A K980 million development project Moyo Ngwathu is implementing in Lilongwe District has transformed access to education and other essential services in Traditional Authority (T/A) Mbwatalika.
The Water, Agriculture, Women Empowerment, Education and Hygiene (Waweh 4) project has seen Moyo Ngwathu construct classrooms, teachers’ houses and toilets at Chivuwo Primary School, drill 13 boreholes, support 660 farmers with irrigation equipment and inputs and establish a women’s skills development centre.
Lilongwe Rural West chief education Grace Gulura said on Monday that the interventions increased enrolment at Chivuwo from about 300 to 882 learners.
She said that the school previously lacked adequate classroom space, forcing children to learn under trees and in a church.
“The construction of the classroom blocks provided a conducive learning environment,” said Gulura.
She commended Moyo Ngwathu for complementing government’s efforts, saying partnerships with non-governmental organisations were critical because the government alone could not meet communities’ development needs.
Moyo Ngwathu chief executive officer Ringo Kanshulu said the organisation embarked on the project after identifying hunger, poverty, lack of clean water and inadequate learning facilities as some of the major challenges affecting communities in the area.
“Children were walking over five kilometres to access a full primary school and the distance affected their performance in school. Some children were dropping out of school and there were also cases of early marriages and teen pregnancies,” he said.
Lilongwe district water development officer Joshua Mpokwa urged communities to take ownership of the infrastructure and equipment provided through the project.
Group village head Kampango also commended Moyo Ngwathu, but called on government to introduce a school-feeding programme at Chivuwo Primary School to help address hunger among learners.
The organisation’s interventions are running with financial support from Germany-based Zikomo Foundation of Germany, ONG Oppen Hand for Malawi from Luxembourg and the Luxembourg Government.
