TRADITIONAL AUTHORITY MALEMIA COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT TRAINING UNLOCKS CORRIDORS OF SUCCESS

by: Chikumbutso Gasper Willard - 11|05|2023

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In September 2014, the people of Traditional Authority Malemia, represented by 60 members of Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) and support groups, embarked on a journey of self-discovery. During the Community Empowerment Training held at Nsanje Discovery Lodge, they went through the TREE process and did a SWOT analysis of their geographical, social, and economic spheres of life. The goal was to find ways to make headway in life, and with full support from the Nsanje district team, they identified an economic empowerment project that has created a lot of expectations among them.

The CBO members felt privileged to have the opportunity to start small-scale businesses, which is especially challenging for women due to lack of capital and skills. The project rollout has received community acceptance, and the CBO members are crucial in identifying the right beneficiaries and selection criteria needed for successful implementation.

Before the training, the facilitators conducted a training needs assessment and identified suitable training aids such as flip charts, pental markers, exercise books, and pens. The trainers received appropriate training and were knowledgeable about the TREE approach and local language, which was necessary to deliver the course content.

Trainees were selected based on their CBO position, activeness, passion for women's plight, and capacity to deliver the training materials. The beneficiaries at the meso level have shown a desire to support project implementation with no strings attached, and indigenous knowledge has proven to be very vital in project initiation.

The Community Empowerment Training at Nsanje Discovery Lodge was a huge success, unlocking corridors of success for the people of Traditional Authority Malemia. The economic empowerment project has provided hope and a chance to unveil human dignity without compromising with economic realities on livelihood systems.