Phuka Foundation is building Malawi's next generation of entrepreneurs — giving high school students four years of real business experience, the skills to navigate a hard economy, and a community of American mentors who believe in what's possible.
Most young Malawians never set foot in a secondary school classroom. Of the roughly 217,000 who do enroll in high school each year, nearly half won't make it to graduation.1,2 Of those who do graduate — around 113,000 — fewer than 1 in 8 will earn a university place.3
That leaves tens of thousands of capable, motivated young people with a diploma and almost no clear path forward. The formal economy adds only 30,000 new jobs a year — for 270,000 young people entering the workforce.4 And 9 in 10 jobs that do exist are informal: no stability, no benefits, no path up.5
The result is a generation losing momentum at exactly the moment it should be gaining it. Phuka's answer isn't charity. It's capability.
From first year of high school to launching a business — Phuka walks with students every step of the way.
A four-year after-school program where students gain hands-on business experience, one-on-one English mentoring with American volunteers, and academic support — all before they graduate.
See how it works →Where Academy graduates go from learning to building. Phuka provides seed capital and mentorship for graduates launching real businesses — including capital-intensive ventures most young Malawians couldn't access alone.
Learn more →Lilongwe is full of bright, motivated high schoolers — students with the drive to become leaders, professionals, and changemakers. What they often lack isn't ability or ambition. It's reps. Time to practice. Adults who listen and push back. Phuka exists to give them that space.
Read our story →Whether you want to mentor a student in English, donate to our programs, or explore a partnership — there's a place for you in Phuka's mission. You don't need to be in Lilongwe. You just need to show up.
Get involved →