Farmers association formed in Mulanje

By Elias Banda and Kapalepale Phiri.
An association embracing farmer interest groups in Traditional Authority Juma in Mulanje district has been formed with a mandate to represent farmer’s interests at district and national levels.
The association has an official name; Tagwirizina Small Holder Farmers Association (TASHFA) after its constitution was reviewed and adopted on June 14, 2013 at Namphungo.

The elected executuive committee

During the meeting, a fifteen member executive committee was elected and the elections were witnessed by Mulanje District Agribusiness Officer, Grant Tweya and agriculture extension officers from Kamwendo Extension Planning Area. Speaking during the function Mr Tweya said he was convinced that the association had followed necessary procedures and that he would help to facilitate further registration processes. He thanked ADRA Malawi through the Action for Social Change Program for facilitating the process.
According to the constitution, the main objective of the association is to find markets for seeds,  negotiate better prices and lobby for loans for farmers among other tasks that would lead to improved quality of life for farmers.

The constitution also indicates that it would mainly promote pigeon pea, sunflower, sorghum, soy beans, tomatoes and cotton.

Farmers dispalying their produce at Khwalala

A member of Mwawihe interest group who declined to be named said apart from finding lucrative markets for agriculture produce, the association would also defuse efforts of middle men who exploit farmers by imposing lower prices.
The association has embraced 8 interests groups with jurisdiction of 60 villages in Traditional Authority Juma with a total membership of 1, 129 members.  Meanwhile, female membership is 764.
The Action for Social Change Program is being support by Denmark to bring about individual and society change in Mulanje, Machinga, Mzuzu and Lilongwe districts. 

Water shortage causes high divorce rates- GVH Ngongondo

By Elias Banda
Group Village Head Ngogondo of Machinga has bemoaned   the increase of divorce cases in her area due to water shortage. The GVH said there was a strong link between water scarcity and fragile marriages because when  women spend more time fetching water, there was growing suspicion among men that their wives were cheating on them and based on the balance of probabilities, men always found grounds for divorce.
GVH Ngongondo said her indaba (village court) was flooded with divorce cases that were usually blended with hostility and suspicion among couples. The GVH said the number of divorced women was on the increase, hampering development efforts as single women were struggling to cope with prevailing economic challenges.

In extreme situations, people drink from rivers

A woman stressing a point during radio recording

Lukia John from Kamtetela Village said she was beaten twice by her husband on suspicion that she cheated on her husband when she spent 8 hours looking for safe water.  The matter was resolved after it was referred to the GVH indaba.
GVH Ngongondo said her area has 35 villages but with only two boreholes, forcing women to travel long distances looking for water. The few functional boreholes were characterized by long queues with women fighting for spaces.  In extreme situations women were forced to draw from open and unprotected wells where water was shared with animals and sometimes they found dead animals in the water.

Women learning how to be self reliant

Pishen Nampesya said it was a shame that nearly 50 years after Malawi got independence, people  in his area where still drinking in rivers and open wells.
But recently, ADRA Malawi facilitated recording of radio program where people used the platform to advocate for the provision of water by the government. During the community dialogue session that was recorded, community members engaged the duty bearer from the Department of Water Development to respond to the water challenge.
The Water Development Officer in the area, Bhahati Ngwiri pledged to report the mater to higher authorities for the provision of water facilities. However, chiefs asked for his contact number and his house for constant communication in case he failed to honor the pledge.
The recorded materials would be aired for the ADRA Malawi sponsored Zatonse Radio Program on the Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC).  Zatonse Radio Program is supported by Denmark through the Action for Social Change Program to amplify community advocacy voices to influence positive opinion from duty bearers and service providers at national level.

ADRA Malawi staff donate for Peke

By Stanley Mpasa
On Friday, October 19, 2012 a story was posted about Peke Mafuli of Phalombe District, a mother of three children, a girl and twin brothers who was abandoned by her husband due to her HIV status. Her relatives were helpless and she did not have enough energy to provide food for her children. Things started changing when a counselor trained by ADRA Malawi visited her and referred her to the clinic for medication. Since then, she has been on ARV treatment.
The story of Peke was shared by (Trainer of Trainers) TOT Manager, Stanley Mpasa during morning worship and he appealed for support. Since then, ADRA Malawi staff started mobilizing items including food, clothes and kitchen utensils.

Peke, center posing for a photograph with some of the donated items. Right to her is Friday Mwanakhu, the TOT counselor. 

On May 22, 2013, ADRA Malawi staff sent a representative to present items to Peke. Speaking after receiving the items, Peke thanked ADRA Malawi for the donation and for the psychosocial support that she said had changed her life.
The TOT counselors visit Peke on weekly rotational basis offering psychosocial support.
The TOT project is being supported by Sweden to bring about individual and society positive change in the wake of HIV/AIDS.

Salima DC, chiefs impressed with Tsogolo Labwino Project

Salima District Commissioner Charles Kalemba  was impressed with ADRA Malawi Tsogolo Labwino project activities during  a tour of projects in the district. The visit inspired chiefs and project beneficiaries in Traditional Kambwiri in the district.

The DC visited water facilities and village banking groups among other project activities supported by ADRA Australia. In his speech, Mr kalemba called on other organizations to emulate ADRA Malawi for its commitment to help the

One of the facilities visited.

needy.

Speaking earlier, Traditional Authority Kambwiri commended ADRA Malawi for transforming lives in his area. He however bemoaned the increased number of non -governmental organizations that existed only on paper. He said that out of 21 registered organizations, only 10 were helping people in his area including ADRA Malawi.

Commenting on the matter, the DC said his office would soon embark on the screening exercise to assess the impact of organizations in the district.

Speaking during the function, Tsogolo Labwino Project Manager Francis Zande thanked the DC for his visit. He also  thanked the community members for supporting project activities and called on chiefs to continue advocating for development activities in their villages.

Recently, ADRA Malawi handed over 4 boreholes to the community which would provide safe and portable water to over 1, 500 people. In April this year, 65 adult learners graduated from adult classes and currently, the project has over 250 adult learners attending classes.  Tsogolo Labwino Project is being supported by Australia to bring about individual and society change in Salima District.     

Village banking casts glimmer of hope in Machinga

By Elias Banda
Traditional music echoed as big speakers produced loud sound effects and women were clad in traditional chitenje regalia as the excitement was over pouring. And it seemed everybody failed to resist the temptation to dance.  This is how the event marking the ‘share out’ as it is called by the community could be described at Nkata Village in Machinga, where 41 village banking members mostly women, were sharing their bank shares. The members were from two groups and as their constitutions dictate, the banking group should not exceed 25 members.

GVH Nkunda presenting shares to one  of the members

The event takes place twice every year when   members unveil the total amount accumulated through shares and each member receives the dividend according to individual contribution. Each year, when the share out event comes into effect, there is always a new figure unveiled much higher than the previous one. Last year, the group shared out K259, 000 (about $681).
And this year 2013,  Nkata Village Bank accumulated K320,000 (about $842) and was publicly shared  at the  ceremony witnessed by chiefs and hundreds of village members. Before the sharing ceremony, Group Village Head Nkunda said that the event was a landmark activity which was set to reduce poverty and change the community in his area and appealed for more groups to be formed. He told the gathering that village banking had improved women esteem as it empowered them economically. He said that the dependency on marriage as means of survival has been reduced because women were becoming self reliant. He also commended ADRA Malawi for facilitating the establishment of village banking systems in his area.

women carrying gifts ready to exchange

Gedion Kachidowo, Government extension worker in the area echoed the chiefs’ remarks and said that through village banking, food security in the area has improved because instead of selling the food crops, people utilize the shares to buy domestic needs while maintaining the harvests for consumption. He said that the local banking system has improved the culture of saving.
Ndamilire Manesi, who got K26, 000 (about $68) and the largest share, was overwhelmed with joy and said she would use the money to meet her family needs. She said part of the money would be used for buying iron sheets for the house that she is building. She said that her life has changed since she joined the group in August 2012 because she was now economically self reliant and was able to sent her 3 children to school. She said she would save more in the next phase so that she would finish building the house.
Ndamilire also hinted that in wider village context, the village savings and loaning system has reduced prostitution and cheating among married women because they could now easily meet their needs.

According to Dyson Katete, Bank facilitator, their group has big plans. The immediate plan was to buy a maize mill that would help them reduce poverty as long lasting solution. He hinted that their expectation was to raise more than K500, 000 (about $1, 315)  by the end of this year. 

It was really difficult to resist temptation to dance

Apart from shares, village bank members raised K13, 000 (about $34) as an emergency fund in case one of the members fell sick or had a funeral. Apart from cash, members also exchanged gifts such plastic pails, cups and containers to empower each other materially.
ADRA Malawi through the Action for Social Program has built the capacity of bank members and in Machinga District, the program is supporting 9 functioning village banking groups.
The Action for Social Change Program is being supported by Denmark to bring about individual and society change in Machinga, Mulanje, Mzimba/Mzuzu and Lilongwe.

ADRA Malawi heightens KM activities

By Elias Banda
ADRA Malawi management has amplified its quest for setting up the knowledge management systems within the organization structures. Recently ADRA Malawi hosted the regional Action for Social Change (ASC) Program regional workshop at the Lake Shore District of Mangochi involving Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda, Zimbabwe, South Sudan and Malawi.
The 5-day workshop, facilitated by Denmark was a follow up of the initial knowledge management workshop held in Lilongwe in November, 2012.  One of the objectives of the workshop was for participating countries to share best practices and learn from each other.

KM session in progress at Nkopola Lodge

During the workshop, countries made presentations on their progress on KM activities and ADRA Rwanda seemed way ahead with already established electronic systems of knowledge sharing. And Zimbabwe, which has just joined the grouping, is yet to set the KM systems.
ADRA Malawi staff enjoyed the management buy-in for knowledge management by the presence of ADRA Malawi Country Director Claudio Sandoval and his Deputy Micheal Usi. Speaking during the official opening of the workshop, Claudio urged participants to utilize the opportunity to explore more ways of enhancing knowledge sharing for the organizations.

Participants enjoying boat ride on L.Malawi

Meanwhile, ADRA Malawi has already hatched KM plans which include planed project managers meetings and annual staff meetings as knowledge sharing platforms and also banking on the opportunity that ADRA Malawi has increased its internet accessibility and provided gadgets such cameras and computers to staff.
Plans are underway to set up a working KM task force which would ensure that knowledge is created and shared across the organization.
After the workshop,  participants got a rare treat during boat riding adventure to an island on Lake Malawi before enjoying a special dinner later in the evening.

65 adult learners graduate in Salima

ADRA Malawi through the Tsogolo Labwino Project has facilitated capacity building of 65 adult learners who are now able to read and write. The graduates received certificates at a colorful ceremony held at Traditional Authority Kambwiri in Salima District.
According to Shadreck Bandawo, Tsogolo Labwino Community Development Coordinator, the number of graduates was a big success considering that many students left the formal education 30 years ago, but were still eager to advance their skills  . He however bemoaned the low number of male students who were only 2 out of 65.
Speaking during the function, Traditional Authority kambwiri urged people in his area to enroll in adult school classes. He advised graduates to use the skills acquired meaningfully especially for the development of the area.

Graduates displaying their certificates

The graduating class started learning in July 2012 with the initial enrollment of 136 students and only 8 were men. The oldest graduate was Selina Eliya 70, who shared her joy when she received her certificate.
For women the reading and writing skills would help them raise their self esteem and give them the opportunity to participate or elected in decision making positions in community based organization structures that have high male domination.
Tsogolo Labwino Project is being supported by Australia to improve the quality of life for people of Salima.