Starting from Home: Development of a Sustainable Parenting Education Program for Caregivers with Young Children in Rural Malawi

The purpose of this study was to design a community-based, needs-sensitive, and culturally appropriate parenting education program that is effective for rural Malawian caregivers. With the use of the five-stage model, qualitative methods and procedures were used for developing the program. The presented program emphasized securing sustainability and community empowerment by listening to the voices of Malawian mothers, community leaders, and Malawian facilitators who are also parents. In order to ensure the cultural appropriateness and feasibility of the program, contents were provided in both English and Chichewa, and utilized Malawian folklore, well-known Malawian songs, and children’s play during the home visit sessions. In the process of developing and implementing the parenting education program, Malawian caregivers’ prior knowledge, cultural assets, needs and wants were honored and actively reflected, in order to make the program locally relevant and meaningful.