The work of charitable, non-governmental organizations in Africa has grown exponentially in recent years as celebrities and international organizations attempt to focus the world's attention to issues of poverty and health that continue to plague the continent.  Such attention is not unwarranted as 67 percent of the world's AIDS cases today are still from sub-Saharan Africa, and over 50 percent of the region continues to live on less than one dollar a day. The BBC estimates that the continent has received over 500 billion dollars in foreign aid over the last 40 years, nearly 10 billion dollars a year directed solely to non-governmental organizations.  The work of such charitable groups deserves closer attention and possible critique.

Project Malawi: Soldiers in the War on Poverty is a documentary film project, which will begin production in Southern Malawi this summer. The film will focus on the work of charitable groups operating in Malawi.  The main focus will center on the story of Namitembo Parish.

For over ten years, St. Bridget's Parish in Seattle, Wa has partnered with and supported the Namitembo Parish in Southern Malawi.  This Parish works to provide health care, education, and vocational training to people in southern Malawi. Currently the Mission is undergoing a revolutionary change in leadership. For the first time a native Malawian priest is preparing to head the organization. 

While the groundbreaking story of the Namitembo Mission will frame the documentary, we are also partnering with other NGOs in the region to offer further insights into the charitable work being done in the country and in Africa.

Our documentary will be completed in two stages.  We will travel to Malawi in the summer of 2008 and release a short film in the fall of 2008.  We will return to Malawi for the summer of 2009 and release a feature length documentary in the spring of 2010.