FACE PRIORITISES ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE RESILIENCE

by: Chikumbutso Gasper Willard - 20|08|2024

Vertivar planting

In response to the devastating effects of Cyclone Anna, the Foundation for Active Civic Education (FACE), with financial backing from All We Can, Y Care International, and Ottoper Mille, launched a critical intervention in Group Village Headman Nyamjidu, Traditional Authority Mbenje, Nsanje District.

This initiative focused on planting trees and Vertiva grass along the banks of the Lalanje River to mitigate the severe impact of the cyclone and align with national and international frameworks, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Forest Act, and the Malawi 2063 national agenda.

This project was not merely a reaction to the cyclone’s aftermath but was driven by the residents of Group Village Headman Nyamjidu, who had suffered greatly from floods caused by the river's overflow. Recognizing the urgent need to protect their land and livelihoods, the community took proactive steps to plant 7,000 trees and bamboos along the Lalanje River.

This effort was strategically designed to control flooding, prevent soil erosion, and combat the formation of destructive gullies, aligning with the Environmental Management Act and the Forest Act, which emphasize the sustainable management and protection of natural resources.