CLOSER Project Wrapping Up

The CLOSER Project in Malawi to wrap up by 30 June 2020.

Thank you for your support of the CLOSER Project (Creating Livelihood Opportunities for Sustainable Food and Economic Resilience) in Malawi, from its beginnings as Tsogolo Labwino Project, meaning “Towards a Brighter Future.”

Thanks to you, more than 29,000 people in the Salima District in Malawi have received help during the various stages of the CLOSER Project over the last eleven years. Families have experienced a better quality of life through food security, literacy and micro-finance training and improved health through access to clean water.

The operating context in Malawi has changed, and after much prayerful consideration and in close consultation with ADRA Malawi, ADRA Australia has made the difficult decision to conclude our funding for this project. We take our responsibility to protect your generosity and to ensure that your donations make the biggest impact possible very seriously. While the CLOSER Project continues to meet its objectives, we have been unable to resolve some administrative challenges within Malawi. As a result, we made the difficult decision to discontinue our work in Malawi past 30 June 2020.

Throughout the implementation of the CLOSER Project, local, grassroot organisations were supported to promote food security and good health, and to reduce climate change drivers in Salima District. As a result, these organisations will continue to support their community.

You can still make tax-deductible donations to the CLOSER Project until 30 June 2020. After this time, ADRA Australia will cease to provide financial support to the project but continue to help communities in Zambia and Zimbabwe to access clean water, improve sanitation and hygiene and have opportunities to secure food.

Can I encourage you to continue supporting vulnerable communities in Africa through ADRA’s FARMS project in Zambia  or Wealth in the Soil project in Zimbabwe?

Thank you for your continued and valued support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the project close? 

As the CLOSER Project was solely funded by ADRA Australia, the project will conclude on 30 June 2020. The CLOSER Project has seen great success in building the resilience of the community in the Salima District in Malawi, and the community will continue to benefit from these lessons ongoing.

What will happen to the community? 

With every ADRA project, we involve the local community in all aspects of the project. This has been true with the CLOSER Project as well. And because of such collaboration, local community groups are now well placed to continue to work together for their own benefit ongoing.

How will donations received after 30 June 2020 be processed?  

Any regular donations received for the CLOSER Project from July 1 2020 will be directed to ADRA’s ‘Where It’s Needed Most’ fund. If you do not wish for your donations to support our ‘Where It’s Needed’ fund, please email us at [email protected](opens in new tab) or call us on 1800 242 372 to discuss other options.

I would like to continue my monthly donations. What projects should I support? 

Two other ADRA Australia projects in Africa help disadvantaged communities access clean water, improve their sanitation and hygiene and secure livelihood opportunities – FARMS project in Zambia and the Wealth in the Soil project in Zimbabwe. Your monthly donation can support one of these projects or our ‘Where It’s Needed Most’ Fund.

I am disappointed by this decision. Who can I talk to at ADRA Australia about this? 

We understand that you may be disappointed by this decision and may want to talk to someone in our team about this. Please contact us on at [email protected](opens in new tab) or on 1800 242 372 to request that someone contacts you about this decision.