Strategic plan

In 2021-23, the Scotland Malawi Partnership will:

  • Strengthen and coordinate its members’ links, through information, advice, events and forums
  • Inform and inspire the public about the people-to-people model of dignified partnership
  • Celebrate and support the next generation of young people leading the relationship
  • Influence others & represent members’ interests, ensuring continued public & political support
  • Develop its own organisation, increasing our impact, efficiency, governance and effectiveness.


For each of the above five objectives the 2021-23 Strategy outlines:

  • what the Partnership will continue to do,
  • what it will consolidate,
  • and where it will adapt, to ensure it can succeed through these changing and challenging time.
Strat plan image 2

In 2021-23, Scotland Malawi Partnership activities will coordinate, represent, support and develop the many dignified, two-way people-to-people links that unite Scotland and Malawi, and in so doing will help reduce poverty, improve wellbeing and increase social justice in both our nations, through our members’ work. We aim to foster links, consistent with our Partnership Principles, between our two nations, and encourage the advance of sustainable development in both our nations.

Theory of Change:

For a quick overview of our work and strategy, we recommend our Theory of Change. (See below or click here for full screen).

This online interactive document shows on a single webpage what the SMP is, how it is governed and managed, and how it relates with its sister network the Malawi Scotland Partnership (MaSP).

From the Theory of Change, by clicking the green ‘Play Presentation’ button in the bottom left-hand corner, and then the ‘next slide’ (right pointing arrow) button at the base of the screen, you can explore the different sections of the Theory of Change in greater detail. Many of the boxes of the Theory of Change have icons on the right-hand side of them, clicking these brings up the relevant webpage for further information.

Most significantly, the Theory of Change tracks:

Inputs > Strategic Goals > Activities > Outcomes > Impact

Each of the five strands has its own outcomes and, together, all these outcomes contribute to the overarching impact:

1) Increased NUMBER of Scotland-Malawi links

2) Increased EFFECTIVENESS of Scotland-Malawi links

3) Increased IMPACT of Scotland-Malawi links

…Leading to…

Improved lives, well-being and happiness of the people of Malawi and Scotland

This 2021-23 Strategy is informed by feedback from the SMP’s last full Strategic Plan (2017-20); the Partnership’s 2020-23 core funding agreement with the Scottish Government; and the unique set of circumstances over the last year, including the Covid-19 pandemic, the inspiring Black Lives Matter movement, and major changes in and with the Scottish, UK and Malawian governments and parliaments.

The SMP’s Covid-19 response activity was the overriding priority for 2020-21 which is why the Board decided to pause other Strategic outputs and condense this to a two-year strategy. We are keen to keep our strategic planning cycle co-terminus with our triennial Scottish Government core funding, so hope to return to three-year Strategic planning from 2023.