ASSESSING PUBLIC PERCEPTION ON EARLY WARNING SYSTEM: A CASE STUDY OF SEKENI I VILLAGE, CHIKWAWA

This study investigates public perceptions of early warning systems (EWS) in Sekeni I Village, a community in Malawi's flood-prone Chikwawa district in the south. EWS plays an important role in disaster preparedness and risk reduction; however, their effectiveness is heavily influenced by public awareness, trust, and responsiveness. The research takes a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data from household surveys with qualitative insights from focus group discussions. The findings show that, while there is widespread awareness of EWS, significant barriers to message dissemination and interpretation persist. Radios and local leaders emerged as the most reliable sources of early warnings. Previous flood experiences, trust in information sources, and social influence from family and friends are all important factors in determining community responses. Indigenous knowledge remains an important component of risk perception, despite being increasingly threatened by climate change. Based on these insights, the study recommends enhancing community engagement through regular training and drills, strengthening communication infrastructure, and promoting stakeholder collaborations. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of EWS perception in rural Malawi and offer practical recommendations for improving disaster resilience and adaptive capacity in similar contexts.