Digital first · Community led · Malawi

Every book opens another world.

Discover books, read freely and share the joy of reading. Tiyeni tiwelenge.

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Books connect us

Read together. Pass a book forward.

Find your next read with the community, or offer books from your shelf.

Digital reading community

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Ask fellow readers for a recommendation or a lawful source for a book.

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Physical book offers

Donate books without a long form

Tell us how many books you can offer and your area. We’ll discuss possible collection on WhatsApp.

Offer physical books →Future school and prison distributions depend on collection plans and permissions.

Explore Malawian languages

Malawi's languages matter

Find stories in your language.

Choose a language at the top of the page. We'll help you look for books in that language here on ReadMalawi. We add translated books only after their permissions and wording have been checked.

English

Learn one little story.

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A short ReadMalawi story sample

On her way home, Chisomo found a book near the market.

English — original

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Languages are for everyone 🌍

We welcome Chichewa, Chitumbuka, Chiyao, Chilomwe, Chisena, Chitonga, English and other world languages.

Some languages may have few or no books yet. Help us grow through original writing and legally licensed translations.

Quality promise: Translations are checked by people fluent in the language before publication.

Try a short reading activity

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Your first five-minute reading challenge

This is an original, fictional practice story written for the ReadMalawi starter website — not a report of an actual donation.

Day 1 · Sample lesson

A little reading, every day.

Short, enjoyable activities are a practical way to reconnect a quiet reading community. This starter exercise runs entirely in your browser.

Your result:

No attempt yet.

Short story · Fiction

The Book on the Bench

On her way home, Chisomo noticed a book lying on a bench near the market. Inside the front cover was a message: “Please read me, then pass me on.”

She opened the book and found a story about a young girl who loved solving difficult problems. Chisomo read a few pages while waiting for her friend. Soon, she was so interested that she forgot about the noisy market around her.

That evening, Chisomo told her younger brother about the story. He asked whether he could read it too. They agreed to take turns, then return the book to the bench with a new note inviting another reader to enjoy it.

Question: Why did Chisomo and her brother agree to return the book?

Keep learning

More than a bookshelf.

Explore reading activities, study tools and learning programme enquiries.

Explore Learning Partner with ReadMalawi

Our story & founder

Our story

A love of books. A bigger dream.

ReadMalawi began with a simple idea: more people in Malawi should have the chance to enjoy reading.

From an idea to a reading community

In 2019, The Nation reported on a proposed ReadMalawi initiative and discussions with Malawian writer and historian DD Phiri.

Since then, ReadMalawi's practical activity has been sharing digital books in a WhatsApp reading group. The next goal is a welcoming, multilingual online library. Distributing physical books to schools and prisons is a future ambition, not a completed project.

Community initiative · Not yet a registered NGO

Portrait to be added

Meet the founder

Jones Nalikungwi

Founder, ReadMalawi · Malawi

Jones Nalikungwi is a Malawi-based digital professional and the founder of ReadMalawi. He believes reading should be easy to discover and enjoy, whatever a person's age or preferred language.

His vision is to grow ReadMalawi from a digital book-sharing community into a trusted reading space for Malawi, with more stories and learning materials available in local languages and, in time, book-access partnerships for underserved communities.

In June 2019, The Nation reported on Jones’s discussions with the late Malawian author and historian DD Phiri about the proposed book-sharing initiative. The article documents the early vision, rather than a completed book-distribution programme.

In the news: “DD Phiri reading project in offing” — The Nation, 12 June 2019 ↗

“Tiyeni tiwelenge” — Let's read.

Questions about ReadMalawi

Quick answers

Good to know.

Can I read for free?

Yes. You can read original ReadMalawi stories and approved library books online at no charge. Other contributed books appear only after permission checks.

How do I talk about a book?

Choose a title in the library and tap “Discuss this book.” Comments require email sign-in and librarian approval.

How can I offer physical books?

Tell us the number of books and your general area using Give physical books. Collection is discussed on WhatsApp.

Can I learn in Chichewa or another language?

You can choose your preferred language to search for books. Local-language titles are added as permissions and translations are reviewed.

Does ReadMalawi offer AI learning?

Our guided Reading Buddy and browser-only Smart Study Sprint are available today. A more advanced AI coach and commissioned learning workshops are in development or available for pilot enquiries. Explore the Learning & AI Lab.

Can I support ReadMalawi?

Visit Partners to send an enquiry. ReadMalawi is not yet registered as an NGO or charity, and payments and subscriptions are not active.