Renowned and seasoned actor, playwright, marketer and passionate hiker Emmanuel Maliro has teamed up with his American wife Dr Susan Nambewe Brown to launch Mphukira Foundation which will advocate for awareness, prevention, detection and giving hope to people with kidney disease.
Maliro, currently based in the United States of America (USA) where he is receiving kidney treatment after realising that he was born with one kidney, said in an interview yesterday that Mphukira Foundation aims to help people understand what their kidneys do, recognize factors that can put kidney health at risk, take practical steps to protect themselves, and identify problems earlier – when there may be more opportunity to act.
“This means beginning in communities, not in hospitals and dialysis units. Kidney disease can progress for years without obvious symptoms. Conditions such as hypertension and diabetes can increase risk, while infections, some medicines and other exposures may also contribute to kidney injury. Yet awareness of kidney health remains limited, and access to testing and specialist care is uneven.”
“For Mphukira, the answer is not simply more information. It is information people can understand, trust and use. Knowledge should give people something they can do, if we help someone understand their risk, we also have a responsibility to help them understand what comes next. Hope is the possibility created by knowing sooner,” explained Maliro.
Giving an example of his own condition, Maliro said despite spending years telling stories, developing ideas and climbing some of Africa’s challenging mountains like Mount Kilimanjaro and Mount Mulanje and other peaks, often pushing himself physically, little did he know that another mountain was growing inside him.
“In 2023, I became critically ill and I was shocked to learn that I had been born with only one kidney. By the time I learned what was happening to my kidney, it was already too late. Many of the kidney patients I met also had little or no knowledge of kidney disease until they were diagnosed.”
“That left me with one big question: how many more people are walking around thinking everything is fine while their kidneys are slowly being damaged without them knowing? This is why together with my wife we have decided to launch Mphukira Foundation,” said Maliro.
Maliro’s wife, Dr Susan ‘Nambewe’ Brown, a healthcare professional, said kidney disease can affect anyone, which is why kidney health must become a conversation that goes beyond hospitals and health professionals.
“Kidney disease does not affect only the person sitting in the dialysis chair; it affects families and communities. Kidney health should therefore matter to all of us. We want parents talking to their children, churches talking to their congregations, schools talking to students, and communities talking to one another. Awareness does not have to begin in a hospital – it can begin with a simple conversation,” said Dr. Brown.
Maliro said Mphukira Foundation has already begun its awareness work through its social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn), sharing kidney-health information and encouraging people to learn about their kidneys, understand their risks and take action earlier.
He added that the awareness will expand in October through Climbing the Kidney Mountain Together — One Step at a Time, a Global Walk, Bike and Hike campaign bringing people together in Malawi and beyond around kidney health.
“Kidney disease can feel like a mountain, especially when you discover it late and do not know where to turn. But this is not a mountain anyone should have to climb alone, Mphukira is about climbing it together and helping people begin the journey before they reach the steepest part,” said Maliro.
He said people from different parts of the world have already confirmed their intention to participate in the October campaign, walking, biking, hiking and supporting kidney-health awareness from wherever they are and is inviting more people to join the movement.
