Nice for community empowerment

The National Initiative for Civic Education (Nice) Trust says empowering people from rural communities to demand social services from duty-bearers and service providers is key to developing the country.

Nice Trust regional civic education officer for Centre, Christopher Naphiyo, said this recently at Chagunda Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Kachindamoto in Dedza, observing that communities are wallowing in poverty due to lack of schools, boreholes and health facilities, among others.

Under citizen empowerment, Nice Trust envisages a world where communities own development instead of waiting for blessings of civil society organisations (CSOs) or their leaders.

Said Naphiyo: “Nice believes that lack of civic empowerment stagnates development. When communities are empowered, they are ready and eager to take initiatives that happen in their areas without necessarily waiting for someone to push them.

“This will then accrue many benefits as there is sustainable development trickling down to all the areas and this is paramount to the social and economic status of the country.”

Malawi Watch executive director Billy Banda noted that community empowerment enables people to gain control over certain things in their communities and people are able to make decisions that shape their lives.

“Where individuals are not empowered, community empowerment seeks to empower them with skills they need to effect change within communities and create social groups working for a common agenda. This translates to development,” he said. N