Body bails vulnerable children in Dowa

Zoe Ministries, a charity, on Saturday distributed farm inputs to orphans and other vulnerable children in Dowa District.

The farm inputs, which included 700 bags of fertiliser and 533 packs of seeds worth over K20 million, were donated to communities in traditional authorities Chakhaza and Mponela in the district.

Before the exercise, the organisation trained the children in modern farming technologies and how to use the inputs appropriately.

The organisation’s programme facilitator MacLean Harawa said it was their objective to see orphans and vulnerable children become self-reliant.

“Vulnerable children are marginalised in communities.  So, we want to empower them to have food and be able to support others,” he said.

Harawa said they provided fertilisers and seeds because they are deemed unaffordable farm inputs to most vulnerable households.

“Through this programme, we used community members to identify beneficiaries.

“We also would like to ensure the programme’s sustainability,” he said.

Speaking in a separate interview, one of the beneficiaries, Mike Willy from Tithandizane Chimwaza Club, thanked the organisation for the donation.

“I did not have the means of getting farm inputs. The fertiliser and seeds will help to bring food to my family,” he said.

Another beneficiary Zione Maluwa commended the training, saying she will use the technologies this growing season.

“In this time of climate change, the new technologies will help us realise yield,” she said.

This year some people were left out in the Farm Input Subsidy Programme (Fisp).