GEWE Project flops in Mzimba
Stakeholders in Mzimba have rated the Gender Equality and Women Empowerment (GEWE) Project as a flop in the district, despite huge sums of money pumped into the three year programme.
The district stakeholders expressed the sentiments at a week-end meeting for district child protection committee organized by GEWE Project.
District Social Welfare Officer, Grace Mvula, said the project, implemented in the district by Ecumenical Counseling Centre (ECC) has flopped as not much has been done on the ground.
Mvula said despite a lot of money going to the programme supported by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), people of traditional authorities Mzukuzuku and Mzikubola, the project’s catchment areas, have not been assisted.
She said the rise in gender-based violence recorded in her office from the two catchment areas of the project attest to the program’s failure.
“GEWE has failed and probably is the worst implemented programme among all districts which benefited in Malawi.
“We wonder how this NGO was chosen to implement this project in Mzimba because they have proven they do not have capacity and not specialized in gender issues,” said Mvula.
The DSWO also wondered why the NGO thought to work in isolation, leaving out important partners such as the Police, child protection officers in the community, and even her own office (Social Welfare).
She further observed that had implementers of the project (ECC) worked and been transparent with all partners in the district, the project would have been a success.
However, the social welfare officer commended UNFPA for selecting Mzimba District to benefit from GEWE project despite the implementation having a lot of discrepancies on the ground.
On his part, Agricultural Gender Roles extension Support Services Officer, Owen Banda, queried ECC as to why they did not involve agricultural extension development officers during a goat pass-on programme introduced in the two traditional authorities of its operation.
He said the pass-on programme did not benefit the intended needy people as it was hijacked by members of Area Development Committees ADCs, which resulted in a lot of discrepancies and complaints from community members.
However, ECC Director, Kizito Chilunga, said GEWE project has reduced gender based violence, promoted girl child education and maternal and neonatal health services as well as empowering women groups with economic initiatives among others.
GEWE project is expected to phase out in June this year.
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I think it’s proper for both parties to understand what the project was meant to deliver than using the media as a means of airing frustrations, its not in order and not in good faith. The DSWO Mvula in future be proactive advise them in the course of implementation than at the end of the project – was that done? if it was done and ECC was adamant you can have let the council or DEC know. For ECC, in future make sure you involve all partners and that you brief them properly of the objectives of the project to… Read more »
Aphalire!
Iam sure if you were in my shoes you would have said just as I said or even more because it is not me or my children who suffer when such NGOs do that but the people who need services at grassroot level.The NGO did not deliver period. We are not talking about Allowances here but the IPs failure to do what they supposed to do. If it was Government, you would have said “cashgate” now its these, you insult and accuse us for being open and telling the truth…….Malawians those who doubt our cry, come here and prove. Thanks… Read more »
I thing this Mvula woman is very dull. She is supposed to know that some times increase in women coming to her office to report when their rights have been violated is a positive impact as it shows that more women have become aware of their rights and are no longer willing to suffer in silence. Which school did she go to. The major issue here is that she wanted to be pocketing allowances with her equally ineffective child protection workers. Typical of civil servants. This is why many NGOs do not go with you people during monitoring visits because… Read more »
Hhhmmm, to say the truth most NGOs rarely delivers but they are not disgraced as how you have disgrace this organisation because they know the system. if this NGO was “involving” govt staff , which literally means kuwagaila ma allowance, olo project itakanika, you could have endorsed it. another weakness of the evaluation is that you did not include proper tools of judging whether the project was a failure or not. increase in gender violence might can come as an externality even with implementation of the project.
Tiyeni ku kaya tikapange chitukuko osangoBisala mu Namiwawa,Ci,47,10 and NyambaDwe tiyeni tisiye pa Mansion tivaye kukaya chonde vinande imwe…..