Youth Initiative for Community Development has distributed pigs and rabbits to women groups and youth clubs from Traditional Authority (T/A) Kasumbu in Dedza District to improve their livelihoods.
The organisation’s programmes manager Chinsinsi Kalibwanji said they hope the 18 women groups and six youth clubs that received the animals will take care of them to benefit more as groups and individuals.
She said: “We have provided 10 rabbits to each of these six clubs and five pigs to each of the women groups; we believe that if they take care of them, they will get more profits.
“We want them to invest some of the proceeds in their savings and loans accounts to grow the income.”
Mkumphira Youth Club chairperson Alice Samalani said they will embrace good practices of taking care of rabbits.
“We will use the profits to buy either a sewing machine or rent land to cultivate crops to generate more income to transform our lives,” she said.
Tikondane Women Group member Teleza Joramu expressed excitement, saying their group plans to venture into serious farming using manure from the kraals.
She said: “Chemical fertilisers have destroyed soil fertility. We are always told that manure from pigs are powerful in restoring soil fertility.
“We also want to breed piglets and supply other farmers.”
Kasumbu Area Development Committee chairperson Edward Leckson commended the organisation for the initiative, saying women and young people were empowered to improve their livelihoods.
“This is a great initiative. Our women and youths will become economically independent from piggery and rabbit farming,” he said.
With funding from IM Swedish Development Partner, the organisation is implementing various interventions that seek to promote socio-economic justice in the district.
