The Chigodi community programme
The Chigodi community development programme is located in the
sub-traditional authority of Mazengera, located about 60km
southeast from Lilongwe, the capital city of Malawi. World Vision
reaches 80 villages with a total population of 20,000. World
Vision's partnership with Chigodi started in 2009 and is envisaged
to continue until 2024, when the community will be equipped with
the resources and skills to take ownership of its own development.
In the past year, significant progress was made in the current
focus areas of health and nutrition, and civil society
empowerment.
Issues covered: Health and nutrition, food
security, civil society empowerment.
Updates on World Vision's work
Health and nutrition
- World Vision is focusing on improving the health, nutrition and
food security of 5000 children and their families by 2015.
- Working together, the Chigodi community has made a wing of the
Msako health unit available for World Vision to use as an office
for its child well-being programmes. In return, World Vision is
helping with the renovation of the building and installing a
latrine.
Civil society empowerment
- To ensure the long-term success of development work in the
area, World Vision has launched the civil society empowerment
project to help build the capacity of local institutions and
households through training in skills like leadership and
management.
- 25 members of village development committees and
community-based organisations, and ten child monitors were educated
on child rights and protection to ensure the well-being of all
children
The Chigodi community is in the fourth year of its development
journey with World Vision.
Life on
the ground in Chigodi
Committed to transformation
Chigodi community members attend a
training session on the importance of co-operation with other
non-governmental organisations and government institutions to
achieve sustainable development.
To achieve long-lasting change in the Chigodi community, it is
vital to build the capacity of non-governmental organisations and
government institutions, as well as encouraging co-operation
between them. When World Vision arrived in Chigodi, the village
development committee was already working with other stakeholders
on development projects. To strengthen this collaboration, the
civil society empowerment project was formed with World Vision's
assistance.
In response, Kennedy Witman, secretary of the Msako village
development committee, said: "At a combined meeting, World Vision
learned that we were already working with stakeholders from
agriculture, health, forestry, education, community-based
organisations, support groups and women's savings groups to improve
our children's lives. Of course, there are gaps, but under the
civil society project, we are confident we can do more to improve
the well-being of our children. We are gaining more knowledge, and
we are working as partners. It seems we have the capacity for the
change we desire in this community."
Malawi at a glance
Malawians call their scenic, densely populated country the warm
heart of Africa. Their nation faces many challenges: HIV and AIDS,
a growing population, limited natural resources, drought and
environmental degradation.
