Building household resilience in the face of repeated shocks is crucial to achieving the development goals of low‑income countries. In this study, we examine the role of social protection programmes in enhancing household resilience in Malawi, using four rounds of the integrated household panel survey data. Using a resilience indicator based on the Resilience Index Measurement and Analysis methodology developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization, we show that shocks, such as the high costs of agricultural inputs, floods, and irregular rains, have a negative relationship with resilience. Improvements in education, engagement in self-employment activities, and household savings increase household resilience. However, coupon subsidies and cash transfers have an insignificant relationship with resilience, suggesting that they should be strengthened to improve their effectiveness through better targeting.