Communities hail new public works programme
Communities in Traditional Authority(T/A) Chitekwele in Lilongwe have commended the Enhanced Public Works Programme(EPWP) being piloted in the district.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday during a media tour organised by National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC), Linthipe Catchment Area chairperson Ben Ndewele said the programme will help to restore vegetation in the area.
He said: “The area was affected by deforestation which resulted in loss of crops due to flooding.
“But through the project, community members have constructed swalleys and stone bands to hold running water in steep slopes.”
Ndewele also said the community has planted thousands of trees in the area.
In his remarks, NLGFC research and documentation officer Symon Lubanga said the programme is linked to sustainable livelihoods in the sense that after beneficiaries receive wages for doing public works,they are encouraged to form savings groups.
He said: “Each catchment area has 200 beneficiaries who work for 12 days a month and are paid K21 600 bi-monthly.
“Additionally, 4 000 beneficiaries are linked to sustainable livelihoods interventions to enhance their capacity in material and social asset creation.” The K3.5 billion EPWP pilot project is being facilitated by NLGFC with support from the World Bank and GIZ.
