World Vision Malawi projects successful in Mikolongwe

About 80 percent of World Vision Malawi (WVM) projects which they implemented at Mikolongwe area in Chiradzulu district from 1998 has been achieved, WVM, Mikolongwe Area Development Programme (ADP),boss Agness Kamanga said this to reporters.

World Vision Malawi started Mikolongwe ADP with support from World Vision New Zealand in 1998, according to Kamanga. The project has since completed.

“By then, the community was very poor and far much behind, worse than even some national indicators today,” she said.

Kamanga said they are delighted to have made a tremendous improvement in all the projects implemented in HIV and AIDS, Health and Nutrition, Food Security and Education.

She, however, challenged the community to make sure that they utilise the knowledge they gained in order for the projects to be sustained.

Key areas

Kamanga said HIV prevalence rates in Nayuchi were very high 15 years ago.

She further said through HIV/AIDs project, the organization has established 30 support groups and has totally removed discrimination and managed to reduce prevalence rate of HIV in the area.

Health and Nutrition

Kamanga also said drilling of boreholes has benefited the people of Chiwalo Village much better because cholera cases dropped quite significantly over the years to an extent that they recorded zero cases in the previous year.

He also elaborated that their organisation has been helping Health Centres in the community with Vitamin A and other immunizations that have ensured good health for children.

“We also introduced Growth Monitoring Volunteers. These are people that always went around monitoring children’s health and giving advice. They were trained by us and provided with working materials,”S he said.

Food Security

On food security, Kamanga said fifteen years ago, only 15 percent of Mikolongwe total population could produce food to keep them all year round unlike today, where he said things have changed for the better.

She said for instance through various irrigation schemes introduced across the community, through the promotion of the use and production of organic fertilizers, more households are food secure.

She said others benefiting through daily cows given on a pass-on-basis.

Cognitive of the droughts that mostly affect the community, the planting of drought resistant crops to serve as fall back resources was also introduced and promoted.

Kamanga concluded on food security by mentioning that farmers have also formed cooperatives in order to gain bargaining power in their trading of agricultural products from their community.

Education

In Education, WVM through Mikolongwe ADP constructed Primary School blocks at Malowa and also supported Namitambo Community Skills Development Centre with equipment used for Welding, Tailoring, and Carpentry.

Kamanga emphasized that all the constructed schools also benefited with the construction of toilets.

In her conclusion, Kamanga said the future looks bright for children of Mikolongwe as he commended the government, through Chiradzulu District Office for always being there.

“Without them, the journey would have been impossible, and nothing but a mere dream,” she said.

On another note, WVM also helped in the establishment of a Milk Bulking Group known as Chisomo where over 200 milk farmers are able to supply milk to.

“Farmers who are beneficiaries of pass on cow project are able to produce 25,000 litres of milk per month. Through this, farmers also accumulate over K2.5 million per month of which they share according to amounts of milk each of them supplied,” she said.

World Vision

World Vision is a global Christian relief, development and advocacy organisation dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice.

The organisation serves all people, regardless of religion, race, ethnicity, or gender.

“Everything we do has just one goal: the sustained well-being of children, especially the most vulnerable. We work with families, communities, and partners to ensure that children enjoy good health, are educated for life, experience the love of God and their neighbours, and are cared for, protected, and participating,”said Kamanga.

She said their fifteen years of working with People from Mikolongwe have brought moments that will forever be committed to memory by both the community and World Vision staff that interacted and interfaced with the people each passing day.

Since 1998, WVM has been operating in Sub Traditional Authority (STA) Mpunga in Chiladzulu where 94 villages have benefited with the organization’s projects.

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