The Zakwathu Project
Malawi’s first Cultural & Heritage Database
Welcome to Malawi’s first Culture & Heritage database…
The Zakwathu Project, meaning ‘from our land’, develops an inventory of the country’s heritage assets, comprising natural and cultural, with the primary aim of helping destination communities identify and interpret their local heritage for the development of sustainable community-based tourism products.
Supported through the United National Development Project
Blantyre & Surrounds
As Malawi emerges from the pandemic, this project develops innovative new products that meet the needs of domestic market segments, notably the rural youth and urban elite.
Mulanje & Thyolo
Through community based tourism we are committed to building local economies in Malawi by employing local people and creating sustainable growth through social enterprise, reducing aid dependency.
Zomba & Liwonde
Tourism is changing as a result of COVID-19. This project represents a unique opportunity to promote a more domestic and community based focus, where travellers' needs and desires swing towards a more forward thinking, responsible, purposeful and sustainable approach to regenerative & positive tourism offerings.
Lake Malawi - South
By developing bi-lateral partnerships with local communities we aim to build progressive, intelligent and socially driven travel programmes which offer forward thinking educational & business development opportunities with which to develop economically resilient community initiatives.
Liwonde & Dedza
By committing to powerful community-led partnerships, we increase economic resilience and grow tourism livelihoods through skills sharing, cross-business & cultural learning platforms for ongoing sustainable economic growth & development opportunities.
Well-managed tourism can drive sustainable development, especially in more socially and economically disadvantaged rural areas rich in heritage. Through its SUPER Hi 5 agenda, the Government of Malawi have identified heritage tourism as an innovative driver of sustainable development, empowering young people to engage with their heritage.
The Government’s tourism vision reflects its commitment to the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, especially through the first three pillars of its SUPERHi 5 Agenda:
- Servant leadership: Developing tourism in a way that meets the development needs of all Malawians
- United Malawi: Celebrating and showcasing the diverse heritage that together makes Malawi unique
- Prospering together: Ensuring that the benefits of the visitor economy are shared throughout Malawi.
This initiative is intended to create new opportunities through the development and expansion of heritage tourism.