Development from within

For about half a century, Malawi has been implementing various development programmes to lift her people out of poverty. But why is poverty still prevalent? Some local people, as EPHRAIM NYONDOwrites, have finally discovered a development formula that could change Malawi forever.

Mchenga Village in Traditional Authority (T/A) Kachere, about 50 kilometers west of Dedza boma, is a typical impoverished Malawian village.

The story of its poverty begins with the road that links it to the boma. It is not just dusty. It is frighteningly narrow, bumpy and barely passable during the rainy season.

When you drive on the road, you cannot help but get disturbed by small, pathetic grass-thatched huts standing precariously along the road. This is what most people in the area call shelter.

The picture of pale youths in torn clothes, waving at vehicles as they pass by makes it even more disturbing. They are innocent—just children, a true image of God.

However, the tragedy of Mchenga’s poverty, just like it is the story with other villages across the country, is that the village sits on a land blessed with a million opportunities that lie unexploited. Its soil is dark, loam and fertile; its dambos are well watered by perennial rivers.

So why should Chrissie Khombe, a local of Mchenga Village, continue to wallow in poverty?

The question of how Malawi can empower rural people such as Khombe to exploit these unexploited opportunities for their betterment has been at the heart of the country’s development agenda since independence.

Malawi has imported many development theories with the objective of helping people in rural areas such as those in Mchenga to move out of poverty.

The results are there for all to see: The country remains one of the poorest in the world—with rural people like Khombe even failing to access transportation for their produce.

Is this not time to change development approach?

“I think for years we, the people in decision-making positions, have always been notorious in deciding and drawing the development map for local people.

“We have barely helped them to understand themselves so that they understand their potential and utilise it,” said Gift Mauluka, programmes for the Women’s Legal Resource Centre (Worlec).

The result of such an approach, added Mauluka, has been undermining local people’s capacity for self-help, leading them into a cycle of dependency.

In an attempt to change this, Worlec, with support from the Democracy Consolidation Programme (DCP), is implementing a project in Dedza, Mwanza and Neno aimed at instilling the spirit of self-help in communities.

“Through trainings, our aim is to make sure that these people understand that they have the right to development which they should demand from duty bearers. They should also understand the potential they have to develop themselves through defining what they want,” said Mauluka.

This approach, says Alice Gubudu—a local from Chinkhwita Village, located a kilometre from Mchenga—is helping a lot.

With 22 others from the village, Gubudu—after receiving training from Worlec which resulted in the formation of the Village Rights Committee (VRC)—began to look for the potential in their village.

Agriculture was the answer. However, the challenge is that much of the agriculture in the area is based on cash crops and is rain-fed.

“We thought about something different. Our area is far from the lake, so we thought about having dams so we can keep fish,” she said.

The only support the people received after presenting their idea to Worlec was linking them to the fisheries officer at the boma.

“After being trained in how to construct the dam, we took it upon ourselves with hoes, shovels and buckets.

“With us women providing sand and earth, men did the digging. Fortunately, a lot of people who are not members joined us. For a month, we managed to finish three dams,” said Gubudu.

Today, one of the dams is used for nursery and has about 4 000 fish. The famers expect to begin harvesting the fish in November this year.

“We already have a plan on how we will manage the cultivation, processing, marketing and banking of the money. Everyone is involved.

“The other good thing coming from the dams is that when LDF [Local Development Fund] projects come to the village, we are always incorporated as a shining example. So, this group is involved in training others, something that not only gives us pride but also helps the group to earn some money,” said Gubudu.

As the initiative puts money into the pockets of Gubudu and 22 others, Khombe, a member of Kasonda Group from Mchenga Village, will this month walk home K80 000 richer, an amount she has never had in the 38 years she has been on earth.

“Our group, after undergoing training, set up a village bank,” said Khombe.

A 34-member group—22 women and 12 men—most of the people in the group are local farmers while others are business-people.

The group began in May 2012, and by January this year, it had accumulated a staggering K2.4 million.

“We are sharing the money on September 18. I am getting K80 000 which I will use to pay for my children’s school fees and also buy fertiliser. The person who will get the biggest share will walk home with K120 000,” said Khombe.

In the current saving season, the group has already saved K600 000 which will be shared next year.

Testimonies of self-help initiatives championed by Worlec are endless. You hear them from Felidah Kachenga who lives in Chithonje Village in the district where locals, after sourcing funds from well-wishers and using their personal savings, are constructing a community-based care centre (CBCC) to spearhead early child education in their village.

They are stories you hear from Rodrick Baison, based in Chinkhwita Village in the district, whose group is engaged in goat keeping.

A year ago, the group of 26 members received 10 goats. After receiving two goats, Baison has four today. Everybody in the group now has at least a goat.

However, despite these strides, Mauluka said the main challenge is to get the farmers into direct contact with policy makers.

“As their initiatives grow, they will need good roads, schools, healthcare services and markets. Getting these services is a big challenge,” said Mauluka.

Beyond this, what the locals in Dedza are demonstrating is the resilience , optimism and industriousness that define millions others across Malawi.