Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Malawi Voice
Published on 2024-03-11 07:05:42
At least 500 women and girl-headed households from Group Village Headman Mkata in Blantyre rural will benefit from the Mkata Women Empowerment for Sustainable Development (MWESUDE) Project during this lean season. The project aims to increase annual household income through promoting diversified livelihoods such as poultry and piggery, as well as maize and vegetable production. It is being implemented by the Leadership Institute for Transparency and Accountability (LITA) with support from the Action African Giving Circle (AAGC).
LITA’s Executive Director, Goodwell Logeya, announced that AAGC will provide a start-up of $2500 to 20 households for training in animal and crop management to combat acute hunger in Malawi. The project is expected to reach 500 households over the next three years. The women will form groups of 4-5 members to enhance project participation, build community ties, and share knowledge gained from various trainings including leadership skills, entrepreneurship, and agricultural management.
Logeya called for more donors to partner with grassroots organizations in Malawi to implement integrated livelihood transformation projects to assist the over 70% of the population living below the poverty line of $1.90 per day. He emphasized the importance of sustainable socio-economic interventions to improve the lives of the poor in the country.
One beneficiary, 60-year-old Suzan Chimwala, expressed her joy at receiving support from LITA through the MWESUDE project. A widowed grandmother struggling with poverty and caring for four orphans, she now has hope for sustainable improvement in her livelihood. The project has provided her with a female pig, which she believes will make a significant positive impact on her life and that of her family.
Malawi is currently facing a hunger crisis due to climate change, slow economic growth from COVID-19, energy shortages, and poor policies. Almost 80% of Malawians rely on subsistence farming, which is becoming increasingly challenging due to climate change, affecting vulnerable groups such as women and children.
Another beneficiary, Linda Kachala, praised LITA for the pilot project and hopes that more women from other villages will benefit. Lucy Mleso, a divorced mother of three, expressed her satisfaction with the life-transforming project, highlighting the positive impact of receiving a female pig on her family’s income.
The AAGC, a group of compassionate women engaging in philanthropy to fund community development projects in Africa, focuses on supporting vulnerable women, children, and families. Action Africa, a giving circle, partners with grassroots organizations to help improve the lives of those struggling with extreme poverty, health issues, and limited access to education and food in African communities.
Read the original article on Malawi Voice
