Malawi Water Services Improvement Project (MWASIP) has donated about K38 million to several groups as one way of motivating communities to get engaged in catchment conservation activities under Group Village Headman Chiyembekezo in Traditional Authority Nsamala in Balaka district.

Speaking during the presentation recently at Namikombe Primary School ground, Technical Team Member for MWASIP Oswald Mlenga said through the fund, called Community Environment Conservation Fund (CECF), the groups are expected to start some income generating activities to improve their livelihoods.

Some of the groups which benefited from the fund

“For this project we found that there are some areas where there is a lot of land degradation and even the poverty levels are very high and so for people to get encouraged in these activities we needed to introduce an incentive. We realized that the same community also relies on the same natural resources and for them to get immediate livelihood activities we had to introduce this fund so that people should have some income generating activities for their communities or households and by doing so, it prevents them from degrading the same natural resources or environment they are supposed to protect,” said Mlenga.

He expressed hope that the fund will be very effective and encouraged the beneficiaries to use it as a revolving fund as a village service loan and not just sharing the money as was the case with other districts the project is being implemented. He said the project targets 11,052 families under GVH Chiyembekezo.

“In other districts some communities would just share the money among themselves so this ended up not being sustainable but here we are hoping that it will perfectly work as the community has been enlightened about the importance of running it as a revolving fund,” he said.

During the event, the communities, which are grouped into what are called Village Level Action Plan (VLAP), the best performers received a cheque worth K4 million. Some of the activities which they are involved in include, manure and swale making, raising of tree seedlings and other land conservation initiatives.

The extension workers were also decorated as they received eight motorcycles to ease their mobility challenges.

 

The manure heap made by the groups

In his remarks, Council Chair for Balaka District Pharao Kambiri expressed excitement on the disbursement of the funds to the communities. He urged the groups to use the funds well to ensure that their lives are transformed.

Kambiri said the catchment conservation activities which the communities are engaged in are very important because they will help in boosting crop yields hence minimizing food insecurity issues.  

Principal Agricultural Officer for Balaka Flanson Chamanza said environmental conservation activities are very important as the district often experience drought. He, therefore, said such initiatives will help in averting effects of drought and boost farm harvest.