“Why would you work in Balaka?” a few American development workers and missionaries questioned us when they heard of our plans to start projects in this town and district. “That’s only a place to pass through.” Until then, we had no idea that this area was considered the country’s armpit, (think Bakersfield to California), though it’s quite easy to see why.

Balaka is set in a valley, and retains its often oppressive heat more than its neighboring towns to just its east or west. Electricity (available to only 1% of the district) and running water are not rights, but privileges–on the days they work–and medical care is sparse at best, as the district hospital operates without trained doctors.

Many Malawians agree that Balaka is a place to pass through, and many attribute this as a factor in the district’s high HIV/AIDS rate (1 in 4 adults infected). Because Balaka is located a short distance off the main road that connects Malawi’s capital and its largest city, many travelers stay the night here and end up engaging in casual sexual relationships that put them at great risk.