By Horace Tebulo
DEDZA-(MaraviPost)-As part of ensuring that communities sustain different development activities that development partners are implementing in the country, World Relief Malawi has asked community structures in Dedza district to embrace ownership of projects.
World Relief field coordinator for Dedza district Enala Kilembe said this whilst giving an account of a Child Development and Protection project that organization is implementing in the area of Senior Chief Kaphuka in the district.
Kilembe hailed church networks in the district on the positive role they are playing in sensitizing communities on the need to own developments in their areas.
“As World Relief, we work with churches and through their networks we have seen that they are crucial in ensuring that communities are vibrant on development issues,” she said.
She added that chiefs have welcomed the initiative as they are providing land for backyard gardens which she observed has improved participation among learners.
“One of the challenges we noted is that most children go to school without eating. We are grateful to our chiefs who have responded positively to our intervention by providing land for backyard gardens which are assisting learners in ECD centers,” said Kilembe.
She however beamoned dependency syndrome among communities which she observed that is killing a number of projects in the district.
The project which is being implemented in, Traditional Authority (T.A) Kaphuka is among others fighting malnutrition among children in Early Childhood Centres by among others ensuring that the learning centres have backyard gardens to provide food for the children.
