YONECO sensitises Malawi rural people on their right to development
Youth Net and Counseling (YONECO) has embarked on awareness campaigns in the districts of Phalombe and Zomba aiming at sensitizing the community members on their right to development through citizen participation and engagement using theatre for development.
The awareness campaign, which is conducted in the area of T /A Nkhumba, is being conducted with funding from Tilitonse.
The awareness campaign is also targeting Group Village Headmen like Namasoko, Manjalende, Nkhumba, Nyambalo, Mphonde, Bwanaisa, Kuchombe, Kaledzera and Chimenya.
According to YONECO Media Networking and Advocacy Officer Charles Banda since the awareness campaign started they have managed to train 20 community facilitators and animators from T/A Nkhumba, who will be responsible in responding to questions on the right to development
from the community.
“During the awareness there are performances that include traditional dances, drama, comedy and YONECO officers highlighting the aim of the project and responding to questions on the right to
development,” said Banda.
Banda also said their organisation is working together with Development Communication Trust (DCT) and Women’s Legal Resource Centre (WOLREC) under Umunthu partnerships on a project called
“Enhancing the Capacities of the Community Members to Demand Essential Public Services from Duty Bearers in two districts of Phalombe and Zomba”.
He said the goal of the project is that by 2014 rural people in Phalombe and Zomba districts are enjoying excellence and greater fairness of delivery of public services that shall ensure poverty
reduction.
“The purpose of the project is to empower the rural people to demand the promotion of efficiency and excellence in the delivery of public services,” he said.
The project is focusing on public services, education, economic empowerment and health in TA Mkumbira and Kumtumanje in Zomba and TA Nkhumba in Phalombe.
Banda said the target areas are currently having challenges in accessing quality health services and there are very few teachers hence the teacher pupil ration is very high.
He emphasasized that the Right to Development is enshrined in the Constitution in section 30 and it provides for ensuring the realization of the development of individual and collective human
beings.
He added that the State is under obligation to eradicate social injustices and adopt measures that aim at creating equality of opportunity of all in accessing basic social services such as education, health, water, food, shelter, employment and infrastructure.
The three organizations with funding from Tilitonse are advocating for the right to development of people at community level in the two targeted districts.
