SIM Malawi

We long to see a witness to Christ’s love where He is least known in Malawi and beyond, disciples of Jesus expressing God’s love in their communities and Christ-centred churches among all peoples.

Baptism of a young woman in Malawi. Pic SIM photographer

Key Ministries

  • Bring the gospel to the Yao, Indian, and Asian communities in Malawi by making disciples and facilitating the formation of Christ-exalting churches.
  • Prepare church leaders to become disciple-makers with a passion for reaching those living and dying without Jesus.
  • Equip the church to help young people become disciples of Christ, and we train Malawian churches to use sport as an evangelism tool.
  • Disciple leaders to care holistically for the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of Malawi’s most vulnerable people, and we equip leaders to care for those who have experienced major emotional trauma.
  • Mobilise and equip the Malawian churches to send workers into communities where Christ is least known to share the good news of Christ.

Spiritual Landscape in Malawi

Around half the population would say they were Christian but Islam is making a big effort to draw people and mosques are being built in all the major population centres. There is still significant animism in rural areas.

Communities Where Christ is Least Known

The Yao

The approximately 1.7 million Yao who live in Malawi are 99 per cent Muslim. They combine their Muslim beliefs with traditional African religion, seeking to please their deceased ancestors and living in fear of curses.

SIM has been working among the Yao since the late 1980s, finding this people group resistant to Christian influence. In 2014, SIM, in partnership with the Bible Society, published the complete Bible in the Yao language.

SIM currently has two mission worker families church-planting among the Yao and a third couple preparing to join. The Namwera Yao Evangelical Church opened in 2019, and another church plant is in the village of Kazembe Mataka. Bible study groups meet regularly in 11 other villages. Yao believers are being discipled to reach their families and friends with the gospel. A Yao couple graduated from Bible college in October, 2023 and are leading the church in Namwera.

Land was purchased and is being developed for the church in Namwera to use as a mission base and for other outreach activities.

Contact SIM Malawi

Email: Connect@sim.org

Please pray

  • For God to penetrate the hearts of the Yao people and the Indian and Chinese diaspora peoples, and for the new believers to become courageous witnesses in their communities
  • For students and church leaders to live out the gospel and for the church to share the gospel with others in Malawi and beyond
  • For more young people to become disciples of Christ; that Sports Friends will enable more young people to hear the good news of the gospel
  • For workers and resources to care for the spiritual, physical, and emotional needs of Malawi’s most vulnerable populations and for the training of leaders to help those suffering from emotional trauma
  • For more Malawian mission workers to be sent out among the least-reached to declare the good news of Jesus

Latest stories from around SIM

Story/Testimony
02 July 2025

We’re pleased to announce the launch of our new SIM International website

Read more
Story/Testimony
27 June 2025

In southern Ecuador, Rachel Wilson is equipping local believers to follow Jesus deeply and disciple others through God’s Word.

Read more
Story/Testimony
24 June 2025

The Lord planted Sports Friends coach John Lufani, his wife Agness and their family of five in the heart of a community hostile to the good news.

Read more
Story/Testimony
Prospective Mission Worker 24 June 2025

In Zimbabwe, people living with HIV are finding hope and healing through the love of Jesus. Thanks to the work of Windows of Hope and the support of volunt...

Read more
Story/Testimony
24 June 2025

Rocio felt alone and unloved after her parents left when she was just seven. But through a Christian radio programme, she heard the message of Jesus and fo...

Read more
Story/Testimony
12 June 2025

New Zealander Sarah Scott Webb (SIM For Freedom) has been working closely with colleagues in the European Freedom Network (EFN) and the World Evangelical A...

Read more
Story/Testimony
12 June 2025

A simple car ride in Ecuador becomes a divine appointment to share the gospel.

Read more
Story/Testimony
12 June 2025

To say Pastor Michael* took an interesting route into Christian work would barely do justice to his astonishing story.

Read more
12 June 2025

Amy was given a golden opportunity to tell an Indian friend the true meaning of Christmas and she took it with both hands.

Read more
Story/Testimony
30 May 2025

Linda Pretorius has been serving soup and the love of Jesus for more than 25 years and is now making a major gospel impact among the Bushmen of Namibia, wh...

Read more
Story/Testimony
27 May 2025

Young mission worker Sara Hart’s ‘yes’ and the enthusiastic participation of Bolivian young people have led to a wonderful gospel puppet ...

Read more
Story/Testimony
27 May 2025

The crows perched on the trees all lean into the wind. The wind here is strong and incessant. We are on the edge of the desert in a Gabra region of norther...

Read more