What does it take for you to see the doctor? In Malawi, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are still relatively new. Limited access, low investment and long distances contrast dramatically with the healthcare provided in high-income countries.

NCD advocates Chikhu Ng’ombe and Samuel Kumwanje are raising their voices and building networks to help people living with NCDs access the diagnosis, treatment and care they need.

Chikhu, a cancer survivor living with epilepsy, made it his life’s purpose to run peer-driven support organisations for people living with NCDs in Malawi. Living with kidney failure for decades, Samuel takes us through his intense daily journey to get dialysis from one of the country’s far-too-few machines.

Despite these immense obstacles, Chikhu and Samuel work tirelessly with the government through their CSOs to advocate for health for all. Their stories demonstrate the power of speaking up and sitting at the table together to ensure no one living with an NCD faces these challenges alone.