Watipaso Mzungu JNR
Over 3,000 employees of Project Hope Namibia-Malawi (PHN-MW), an organization implementing the Ana ndi a Chinyamata Patsogolo (ANAPA) project with funding from the United States Government (USG) through USAID-PEPFAR, have been left in financial distress following what they describe as unlawful and abrupt termination of their contracts.
The termination of their contracts in January 2025 followed a USG a stop work order, instructing PHN-MW to suspend, but not terminate, all project activities pending a review.
However, within just seven days of this communication, PHN-MW management rushed to terminate the contracts of more than 3,000 employees, retaining only a select few senior leadership team (SLT) members.
When questioned about the premature terminations, PHN-MW leadership allegedly claimed they “did not have money to pay staff,” despite the USG’s directive not instructing layoffs.
Shockingly, while lower-paid employees (some earning as little as MK 200,000 per month) were dismissed, highly paid executives, including the Chief of Party, who earns approximately MK21 million monthly, were retained.
Unpaid Salaries and Violation of Labour Laws
The terminated employees were promised payment up to 10th March 2025, yet they only received half their February salaries and nothing for March. Under Malawi’s labor laws, ex-staff should be paid within seven days of contract termination requirement PHN-MW has blatantly ignored.
Meanwhile, the SLT has allegedly confirmed that funds from the donor were yet to be deposited into PHN-MW’s accounts. However, when pressed about delayed payments, they continue to claim financial constraints. Suspicion is growing among staff that management may be prioritizing payments to suppliers, such as those providing hired vehicles, printers, and laptops, over settling rightful employee dues.
USG Reinstates Project, But PHN-MW Refuses to Rehire Staff
On 24th March 2025, the USG rescinded the stop work order, allowing all implementing partners, including Baylor, Lighthouse, Partners in Hope, and FHI360, to resume operations and reinstate staff. However, PHN-MW has refused to rehire its terminated employees, instead demanding they undergo fresh interviews, despite the fact that their initial dismissals were unjustified.
Silencing Dissent and Alleged Financial Mismanagement
Frustrated employees report that PHN-MW leadership has:
· Shut down official email communications
· Locked staff WhatsApp groups to avoid accountability
· Refused to address concerns during meetings
· Failed to remit pension contributions since December 2024
A Call for Action
The affected employees, many of whom are struggling to feed their family’s demand:
· Immediate payment of all outstanding salaries and benefits.
· Reinstatement of their contracts, as the USG has reinstated the project.
· A full audit into PHN-MW’s financial management, particularly regarding questionable expenditures on hired equipment.
“Where is the justice?” one former staff member lamented. “We were dismissed unlawfully, left unpaid, and now the project is back, yet we are still suffering while the leadership enjoys their full salaries.”
As this situation unfolds, Malawian labour authorities, USAID, and the US Embassy must intervene to ensure that the rights of these workers are protected. The affected employees deserve answers and restitution for what appears to be a gross violation of labour rights and ethical governance.