Maloto Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Maloto, Inc. is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of some of the most vulnerable women and children in northern Malawi by feeding, educating and empowering. Maloto is rooted in the belief that, through access to education and economic development activities, women and children can improve their quality of life and lift themselves out of poverty. We accomplish this by providing financial and technical assistance to three effective local organizations: Kwithu Womens Group (aka Kwithu CBO), Mzuzu International Academy, and Kwithu Kitchen. Together, these organizations provide a continuum of services that can be accessed throughout a beneficiary's lifetime and also provide a holistic solution for health, educational, social and economic needs.Against this landscape, Maloto, meaning "dreams" in the local language, was formed in 2007 by a group of Malawians living in the United States in direct response to the specific challenges facing their communities in northern
- Income
- $1.4 million
- Spending
- $1.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 88%
- Reserves
- -0.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 3
- Volunteers
- 14
- Highest pay
- $92,000, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 43 out of 100. Higher than 18% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
5 of 20It owes 65% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 23% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1588% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 4 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 95 out of 100. Higher than 69% of charities in its peer group (education, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2514 of 15 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $1.2 million spent. In 2010, the 20 women associated with the Kwithu Womens Group, in conjunction with several Maloto Board Members, recognized that tomatoes, among the countrys most important natural resources, were not being well-utilized because of the existing agricultural systems limitations. The organization took an entrepreneurial approach to addressing the matter. Leaders of Kwithu Kitchen brought the women together with the Board Members and developed its first commercial product: a naturally preserved whole tomato product, called Garden Fresh Tomatoes. Responding to consumer demand, Kwithu Kitchen developed popular Chopped Tomato and Tomato Puree products.Since 2014, Kwithu Kitchen has built tomato and honey processing facilities and built relationships with more than 750 small-holder farmers and beekeepers. Kwithu Kitchen - ContinuedIn 2020, Kwithu Kitchen received government approval to begin selling honey products. KK quickly became the countrys largest honey processor and supplier (processing and selling more than 40 tons of honey annually). Kwithu Kitchens tomato and honey products can be found in all of the countrys major supermarket and hotel chains.The ultimate goal is to make Kwithu Kitchen a viable business, which would provide employment for up to 50 people and a means of regular income for 1,000 small-holder famers and beekeepers. A portion of Kwithu Kitchens sales is donated to the Kwithu Womens Group to support their programs (described above). MZUZU INTERNATIONAL ACADEMYIN 2003, MALOTOS FOUNDER, ANNA MSOWOYA, AND A GROUP OF LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS INNORTHERN MALAWI IDENTIFIED THE LACK OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES CREATED BY THECRITICAL SHORTAGE OF SECONDARY SCHOOLS AS ONE OF THE MOST URGENT CHALLENGES IN THEREGION: MALAWI HAS LOST A GENERATION TO HIV/AIDS AND CANNOT AFFORD TO LOSE ANOTHERGENERATION DUE TO A LACK OF EDUCATION. THEY RAISED OVER $600,000 AND, IN SEPTEMBEROF 2010, MZUZU INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY WAS OPENED WITH 35 STUDENTS THE FIRSTINTERNATIONALLY ACCREDITED SCHOOL IN NORTHERN MALAWI. IN 2013, MZUZU INTERNATIONALACADEMY EXPANDED TO INCLUDE AN INTERNATIONAL PRIMARY SCHOOL. CURRENTLY THERE ARE OVER 375 STUDENTS ATTENDING SCHOOL AT MZUZU ACADEMY. AT THIS TIME, MALOTO PROVIDES A SMALL ANNUAL OPERATING SUBSIDY TO MZUZU ACADEMY, WHICH IS PRIMARILY SUPPORTED BY TUITION AND BOARDING FEES. MALOTO PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS TO OVER 20 LOCAL VULNERABLE CHILDREN TO ATTEND MZUZU ACADEMY. MALOTO ALSO PROVIDES SOME FUNDING FOR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS AS NEEDED.
- Kwithu Womens Group (aka Kwithu CBO)Kwithu, which translated means "home", was formed in 2005 by an inspiring group of women who came together to provide assistance to the large number of orphans living in the outskirts of Mzuzu, Malawi even though they themselves had limited means. The Kwithu Orphan Feeding Program was originally conceived to provide hot meals to these orphaned children at a temporary, make-shift community center consisting of a dirt floor and a thatched roof. In 2010, Maloto provided funding for construction of a permanent building to replace this temporary shelter. This new structure has allowed the group to greatly expand its capacity and feed many more children. The feeding program now serves hot, nutritious meals to over 300 children three times a week. For many of these children, this is the most nutritious food they will receive all week. Kwithu is a dynamic, community-based organization and has greatly expanded its activities and its reach. In addition to the feeding program, the Group now operates a number of other initiatives for vulnerable children and families in the community, including:before- and after-school tutoring and recreation programs for over 270 children, an HIV/AIDS information and education service, which supports more than 60 HIV+ children and their families and conducts information and education campaigns in the broader community,an early childhood education program which provides two full-day learning programs for 60 children, ages 3-5 years, providing scholarships for over 70 local orphans and vulnerable children to attend local secondary schools and Malawian Universities, andthe development of income-generation projects for women in the community who often bear the burden of providing for their families alone.The Group also owns and operates its own garden, which not only provides food for the feeding program, but also produces excess produce that is sold in local markets and given to the neediest of families within the Group. KWITHU WOMENS GROUP (AKA KWITHU CBO)KWITHU, WHICH TRANSLATED MEANS "HOME", WAS FORMED IN 2005 BY AN INSPIRING GROUP OFWOMEN WHO CAME TOGETHER TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE LARGE NUMBER OF ORPHANS LIVINGIN THE OUTSKIRTS OF MZUZU, MALAWI EVEN THOUGH THEY THEMSELVES HAD LIMITED MEANS.THE KWITHU ORPHAN FEEDING PROGRAM WAS ORIGINALLY CONCEIVED TO PROVIDE HOT MEALS TOTHESE ORPHANED CHILDREN AT A TEMPORARY, MAKE-SHIFT COMMUNITY CENTER CONSISTING OF ADIRT FLOOR AND A THATCHED ROOF. IN 2010, MALOTO PROVIDED FUNDING FOR CONSTRUCTIONOF A PERMANENT BUILDING TO REPLACE THIS TEMPORARY SHELTER. THIS NEW STRUCTURE HASALLOWED THE GROUP TO GREATLY EXPAND ITS CAPACITY AND FEED MANY MORE CHILDREN. THEFEEDING PROGRAM NOW SERVES HOT, NUTRITIOUS MEALS TO OVER 300 CHILDREN THREE TIMES AWEEK. FOR MANY OF THESE CHILDREN, THIS IS THE MOST NUTRITIOUS FOOD THEY WILLRECEIVE ALL WEEK.KWITHU IS A DYNAMIC, COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATION AND HAS GREATLY EXPANDED ITSACTIVITIES AND ITS REACH. IN ADDITION TO THE FEEDING PROGRAM, THE GROUP NOWOPERATES A NUMBER OF OTHER INITIATIVES FOR VULNERABLE CHILDREN AND FAMILIES IN THECOMMUNITY, INCLUDING:BEFORE- AND AFTER-SCHOOL TUTORING AND RECREATION PROGRAMS FOR OVER 270CHILDREN,AN HIV/AIDS INFORMATION AND EDUCATION SERVICE, WHICH SUPPORTS MORE THAN 60HIV+ CHILDREN AND THEIR FAMILIES AND CONDUCTS INFORMATION AND EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS INTHE BROADER COMMUNITY,AN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION PROGRAM WHICH PROVIDES TWO FULL-DAY LEARNINGPROGRAMS FOR 60 CHILDREN, AGES 3-5 YEARS,PROVIDING SCHOLARSHIPS FOR OVER 70 LOCAL ORPHANS AND VULNERABLE CHILDREN TOATTEND LOCAL SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND MALAWIAN UNIVERSITIES, AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF INCOME-GENERATION PROJECTS FOR WOMEN IN THE COMMUNITY WHOOFTEN BEAR THE BURDEN OF PROVIDING FOR THEIR FAMILIES ALONE.THE GROUP ALSO OWNS AND OPERATES ITS OWN GARDEN, WHICH NOT ONLY PROVIDES FOOD FORTHE FEEDING PROGRAM, BUT ALSO PRODUCES EXCESS PRODUCE THAT IS SOLD IN LOCAL MARKETSAND GIVEN TO THE NEEDIEST OF FAMILIES WITHIN THE GROUP.
- Mzuzu International AcademyIn 2003, Malotos founder, Anna Msowoya, and a group of local community leaders in northern Malawi identified the lack of educational opportunities created by the critical shortage of secondary schools as one of the most urgent challenges in the region: Malawi has lost a generation to HIV/AIDS and cannot afford to lose another generation due to a lack of education. They raised over $600,000 and, in September of 2010, Mzuzu International Academy was opened with 35 students the first internationally accredited school in northern Malawi. In 2013, Mzuzu International Academy expanded to include an international primary school. Currently there are over 375 students attending school at Mzuzu Academy. At this time, Maloto provides a small annual operating subsidy to Mzuzu Academy, which is primarily supported by tuition and boarding fees. Maloto provides scholarships to over 20 local vulnerable children to attend Mzuzu Academy. Maloto also provides some funding for capital improvement projects as needed. IN 2010, THE 20 WOMEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE KWITHU WOMENS GROUP, IN CONJUNCTION WITHSEVERAL MALOTO BOARD MEMBERS, RECOGNIZED THAT TOMATOES, AMONG THE COUNTRYS MOSTIMPORTANT NATURAL RESOURCES, WERE NOT BEING WELL-UTILIZED BECAUSE OF THE EXISTINGAGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS LIMITATIONS. THE ORGANIZATION TOOK AN ENTREPRENEURIAL APPROACHTO ADDRESSING THE MATTER. LEADERS OF KWITHU KITCHEN BROUGHT THE WOMEN TOGETHER WITHTHE BOARD MEMBERS AND DEVELOPED ITS FIRST COMMERCIAL PRODUCT: A NATURALLY PRESERVEDWHOLE TOMATO PRODUCT, CALLED GARDEN FRESH TOMATOES. RESPONDING TO CONSUMER DEMAND,KWITHU KITCHEN DEVELOPED POPULAR CHOPPED TOMATO AND TOMATO PUREE PRODUCTS.SINCE 2014, KWITHU KITCHEN HAS BUILT TOMATO AND HONEY PROCESSING FACILITIES ANDBUILT RELATIONSHIPS WITH MORE THAN 750 SMALL-HOLDER FARMERS AND BEEKEEPERS.KWITHU KITCHEN - CONTINUEDIN 2020, KWITHU KITCHEN RECEIVED GOVERNMENT APPROVAL TO BEGIN SELLING HONEYPRODUCTS. KK QUICKLY BECAME THE COUNTRYS LARGEST HONEY PROCESSOR AND SUPPLIER(PROCESSING AND SELLING MORE THAN 40 TONS OF HONEY ANNUALLY). KWITHU KITCHENSTOMATO AND HONEY PRODUCTS CAN BE FOUND IN ALL OF THE COUNTRYS MAJOR SUPERMARKET ANDHOTEL CHAINS.THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO MAKE KWITHU KITCHEN A VIABLE BUSINESS, WHICH WOULD PROVIDEEMPLOYMENT FOR UP TO 50 PEOPLE AND A MEANS OF REGULAR INCOME FOR 1,000 SMALL-HOLDERFAMERS AND BEEKEEPERS. A PORTION OF KWITHU KITCHENS SALES IS DONATED TO THE KWITHUWOMENS GROUP TO SUPPORT THEIR PROGRAMS (DESCRIBED ABOVE).
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since October 2003.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
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