CSOs embark on village project

The country’s civil society organisations (CSOs) plan to construct a multimillion complex to house all non-governmental organisations (NGOs) with the NGO board and Council for Non-Governmental Organizations of Malawi (Congoma) spearheading the project.

NGO Board chairperson Emily Banda confirmed the development in an interview yesterday, saying the idea was hatched by the NGOs at their last annual general meeting.

Banda said the working committee on the project has since come up with a number of fundraising events, including an NGO exhibition to be graced by President Peter Mutharika and a dinner dance later in the evening of the same day to be attended by Vice-President Saulos Chilima.

“We realised that the country’s NGOs play a crucial role in promoting development, good governance and other key areas, but are not easily accessible. So we hope the project will help bridge the gap that is there and empower the civil society by giving us our own premises,” she said.

Banda said the exhibition will feature works done by various NGOs in the country, but the corporate world will also be allowed to grace the occasion with exhibitions of their products.

“We are looking for support from the corporate world on both events. As you are aware, both the NGO board and Congoma, despite being formed by an Act of Parliament do not receive government subvention or benefit from any levies,” she said.

According to Banda, the NGOs have already acquired land for the project in Lilongwe and that they also plan to have similar structures in Mzuzu and Blantyre.

The country has over 500 registered NGOs and the NGO board is the regulatory body while Congoma coordinates the organisations.