Our work
What we do — and why we do it
Sisi Ni works alongside refugees and host communities in and around Dzaleka to reduce barriers, strengthen local solutions, and respond with dignity when crisis strikes.
Our work is guided by a simple conviction: connection changes outcomes.
Research
Lowering barriers through evidence
Farming is one of the most reliable paths to food security and income in Malawi — but fertilizer is often the single greatest expense. For many families, its cost limits how much they can plant, or whether they can farm at all.
Sisi Ni is conducting a non-inferiority study comparing the use of human urine to traditional NPK fertilizer in maize production. If urine proves equally effective, it could significantly reduce production costs, allowing farmers to expand planting or redirect scarce resources toward growth rather than inputs.
This research is practical, locally grounded, and aimed at one outcome:
making farming more accessible to more people.
Innovation
Solutions shaped by lived experience
Innovation does not always begin in a lab. Often, it begins with what is already at hand.
In Dzaleka, young people create gurudumu balls — soccer balls made from discarded bags and old tire strings. They play with them, sell them, and use the proceeds to support teammates who arrive at practice without having eaten.
This is innovation rooted in necessity, cooperation, and care.
Sisi Ni looks for and supports this kind of ingenuity — solutions that emerge from within the community, use local materials, and strengthen shared resilience. These same principles guide our work on technologies like solar cooking, where the goal is not donation, but local production, maintenance, and ownership.
Innovation Projects
Solar Cooker
Locally manufacturable solar cookers reduce the need for firewood, helping families cook meals sustainably while protecting surrounding forests.
Movie Night
Community movie nights bring people together for shared storytelling, education, and connection in the evenings.
Motorbike Leasing
Motorbike leasing supports local entrepreneurs by providing access to transportation that can be used for delivery services and income generation.
Microloans
Capital that unlocks dignity and agency
Many refugees possess skills, trades, and entrepreneurial vision — but lack access to capital.
Sisi Ni provides crowd-sourced microloans to help individuals start or grow small businesses. These loans are designed to empower, not indebt, and are paired with local knowledge, accountability, and documentation.
Microloans may support:
- Small shops and market stalls
- Skilled trades and home-based enterprises
- Tools and materials needed to sustain a family
One loan applicant, a skilled woodworker and father of ten, seeks tools and materials that would allow him to work independently after losing mobility. His story reflects what we see repeatedly: capacity exists — access is what’s missing.
Crisis Support
Rapid response, guided by local insight
In a place where need is widespread, crisis still stands out.
Sisi Ni relies on trusted refugee agents within Dzaleka who are able to recognize acute situations — sudden illness, injury, displacement, or loss — and respond quickly. These agents assess needs, coordinate assistance, and document delivery with care and transparency.
Crisis support may include:
- Emergency medical assistance
- Food or shelter following sudden disruption
- Short-term aid during moments of acute vulnerability
This work is not about scale.
It is about timing, trust, and dignity.
Shared Initiatives
Working alongside Ubuntu
Sisi Ni does not work alone.
We collaborate closely with Fraternidade sem Fronteiras – Ubuntu Nation, a well-established and deeply respected organization operating in Dzaleka. Ubuntu brings experience, infrastructure, and long-term commitment; Sisi Ni brings partnership, storytelling, and support.
Together, we support initiatives such as:
- Education and school meal programs
- Livelihoods and vocational efforts
- Community-identified projects that respond to real needs
Ubuntu’s guiding principle — “I am because we are” — echoes our own: Sisi Ni Moja. We are one.
Our work is diverse, but its direction is singular:
To reduce distance, strengthen connection, and support people as they build their own futures.
We are action in motion
Secure Donation System
Our 501(c)3 tax exempt status makes us a charitable organization and donations are tax-deductible for most people.
Trusted financial institutions of Bank of America and Standard Bank of Malawi are used.
Community-Directed Initiatives
Our “boots on the ground” and close collaboration with Ubuntu Nation educate our focus for what is needed in the community and which initiatives may make the highest impact.
Research
Whenever possible we seek to collect data to validate our efforts in pilot-programs and then show the real-life effects of our efforts using scientific-methology.
Innovation
We seek innovations proven in other locations and test their feasibility for application at Dzaleka and in the surrounding community.
Who We Are
Our Research
Sisi Ni—“we are”—is more than a name. It’s a belief.
We believe that compassion and connection transcend borders.
Our mission is to foster human connection and mobilize resources to uplift underserved and displaced communities. We begin this journey in the Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Malawi, where thousands of families are rebuilding their lives with courage and resilience. Through educational content, digital storytelling, and community engagement, we connect people across continents.
By building partnerships and supporting initiatives in education, healthcare, food security, and economic development, we strive to transform the lives of both those who give and those who receive. We are committed to innovation in philanthropy and sustainable solutions—creating secure, transparent, and
forward-thinking pathways that empower communities today
while building a stronger tomorrow.
Community Connection
We are neighbors. We are one community
Building Relationships
Sisi Ni seeks to build relationships with local organizations, Malawi officials, and university researchers.
Supporting Local Needs
In addition to our focus on the needs of the refugees at Dzaleka, we recognize the needs of the poor in the local community. We commit to not be blind to the needs of the locals and include them in our efforts.
Shared Learning
We are committed to sharing the results of our research initiatives and innovation efforts with local Malawi officials and institutions for potential application in other areas of Malawi.