Experts have translated the recently developed Early Warning System (EWS) mobile application into Chichewa.

This has been done to make the life-saving information more accessible to most Malawians. 

Developed by the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST), the App was between June 30 to July 3, 2025, subjected to an English to Chichewa translation by stakeholders.

Among others, the experts came from MUST, Optimum Team, UNDP, Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS), and Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA). 

Originally named Early Warning System App, the platform will now be known as Chenjezo 24/7, a name that reflects its core mission of alerting users to potential disasters at any time of day or night. 

The app will also now support both English and Chichewa, significantly reducing the language barrier for local users.

“We realized that for the app to be truly effective and serve all Malawians, it had to speak the language of the people,” said Steven Gondwe, Team Lead for the project. 

“During our community training sessions, many users requested a Chichewa version. This translation is a direct response to those needs, and we believe it will increase both the app’s usage and impact.”

Chenjezo 24/7 is part of a broader initiative by MUST and UNDP under a project funded by the European Union’s Directorate-General for Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid (DG-ECHO). 

The project aims to strengthen urban resilience in cities like Lilongwe and Mzuzu using tools like the City Resilience Action Planning (CityRAP) approach.

The app itself is a comprehensive disaster preparedness and response tool that sends real-time warnings via push notifications, SMS, WhatsApp, or email, alerting users to threats such as floods, storms, and other natural hazards. 

Beyond alerts, the app offers practical resources, including directions to the nearest evacuation sites, local emergency contact numbers, historical disaster information, a reporting portal for users to share incidents and a Chatbot to guide users through basic preparedness steps.