VOUCHERS - HOW IT WORKS

The Vouchers we have introduced on this page allow people abroad to buy specific gifts for their friends and relatives in Malawi.

It could be a meal or a night at a lodge or it could be some other gift.

You can buy these vouchers on the internet with a credit card or debit card or PayPal account and you name the person who is to receive the voucher. Once you have bought the voucher it is emailed to the recipient who can print the voucher and take it to the lodge or restaurant or shop that is named on the voucher.

The beauty of the vouchers is that it allows friends abroad to easily buy a specific gift for friends in Malawi without all the hassle of postage or bank transfers or flights. Of course, it also helps local Malawian businesses.

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What if I buy a voucher for a lodge and it is fully booked?
Buying a voucher does not remove the necessity for you to make a reservation. Typically the dates on the voucher will be very flexible so there should be nothing to worry about.

How do I know that the lodge, restaurant or shop will honour the voucher?
All the vouchers are based on agreements with the business named so they should be delighted that you or the person receiving your gift voucher is coming to them. In the extremely unlikely event that this does not happen then we will give you your money back in line with the terms and conditions.

Are the vouchers for specific amounts of money or are they for specific items or services?
We would hope to have a mix of different types of vouchers.

If the voucher is purchased in US$ then how is that used to purchase items or services priced in Malawi Kwacha?
Many lodges price their services in US$. However, for those that do not the agreement is that the voucher expressed in US$s is valid for the equivalent in Malawi Kwacha as measured by the National Bank of Malawi Cash Buy price on the day of the transaction. If the transaction takes place on a weekend then it is the Friday exchange rate that is applicable. See www.natbank.co.mw for details.

What if neither I nor the shop / lodge / restaurant know the exact foreign exchange rates on the day the voucher is used?
All of the people we are dealing with a reasonable and customer friendly. Most people will know the approximate going rate and will be happy to agree on that.

Can the vouchers only be used as gifts for others?
No, you can buy one for yourself and you may want to do that so you do not have to carry lots of cash with you.

What if the voucher is lost?
Let us know. The terms and conditions specified cover the possibility of difficult situations but just explain the circumstances to us and as long as you are reasonable and not trying to ‘game the system’ we will try to help out one way or another.

I would like to suggest a voucher that you do not offer. What can I do?
Contact both us and the lodge / restaurant / shop / etc. where you would like to purchase a voucher and suggest it. We want to increase the number of good quality and reliable businesses that we are helping and they may well be happy to receive more customers.

I have a business in Malawi. Can we offer a voucher through you?
Please get in touch. Due to the fact that that we only want to sell vouchers that we know to be value for money and of a high quality we will need to know enough about you to entrust the customers to you. If we make a bad recommendation it will reflect badly on us.

What happens if I buy a voucher and am not happy with the service or item received?
Let us know and tell us as much about it as possible but also see the terms and conditions. We only intend to work with those who are reliable and if they let the customers down we may have to discontinue our link with them so as to protect future customers and our own reputation.