CS-EPWP catalyst for rural livelihood transformation
By Loness Gwazanga
Blantyre, Mana: Some beneficiaries in the just launched Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-PWP) have commended government for the programme saying it will transform their livelihoods for the better.
Beneficiaries will receive K1200 per day after working for 24 days in two months, with additional ten free working days of community participation.
In an interview A 71 year old beneficiary, Filesi Chaweza from Kajombo catchment in Blantyre said on Friday that being a jobless single mother with three orphaned grandchildren was no easy task adding the project was her only hope to ensure that all her dependents had at least a basic life.
“My daughter died whilst giving birth 10 years ago, leaving behind three children. I had no choice but take them all despite being a single mother. Since then, I have never been a beneficiary of any project and honestly, life has been very tough for me.
“But now God has finally answered by prayer. I had been struggling to raise fees for my oldest grandchild who is in form two at Chimwankhunda CDSS, talk less of their day to day basic needs such as soap, school uniforms and food.
“Through the money I will be receiving from the project, my household will never be the same again. I will be able to buy fertilizer and also save some money to by chickens and goats,” said Chaweza.
Village Development Committee (VDC) member from Maness Mangombo village in the area of Traditional Authority Somba in the district, Sean Banda applauded government for recognizing the village to be one of the beneficiary cites in the project.
Banda then said; “We have signed an agreement with the chiefs as well as the police to ensure that justice is served to whoever is found cutting down a tree in the forest. As the project is commencing in a few days to come, we plan to plant over 3000 trees in this forest and we will take care of them well”.
Agricultural Extension Development Coordinator for Ntonda Extension Planning Area Thokozani Mwape said the catchment is 287 hectares big with 950 beneficiaries.
According to Mwape, activities in the project include making of marker ridges, gully reclamation, river bank protection, Soche Hill afforestation as well as organic manure making.
CS-EPWP’s primary objective is to create visible, durable and quality assets within micro-catchments that will assist to improve household resilience to shocks, increase impact on household-level income and food security.
Blantyre has 13, 483 beneficiaries in its 15 sub-catchments which include Mlombozi, Kajombo and Chilambalare that have been maintained from the pilot phase while Mikundi, Zemba, Lirangwe 2 and Mgawa have been recently added.
The two yearlong World Bank funded project which is an inclusion in the Social Support Resilient Livelihoods Programme component implemented by Local Councils with support from the National Local Government Finance Committee.
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