CanDo (Community Action Development Organisation) is a certified NPO founded in 1998 by people who had been involved in cooperation activities in East Africa. It values carrying out social development in fields such as education, health and the environment with the participation of local residents.
It now works in the Republic of Malawi in southern Africa. Since December 2023 it has been carrying out a three-year JICA Partnership Program project in four education zones of Palombe District, titled "Project to develop activities ensuring children's education, health and safety, based on life skills education." Selected parents at primary schools are trained to become parent leaders, who pass on what they learn in study sessions to other parents and villagers and propose plans for solving problems. Teachers also receive life skills training and work together with the parent leaders.
Before this, CanDo also worked in Kenya (ending in 2018). Based on the idea that local adults are the main actors, it puts residents gaining their own strengths at the center of its projects. At Global Festa JAPAN 2026 in October, it is exhibiting and introducing its life skills activities at a booth.
Key points
- Helps local adults gain the ability to protect children's education, health and safety
- A life skills education project combining parent leader training and teacher training (JICA Partnership Program)
- Building on its experience in Kenya, it has worked in Malawi since 2019
Why this organization's work stands out
A distinctive feature is that it does not rely only on outside support, but centers on local adults building their own ability to protect and raise children. Its careful way of running projects, with agreement built through informing residents beforehand, is also described.
You can read activity reports from Malawi in its archive and on the "CanDo news" blog. Ways to take part and donate are also provided, so those who are interested can easily find a way to get involved.
Editor's comment
The idea that the ability to protect children takes root among local adults gives a sense of the solidity of this work.
Its latest activity reports are on the official website. Please take a look.