Chifundo UK is a registered charity in the UK, it was first registered in 2015.  It shares the same aim as Chanasa of empowering girls and women in Malawi and does this by supporting Chanasa through raising money, selling products, obtaining orders for products and raising awareness of the needs of women and girls in Malawi and of the textile industry worldwide.

Grants are applied for and donations are gratefuly received. Money is also raised by selling Chifundo and Chanasa Products. This happens when an illustrated talk is given sometimes with a fashion show and afterwards a sale of products and embellished clothing; having a stall at a Charity, Fair Trade or Sustainable event; or at a coffee morning or via the website. In the UK we are selling in FairTrade Shops in England, Scotland and Wales but orders tend to be small.

There is a Chifundo Women’s Sewing Group based in Chester which meets monthly (not August or December).  New ideas for making products are made as samples for use by the Chanasa Womens Enterprise together with products that cannot be made in Malawi.  Clothing is also embellished with African fabrics. (See list under How You can Help)

Women Making a Difference is a wider support group and includes the people who sew and friends of Chifundo.  They promote Chanasa and Chifundo products and events with advertising material, help to raise money by holding for example coffee mornings or events and modelling at fashion shows. They meet twice a year to hear about developments in Malawi and to share ideas for activities in the UK.