Miles for Malawi 5K 2026

Imagine having to walk everywhere for your most basic needs. Walking to get water or firewood, walking to see a doctor or to go to school, walking to church or to visit your friends. That is the reality for people in rural Malawi. 

MILES FOR MALAWI is Pamoza's annual 5K fundraiser to support programs and services that help families in rural Malawi access the basic resources they need to thrive. Come out on Saturday, May 16th at 8:30am at Eastern University, PA. Walk or run with your family and friends on this beautiful campus. This is a rain or shine event!

The communities Pamoza serves have no running water, no electricity, and very few basic resources. Out of the 45,000 people in Pamoza's service area, fewer than 5 families have a car. That means nearly everyone walks. 

MILES FOR MALAWI connects people and their families in the U.S. with people and their families in Malawi by highlighting the distances people in Malawi have to walk for basic resources. Funds raised through the 5K help families in rural Malawi have enough to eat, support their children’s educational needs, get access to medical care, gain necessary skills to make a living, and have the opportunity to hear the Gospel from Pamoza staff who work individually with each family.

Your support offers families in rural Malawi:

• Scholarships for high school or college
• Economic opportunities to generate income
• Health care and medicine at our community clinic
• Agricultural training to grow enough food for all year
• Opportunities to learn about God through Christian outreach

Pamoza believes in a holistic approach to meet the needs of the families we serve. We not only tackle hunger and poverty; we also address spiritual transformation – helping people have a relationship with God and with each other.

Family Pack

If you are registering as a family, you can select the Family Pack at the bottom of the registration form for Multi-Person Pricing (maximum of 4 people).

Teams

If you are creating a team, you can do so during registration process.  Choose a team name.  Teams must consist of at least 10 people.  As a team leader, you can use discount code - TEAMCAP26 for a complementary ticket but you must then recruit 10 people who sign-up and join your team.

Registration

Early Bird registration is as follows - February 1 - March 1, 2026:

Free - ages 5 and under
$20 - ages 6 -18
$30 - Adults 

Registration increases March 2 - May 15, 2026:

Free - ages 5 and under
$30 - ages 6 -18
$40 - Adults 

 Please note: on-site registration will be an additional $10.

 

1. How far is a 5K?

A 5K is 3.1 miles. 

Did you know that 4 miles is the average distance someone in our community walks to get to the nearest high school?

2. Do I have to fundraise to participate?

The Miles for Malawi 5K is intended to raise funds for our programs so we invite you to become a fundraiser by personalizing your page, establishing a fundraising goal, and inviting your friends and family to donate to your 5K. When you register, you will be asked to create a simple fundraising page that you can share with your friends or even post on your Facebook. It’s easy and really goes a long way to helping us have a greater impact in Malawi.

3. If I want to fundraise but I’m not comfortable using my online page, can I do it offline?

Yes, you can fundraise offline. Once you register and create your race page, you have the option to raise money offline. Simply download, print and fill out this full page form or this half sheet version. When fundraising offline, your sponsors can pledge an amount and send it to Pamoza later or they can give you their pledge and you send it in to Pamoza. You can also have your sponsors donate on Venmo (search for pamoza-international), CashApp (search for $Pamoza), Zelle (search for twright@pamoza.org) or by check (make it out to Pamoza and mail to P.O. Box 23804, Philadelphia, PA 19143). Please ask your supporters to put your name plus 5K in the memo.

 4. What if I am not a runner or have never done a 5K before?

Since this is a walk or run event, you do not have to worry if you are not a runner. You can still participate by walking. Our Miles for Malawi event is a fun run/walk that is great for the whole family.

5. If I participated in the Pamoza 5K last year, do I have to create a new account?

You do not have to create a new account if you participated in our 5K last year. Just use your username (the e-mail you used to create an account last time) and password to log back in. You will be given the option to reset your password if you forgot. After logging in, remember to personalize your page. 

For the in-person 5K:

1. When and where will the 5K take place?

The event will take place on Saturday, May 16th, 2026 at Eastern university, 1300 Eagle Road, St. Davids, PA, 19087. We will congregate at the McInnis building. You can arrive as early as 08:00 am to check-in. Event starts at 08:30 am.

2. Can I register at the 5K event? 

Yes, you can register on site at the event but the registration cost will be $10 extra. So adults will pay $50 for on-site registration and kids will be $30 or $35 depending on their age.

3. Is parking available?

Yes, there is plenty of parking available at Eastern University, Please park by the McInnis building. 

4. Is this a rain or shine event or is there a rain date?

We hope to have good weather because this is a rain or shine event!

5. What is the 5K course like?

The 5K course we have planned will be mostly flat and paved and will be exclusively on Eastern University's campus. It's comfortable for walkers, runners, and even strollers. We will do two loops of the course. Click here to see a map of the campus with our planned course outlined in yellow. 

6. What should I do if I registered for the in-person 5K but now want to switch to the virtual event?

Please contact us at admin@pamoza.org to let us know of the change. We would like to provide you with your t-shirt, which you would have received at the actual event. Depending on when you contact us, you might not be able to receive your t-shirt until after the event. 

For the Virtual 5K

1. What is a virtual 5K?

A virtual 5k is a walk/run event that can be completed at your own convenience, with anyone, and anywhere instead of a typical 5K where you have to show up at one physical location at the same time. This is an ideal option for anyone who is not available for the in-person event or anyone who wants to take extra precautions against COVID or other illnesses.

2. When is the registration deadline?

Registration deadline for the virtual 5K is 11:59 PM on May 16, 2026. Our goal is to send shirts to all virtual participants before they plan to walk or run. We encourage you to put together a team to participate in the virtual event together. 

3. When will the virtual 5K take place?

You can complete your virtual 5K anytime before May 31, 2026. If you can, please take a photo of yourself wearing our 5K shirt while completing your virtual 5K and upload it on to our site. 

4. Do I have to walk/run all 3 miles at one time? 

If you are doing the virtual race, then you don’t have to walk/run all 3 miles at once. You can choose to split up the distance across different days. You can also choose to walk/run more than the 3 miles if you want to challenge yourself. 

5.  Do I have to report/track my results?

Reporting and tracking your results is optional, but we are asking all virtual participants to take a picture of themselves in their Pamoza shirt and upload it on our 5K site or e-mail it to admin@pamoza.org. If you would like to report your results, you can click the ‘results’ tab on our race website. There, you can report how long it took you to complete the 3 miles. If you don’t have a device for tracking your time and distance, you can use an app on your smartphone like Map My Run or Map My Fitness. 

6. What should I do if I am registered for the virtual 5K and would like to switch to the in-person event?

If you are registered for the virtual event and would like to switch to the in-person event, just send an e-mail to admin@pamoza.org. Switching events is not an issue as long as we know to expect you. Please make sure to bring the shirt you received in the mail. 

7. What do I do about my bib number? Do I need to wear my bib?

For in-person, you will be given a bib number at check-in. For virtual participants, it is not required.

We are looking for businesses, organizations, and individuals who would like to partner with us. We have event sponsorship opportunities ranging from $750 to $5000+ with benefits like complimentary registration, brand marketing, social media promotion, and other opportunities to connect with our audience. 

Click here to become a sponsor or complete the sponsorship form and send it to Temwa Wright twright@pamoza.org 

 

 

IN PERSON Miles for Malawi 5K 2026: Miles for Malawi T-Shirt

VIRTUAL Miles for Malawi 5K 2026: Miles for Malawi T-Shirt