardship, resilience building and inclusive climate action.
Learn more about FreshWater Watch in the Africa and how you can join the fight for healthy fresh water in the UK.