Back home - my internship in Malawi 2025
This is my final blog post about
my internship in Malawi (summer
2025). Here, I share my reflections, professional growth, and
experiences of living and working in a different cultural environment. I also
include evidence-based facts and
statistics about Malawi and Finland, compare social and health
care challenges in both countries, and explain why an internship abroad can be a
life-changing experience.
Malawi’s Vision 2063 – Towards an Inclusively Wealthy and
Self-Reliant Nation
Malawi has an ambitious long-term
development agenda: Malawi Vision 2063. The
first 10-year implementation plan (MIP-1,
2021–2030) is already underway, focusing on economic growth, human
development, and self-reliance.
Malawi works closely with
international partners such as UNICEF, Save the Children, the United Nations,
and the European Union. The country also receives funding from countries
including the USA and UK.
đ Further reading:
·
UNICEF_MLW_Health_Budget_Brief_2024-25.pdf.pdf
·
UNICEF
Malawi Annual Report 2024
·
Malawi | Save the
Children International
·
Save
the Children – New Climate Programme in Malawi
·
UN
Malawi 2024 Country Results Report | United Nations in Malawi
·
European
Union invests K4 trillion in Malawi – The Times Group
·
EU in Malawi
– Facebook Page
Life After My Internship – Returning Home
After coming back home to
Finland, I noticed how strongly cultural
shock shaped my experiences - both in Malawi and again in Finland.
My internship was busy and
sometimes overwhelming, but also incredibly rewarding. I learned about leadership and management in social and
health care, built professional networks, and collaborated
widely with different organizations.
Political Climate & Safety
When I arrived, Malawi was
preparing for elections in autumn 2025. Political parties were active in
promoting their candidates, but everything remained peaceful. Importantly, I always felt safe during my
stay.
Everyday Life in Rural Malawi
Much of my work took place in
rural and remote areas. This meant I often lived without direct access to
electricity, running water, or sanitation. This experience helped me understand
more about the daily realities of Malawian
communities.
đ Malawi
Population with Access to Improved Drinking Water
đ§ WASH – Water
and Sanitation Programs
Traveling in Malawi – An Adventure on Its Own
- Traveling
with public transport took time and required patience.
- A whole day should be
reserved just for traveling.
- Costs were
fair, though sometimes I was asked to pay more as a foreigner.
- I experienced
generosity as well: locals offered me free lifts on four occasions.
Communication in a Multilingual Environment
Working in a multilingual and multicultural
setting required sensitivity. Gestures and expressions may carry different
meanings across cultures. I learned that asking
questions and clarifying misunderstandings is essential.
Also - Malawi is full of abbreviations in everyday
work and government structures. At first, I was confused, but asking for
explanations always helped.
Unexpected Experiences
- My internship
started with a mistake: I was escorted to Chiendausiku Health Centre instead of Kwitanda Health Centre.
Luckily, it turned into a positive experience because I got to see two
health facilities in one day.
- A disturbing
incident in a lodge made me reflect on issues of power, dignity, and colonial history.
I saw another foreigner misuse his position toward a local worker. This
reminded me why respect,
humility, and cultural sensitivity are so important in
international work.
Why Internship Abroad?
An internship abroad provides:
- Intercultural
competence đ
- Professional
and personal growth đĄ
- Broader
networks đ€
- Resilience
and adaptability đȘ
đ Recommended
resources:
- International
student mobility | OECD
- How
do students develop intercultural competence during international
mobility? - ScienceDirect
- The
Erasmus Impact Study: Effects of mobility on the skills and employability
of students and the internationalisation of higher education institutions
- Erasmus+
- Karelia UAS Student Exchange Experiences Malawi
Social and Health Care – Malawi vs. Finland
Both countries face workforce
challenges, but for opposite reasons:
- Malawi – Rapid population growth, many young people, but
limited resources and a shortage of professional workers.
- Finland – Well-funded health care system, but a severe worker shortage due to ageing demographics and low population growth.
đ Related
research, statistics and information:
- MDI
Population Forecast 2024 (Migration Focus): VÀestöennuste
- MDI
- Terveyden ja hyvinvoinnin laitos - Finnish Institute
for Health and Welfare (2024): Sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon
henkilöstön riittÀvyyden parantaminen hyvinvointialueiden henkilöstö- ja
rekrytointipalvelujen nÀkökulmasta
- Työterveysaitos - Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
(2025): TyöelÀmÀn suunta: VÀestörakenteen
muutos
- Malawi’s population and highlights (2025): UNICEF_Child_Survival_and_Development_Brief_A4_v4.indd
- Malawi’s population and highlights (2025): https://countrymeters.info/en/Malawi
- Research and Reports in Tropical
Medicine - Research on NGOs in Rural Malawi (2023): https://www.dovepress.com/article/download/86372
- Investigating the NGO’s-Local government relations in
governance sector in Malawi: Case study of Balaka district council (2023):
(PDF)
INVESTIGATING THE NGO's-LOCAL GOVERNMENT RELATIONS IN GOVERNANCE SECTOR IN
MALAWI: CASE STUDY OF BALAKA DISTRICT COUNCIL MASTER OF ARTS (DEVELOPMENT
STUDIES) THESIS
My Internship Highlights
- Youth engagement – motivational
brainstorming on education and community relations.
- Evidence-based health care approaches – especially
long-term Kwitanda projects.
- Promoting disability rights – through family and network collaboration. ♿️
Gratitude
I am deeply grateful to my family (#Amuna anga đ), my extended family, my
universityKarelia University of Applied
Sciences, and especially #karelia_sote_johtaminen.
A big zikomo kwambiri to the
incredible organizations and people I worked with in Malawi đđŒ
And finally, thanks to AI tools, which supported me
in writing and translating texts during my internship (EN-EN, FI–EN, EN–FI).
Final Words
If you are considering an internship abroad – just do
it! ✈️
If you are planning to do it in Malawi,
feel free to contact me. I’m happy to share my experience and support your
planning.
Nda pita,
Tanja
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keywords naturally included:
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