Watch the full documentary here. To learn more, join us at GLF Africa 2025: Innovate, Restore, Prosper on 19 June. This event is free to attend online.
“Let’s go, let’s go! The sun is about to rise!” said Leonard Chibwana, coordinator of the GLFx Lilongwe chapter in Malawi.
It was still dark as our small film crew packed up and followed him to the STEPA farm in the village of Kachule, located northeast of the capital near the shores of Lake Malawi.
The plan was to meet the farmers at first light – but the real story had already begun.
The rainy season hadn’t arrived. Again. In Malawi, climate uncertainty has become the norm, leaving farmers waiting, worrying and trying to adapt. But amid this challenge, a different narrative is unfolding: one of community-led restoration and resilience.
An estimated 80 percent of Malawi’s land is degraded, largely due to unsustainable agricultural practices and deforestation.
But as our new documentary, Drops of Hope, makes clear: restoration here is not just about planting trees. It’s about rebuilding ecosystems, yes – but also restoring knowledge, confidence and a sense of agency in the face of mounting climate stress.
Last September, we traveled to Malawi to document this work firsthand. For many of us, the story had previously been told through Zoom calls and emails. But being on the ground – meeting farmers, walking their fields, hearing their concerns – brought the stakes into sharp focus.
What stood out most was the power of knowledge. “Knowledge gives people confidence,” one farmer told us. Another spoke of how, even with scarce rainfall, they’ve learned to grow enough to feed their families – and sometimes more.
“Our lives have improved because we are able to keep the little food that we have. Even with little rain, we harvest more than we used to.”
These aren’t isolated efforts. They’re part of a growing network of farmers restoring their land together, generation by generation.
“This passing on, this interconnecting – that goes to the very fabric of society,” Chibwana reminded us. “It’s really what is going to make a landscape sustainable in the end.”
Drops of Hope captures this movement with clarity and care. It’s a reminder that the path to sustainability isn’t always technological or top-down. Often, it begins with people who know their land best – and who choose to restore it, one drop at a time.
We spoke with Ana Yi Soto, GLFx network coordinator and the driving force behind the initiative, to learn more about the story behind Drops of Hope.
We wanted to bring forward the voices often left out of global climate conversations. People like Mama Chiputu and Leonard Chibwana live restoration every day – not as a project, but as a way of life. Their knowledge and resilience offer lessons we can all learn from.
The documentary was also about shifting the narrative. Restoration doesn’t happen behind a desk. It happens in fields, on farms and through practices passed down over generations.
We hoped the film would be a call to action, but one rooted in empathy – to show the reality, not just the statistics, and to ask: what role can each of us play?
The biggest challenge was the rain – or the lack of it. We named the documentary Drops of Hope for a reason. Rain has become unpredictable, and for farmers, it’s everything.
We were hoping to film the moment when water filled the trenches dug by Mama Chiputu – a method farmers use to harvest and store rain. But the rains never came when we expected. When it finally arrived, it came with a cyclone, which made it impossible for us to film on site.
We delayed the launch just to include that moment, but in the end, nature had other plans.
One of the most striking moments came during a drive through the countryside. We passed through dry, degraded land – and then suddenly, a patch of vibrant green.
I asked if it had been planted or protected, and Leonard told me it was a sacred burial site. Because of that, no one touches the trees. It showed how tradition and respect for the land can be powerful tools for conservation.
We knew Mama Chiputu was a leader, but we didn’t realize the scale. One day, we saw her guiding over 50 farmers – mostly women – on how to prepare their fields. It was incredible. Women are often left out of restoration leadership, but here, they were clearly at the center.
We spent days chasing the sunrise. Anthony, our director, was determined to capture the golden hour – that soft morning light that adds emotion to every frame.
One teammate basically became our unofficial rooster, making sure no one slept in. I remember one morning, Mama Chiputu was cooking porridge for her kids. We were filming, but it was hard to stay focused with the smell of breakfast in the air.
Building a deeper connection with Mama Chiputu was one of the most meaningful parts. She truly embraced the process – gaining confidence in front of the camera and understanding the power of sharing her story.
There’s a moment in the film where she walks through town on her way to the STEPA farm. People paused – some watching from market stalls, others from inside homes – to see what was happening. But more than the cameras, they were watching her. It felt like the documentary helped her gain even more recognition within her own community.
The GLFx Lilongwe team was fantastic to work with, too. Leonard is the face many see, but there’s a whole team behind him: Dr. Steve from CASA, and dedicated youth leaders like Sungeni, Bernard, Mercy and Charity. Their coordination and community ties made everything possible.
This wasn’t a story told from the outside. It was built from the ground up, by people deeply rooted in the land. That’s what makes it powerful.
Living the experience is different from reading about it. I’m from Chepén, a valley in northern Peru that’s slowly drying up. Seeing similar struggles in Malawi, 10,000 kilometers, was deeply personal.
The film helped me reconnect with two essential elements: soil and water. Mama Chiputu and Leonard helped me understand their importance in a new way. For many families, access to these resources determines whether they stay or leave, survive or thrive.
Our entire team shared a sense of urgency, but also a responsibility to step back and let local voices lead. That’s what true ownership looks like.
My perspective didn’t change – it deepened. This film reminded me why local agency isn’t just a principle. It’s the path forward.
Finally…
…thank you for reading this story. Our mission is to make them freely accessible to everyone, no matter where they are.
We believe that lasting and impactful change starts with changing the way people think. That’s why we amplify the diverse voices the world needs to hear – from local restoration leaders to Indigenous communities and women who lead the way.
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