After having been intensly involved in the community of Enyezini and having met many people, from higher to lower placed, richer and poorer, we, as Honour 2 Life Foundation, (H2L) have seen how hard people work, how people wish to improve their livelihoods and how ready the people of Enyezini are to embrace new thoughts.
We have come to the conclusion that the best and most efficient way to advance the whole community of Enyezini in a sustainable way is by:
1. PROVISION of CREDITS
2. FAMILY PLANNING
3. EDUCATION
The idea is that the community supports itself by its own means once the effect of the credits are being noticed.
The capital of the credits are to be re-disbursed into the community, the 30% interests paid are to be used for the welfare of the community as a whole.
FOR THE COMMUNITY, BY THE COMMUNITY
Please buy goods from your own community rather than from Mzuzu or elsewhere.
Principle of Credits:
* Within structure of VSL.
* VSL as a whole is responsible
* Max. k100,000 per person
* Widowers with children can apply if accepted in VSL
* Not more than 1 credit per person in the family at the time @ 30% interest.
* To be repaid in 5 instalments after 1 month grace period
* VSL’s with child(ren) at VTC or CDSS are favoured.
* Credits to be disbursed only after training.
– Individuals, men or women, can also apply for credit. Person must be well respected, of proven good behaviour and character with integrity. Each case to be considered and assessed individually.
– 2 credits within 1 family is not favourable, but not impossible. To be assessed individually. Into account will be taken if there is already a member in a disbursed VSL.
The interest paid is to be used for the schools of the community for the first 3 years as follows:
a committee is to be formed consisting of 2 people from each school (nursery, 3 primary, VTC and CDSS) who together decide how to spend the monies for the benefit of the children. Present at meetings, for advice only, should be extension worker, village chief(s), H2L representative. These people are not intended to control the meetings but for accurate, first hand information gathering. Only the committee members have voting rights. If so wished, the committee can ask a non-voting person present, to chair the meetings to ensure that all and every member can speak its thoughts.
Minutes of each meeting are to be displayed in the village in Tumbuka.
Education:
private NURSERY SCHOOL:
to be set up with 2 teachers, to be trained at expense of H2L. Community to provide school building and teacher housing
public PRIMARY SCHOOLS (3 in catchment area of Enyezini):
* Enyezini school (850 – 900 learners)
* Phutula school (500 learners)
* Chinthuli school (to be reopened)
private VTC:
– H2L to assist in making material available to finish school building
– students learn practical skills by producing goods serving the community or by meeting needs of individuals
– curriculum to include entrepreneurship as an important subject
– teacher training forms available
– school fees for orphans are available but the need for fees, food, schoolbag, uniform, shoes are to be assessed individually.
– assess if theoretical classes are to be followed at CDSS or for teacher to teach at VTC
public CDSS:
– teacher training forms are available
– school fees for orphans possible. Food, schoolbag, uniform, shoes, to be assessed individually
– stop CDSS new students support
– assess if practical classes are to be followed at VTC
COLLEGE. H2L to:
– sponsor 3 nurses education fees after signing a bond that they will be practicing at Enyezini
– sponsor 1 vetenary education fees with bond
– sponsor 1 community sciences student with bond
– continue with Masozi Nkhambule and Bright Soko, if performing well
Involve CDSS and VTC leavers in community work, for instance as assist-teachers in nursery and primary schools, village cleaning, help the elderly, or other community work. A suggestion was made to create (an) association(s) of school leavers so as for them to remain active in the community. CDSS and VTC teachers and students are to define and initiate this (these) association(s).
FAMILY PLANNING
H2L will make k1 million available for training (village based and door to door) and facilities.
The current health committee is to be reviewed regarding its effectiveness. Appropriate actions will be taken by the ADC.
Enyezini and its catchment area are to work closely with Ekwendini Mission Hospital and Matuli hospital.
As soon as possible, after receiving funds the community/VTC is to complete the nurse’s house next to the clinic and apply for permanent medical assistance from Ekwendini.
H2L will provide funds for 2 communities in the catchment area to receive a bicycle to take sick people to hospital. Bikes can also be used for other community services. In the village of Enyezini there is already a bike in use to supervise VSLs and is also to be used for transporting sick people.
Agriculture :
– H2L has provided credit of seeds which were to be repaid with double the seeds given.
Due to unfortunate drought conditions this year, there are farmers who cannot repay their credit.
If impossible to repay due to crop failure (to be checked as soon as possible by H2L and Research), only the initial amount of seeds needs to be repaid after next harvest. H2L has asked the seed company if affected farmers will be allowed to buy seeds at same price next season as the company buys from them now.
– Possible to take out new loan
– lead farmers to be trained to switch from chemical fertiliser to organic farming with compost and manure.
– lead farmers must teach and follow up all other farmers in their neighbourhood
– existing pass on goats programme is to continue
– no new goats to be sponsored
– VSL wishing to keep chickens, rabbits or guinea pigs will be favoured, after training
Environment:
– tree nursery has started at Agnes’ place.
*When bricks are being burnt, the price of 15 tree seedlings must be given to the tree nursery. She takes care of the seedlings until planting time. Then she presents them to the buyer for him to replant them where he has taken them from. The buyer will ensure that the seedlings are well protected from animals and properly watered to grow the seedlings into mature trees again. If seedlings die, buyer will replant new seedlings.
*Agnes has received moringa seeds and some starting money to grow moringa plants for each household. Just before the rainy season, a village training on moringa and its health benefits will be given and each household present will receive a moringa plant.
– More tree nurseries should be considered. For seeds we would advise ‘Wells for Zoë’ at Mzuzu. Sangusangu seeds are often available there or they can get it for you.
– plant trees and shrubs as much as possible in and around the villages for shelter from sun and rain, for beauty and for improving the micro climate.
– agro forestry: plant eucalyptus trees (Blue gums – fast growing, good timber wood, good charcoal) in specific plots. Ensure their distance from fields to be at least 50 meters because eucalyptus dries out the soil.
– 3 water bore holes are under investigation. It is yet to be researched if a water pipe system from the abundant well at CDSS to the centre of the village is not more favourable.
H2L representative is to move from Lilongwe to Mzuzu and will be present in the village at least once a week to answer and discuss questions people may have on any subject people feel H2L should know about. Please feel free to talk to him.
The women from the community will choose a woman, with the agreement of village heads, to assist with womens issues in which they feel H2L can assist them with.
Future dreams:
– set up village based trainings on:
* family planning
* moringa benefits
* fire wood saving stoves and making them available at the training.
* (re)training on credits
* agriculture
* livestock keeping and animal health (Milla)
* baking, hygene at the home, healthy cooking, clever housekeeping, etc by
Lexa Harrison, if food and accomm. is available.
* baby- and child care
* sewing of reusable sanitary towels (Wells for Zoë can assist)
* etc. suggestions welcomed
– H2L to (partly) sponsor:
* likuni phala in (all?) schools
– revamp clinic
– solar panels, drip chargers and batteries for computing, lighting at night, house hold
appliances
– chlorine water bottle lights during day (to provide December)
– water bore holes / water pipe system
– VIP latrines
* health paste production (ground nuts, moringa, millet, soya).
Enyezini’s first sustainable factory!!?
– find MBOpartner school, student exchange village based
– find compatible (Pentecostal) church to partner with.
– fruit conservation (mangoes, tomatoes, bananas, other??)
– police presence
– waste control
– look into village cooling clay pots
In few years time: we hope and pray that the community will have reached such a level of wealth that a village health insurance system and a social fund for the community, paid by the community can be realised.
Corruption is, unfortunately, a well known issue in Malawi and greatly hampering its progress. If there is a greater level of transparancy, there are no secrets anymore and all things concerning the community are known by all.
We would like to advise that minutes of all meetings that affect the community are publicly displayed for everybody to read.
H2L is to provide a cute prize for each school that organises a game for the betterment of the school fields, paths, gardens and erosion reduction. These prizes will be handed out when Astrid/Nyabanda returns in December 2018, God willing, or else by H2L representative.
May God bless us all in creating a community as He wants it to be: loving Him and His Son, loving each other, caring for each other and being responsible for each other, with good stewardship of His creation.