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Community chairperson commends World Vision Esther Mkoko, 47, is an exceptional woman. She is the chairperson of Blantyre Urban ADP.
“The fact that a woman, like me, can operate as the chairperson of Blantyre Urban ADP is a testimony that World Vision has empowered women in this community. Men and women now work together in our development endeavours,” Esther says. The mother of five children recalls things were quite different when World Vision started its development programme in 1994. “The men tried to dominate the ground-breaking meetings, but World Vision put its foot down tactfully, demanding that women be given an equal share in the programme leadership,” she says. Esther says she and fellow committee members had their eyes opened through the series of leadership training sessions. “We soon realised women can also stand up and be counted, and we never looked back,” she says. Esther is happy that World Vision has been strategic in helping to curb violence and other anti-social behaviour in the area. She believes improving the quality of education in the city outskirts has also given youth a great future. Modern classrooms, the provision of school supplies and schoolbags have spurred the youth to work hard in school, while a vocational training centre has provided job skills. “By offering skills like welding, tailoring and knitting to boys and girls who dropped out of school, Blantyre Urban ADP has provided hope and capacity to our youth in this community to become useful citizens. Without these skills, I believe these youths could have joined the bandwagon of their frustrated and bitter peers indulging in unfortunate acts like fighting, theft and drunkenness,” Esther says. The communities of Ndirande and Nkolokoti are sure to remain well cared for in the hands of Esther and her colleagues, a legacy of World Vision’s work and the support of New Zealanders, like you. |
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