IT Admin – Page 9 – Habitat for Humanity Malawi

EXTENDING THE HELPING HANDS

Habitat for Humanity was established in 1986 with the aim of alleviate housing poverty amongst underprivileged people. Over 3,000 houses have built and handed over to vulnerable families and disabled people in Salima district (Malawi) where Constructing Jobs, Building Lives project is being implemented by Habitat for Humanity. Habitat for Humanity has been looking for ways of improving lives of underprivileged people beyond providing decent shelter to poor families and disabled people. Constructing Jobs, Building Lives (CJBL) project which is focusing on empowering youths with construction, entrepreneurship, life and digital literacy skills has been found to be reliable and a complimentary solution to problems which Habitat For Humanity work to eradicate. Speaking during official opening event of Habitat Resource Centre in Salima, National Director of Habitat For Humanity Malawi (HFHM), Kelvin Kalonga thanked delegation of European Union (EU) for providing funding for this project which will see at least 100 disadvantaged youths from Salima being trained in Carpentry & Joinery and Bricklaying and Making courses and assured the gathering that Habitat for Humanity will do its level best to deliver quality education and inspire underprivileged youths to achieve their dreams through CJBL project . “European Union through Habitat for Humanity and SOS Children Malawi is giving best gift, skill and knowledge, to underprivileged youths from Salima,” Kelvin Kalonga added. Mussah Chatuwa, Project Coordinator (HFHM), further added that CJBL project will improve lives of more 100 youths who will be trained at Habitat Resource Centre as the grandaunts will be employing other youths from the community and also be a productive citizen who will be paying taxes to government. Habitat Resource Centre was officially opened on 16th July, 2018 and 30th July, 2018, 42 selected underprivileged youths from Salima started their journey of becoming an entrepreneurs.

Case Studies

MEET HRC FIRST START UP

My name of Batison Bisalome, I stay in Mfuti Village, T/A Kalonga Salima. After undergoing 6 months trainings in Carpentry & Joinery at Habitat Resource Centre in 2018, I decided to start my own carpentry and joinery business. I have established this business in May 2019. My desire to be independent and responsible citizen has been my greatest drive for starting up my own business. Before I was trained at Habitat Resource Centre, I was relying on piecework to support my mother and siblings. Thanks to Habitat For Humanity and donors for equipping me with skills in Carpentry & Joinery and entrepreneurship during the training and internship. I started from scratch a week after completing internship at Emmanuel Workshop. With the few tools I bought with the money I saved during the internship, I started this business. This is a first month in business but I have sold out a bed, coffee table and door. And I have also received part payment from customer for bed. I have to admit starting up a business is not easy, I have faced many challenges. As you know carpentry and joinery business requires one to have many tools to fully meet customer demands, so far I have few tools, I don’t have enough capital and I rely on renting tools from other carpenters. I have already started and I want to elect workshop shed, buy more tools and materials. I will appreciate for any support to meet my startup costs. My future plan is to have my business registered and grow this workshop into a bigger workshop with electric machines and employ more peoples. My advice to my fellow is that the time is here now, there is no better day to start your business than today. Whatever skills you have, start your journey of being your own boss with that.

Stories and News

A Malawi where everyone has a decent place to live

Projects

CJBL PROJECT

“Constructing Jobs, Building Lives (CJBL)” Project Background In February 2018, HFHM signed a consortium partnership with SOS Netherlands and three other implementing partners: SOS Malawi, Young Africa Zimbabwe and Children’s Fund of Malawi (Green Malata for an EU funded project. The consortium partners have situated their action in disadvantaged neighborhoods of Lilongwe, Salima, and Mulanje districts. All partners stand out for their strong networks to access disadvantaged youth, and apply tested programs for skills training and on-the-job learning for the most vulnerable and marginalized youths in the target districts; for them to realize their socio-economic potentials. The 30 months program; from March, 2018 to August, 2020 will employ a Franchise model originated by Young Africa of Zimbabwe. Habitat For Humanity is empowering 100 disadvantaged youth (50% girls) by providing market-driven construction skills training, digital literacy, entrepreneurship and Life skills, facilitating jobs and internship placement through Habitat Resource Centre. FRANCHISE MODEL The consortium partners have employed franchise model to improve youth employability through providing market driven on job training. Key aspects of franchise model Habitat For Humanity (the Franchiser) invested in capital equipment for a production unit in its workshops, given local entrepreneurs (franchisees) to run for income generation while providing training to young people. Franchisee pays rentals to franchiser (HFHM) and shares some operational costs Students are given an opportunity to be groomed in a real business environment Students will be paying fees to the franchisee who in turn hires trainers, whilst franchisor earns commission from the fees and retain responsibility of ensuring quality of training is adhered to. ESSENCE of the franchise model in the CJBL project It addresses five aspects Sustainability of centers through rental payments On-the-job exposure to students through job shadowing, internship Need for local entrepreneurial role models Participation in the local economy through training and production of end products Local entrepreneurs taking responsibility for training their own youths COURSES BEING OFFERED Informal TEVET certificates in the following trades bricklaying and making, carpentry, In order to build the sharpen the capacity of the youths to be able to stand for themselves in constantly advancing technological world as startup entrepreneurs or job seekers, one needs to have multiple skills, thus students are also exposed to Life Skills, Digital literacy and Entrepreneurship courses. LINKAGE TO FINANCING INSTITUTION In addition, the model shapes and strengthens young people’s minds in life skills orientation and entrepreneurship efforts by engaging them with potential financing institutions and grouping them to be productive teams in conducting businesses. SPECIFIC PROJECT TARGET GROUPS The program is aimed at reaching youths in the following categories: Disadvantaged poor rural and urban youth (aged 15-30 years) Youth without or at risk of losing parental care Teen mothers, female (child) headed households Youth living with HIV/AIDS) Former sex workers Persons with disabilities but can manage to work within the trades offered SELECTION PROCESS Youth are admitted into the program through Referral from Community Based Organizations (CBOs) Normal application process Advertisement is placed on media by Habitat For Humanity Aspirants youths sending application using admission forms Conducting interviews (oral & written) Selection and screening of candidates Walk in interviews PROJECT IMPACT Habitat Resource Centre was established under Constructing Jobs, Building Lives (CJBL) Project in March 218 and was officially opened as training centre in July 2018. Since its establishment, Habitat Resource Centre has hosted two cohorts. First cohort of 42 students (22 females) was hosted from July to December 2018. And 28 students (12 females) completed the 6 month informal training and underwent three months internship within Salima district. A second of 42 students (10 females) was admitted in January 2019 and expecting to finish on campus training in June 2019 and are expecting to go for three months internship starting July 2019.

Stories, stories, Stories and News

JRP Steel and Wire Ltd Donates Iron Sheets to Habitat for Humanity Malawi towards Post Disaster Recovery Interventions

On 16th May, HFHM has received a donation of 100 10Ft x 28# corrugated Iron sheets from JRP Steel and Wire Ltd. JRP Steel and Wire Ltd is a domestic steel company and donated the iron sheets to compliments HFHM efforts in responding to disasters affected families by providing decent houses that have disaster resilient features. The donation will assist towards the roofing of three more houses for three families. More information about the company that donated to HFHM can be accessed on http://jrpmalawi.com/ The story can also be found on this link https://www.zodiakmalawi.com/malawi-national-news/habitat-for-humanity-malawi-responds-to-floods

stories, Stories, Stories and News

No family goes without shelter when disaster strikes

On Sunday, 7th April 2019, Habitat for Humanity Malawi (HFH Malawi) welcomed a consignment of 72 Tones of relief items worth £233, 496 an equivalent of MWK 223 Million through the Kamuzu International Airport. This is a kind donation from Shelter Box, a Non-Governmental Organization which has a global agreement with Habitat for Humanity to provide shelter, warmth and dignity to over 868,895 people that have been affected in the 15 districts of this country following the heavy rains and floods that recently occurred. Currently families are seeking refuge in 173 camps in the affected areas and HFH Malawi in partnership with Shelter Box, join efforts to deliver humanitarian aid in form of equipment and materials that will assist these families to build shelters that would provide safety to their families as they plan to build back permanent homes and ensure that ‘No family goes without shelter when disaster strikes’. The said items will be distributed to about 2000 families in Chikwawa and Mulanje districts. Each targeted household will receive 1 shelter Kit, 1 Kitchen set, 2 blankets, 2 sleeping mats, 2 mosquito nets, 2 solar light, 2 Jerry cans and 1 water purifier. HFH Malawi has already assisted 600 households in Chikwawa with emergency kits worth $25, 000 and continues to mobilize resources in order to reach out to more victims.

stories, Stories, Stories and News

School Sanitation Clubs geared to improve Sanitation.

Chikwawa is one of the districts in Malawi which has the lowest Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) coverage in schools. HFH Malawi in partnership with HFH Germany with funding from Jessy Oversees Aid (JOA) through the project titled “Improving WASH status in Primary Schools in Chikwawa District” seeks to contribute towards the construction improved pit latrines and handwashing facilities in the district. However, provision of WASH facilities in schools are not enough on themselves, students need to be taught on sanitation and hygiene practices. It is for this reason that HFH Malawi embarked on instituting School Sanitation Clubs in Chikwawa district. These Sanitation Clubs are expected to promote good hygiene practices in schools, such as solid waste management, handwashing with soap and life skills based on hygiene education. HFH Malawi believes that the adoption these clubs will promote good hygiene practices which will lead to a safer and more hygienic learning environment around the schools. The project will also use students as agents of change, to educate the communities they are coming from about good sanitation and hygiene. The project will institute 10 School Sanitation Clubs in Namapovu, Liwiro, Makanga, Mwalamba, Namisikizi, Nkopola, Nkombezi, Mazongoza, Namicheni and Utumbe schools in Chikwawa. So far two schools have been constituted and these are Namapovu and Bereu. Positive behavioral changes are already evident in the two schools with the Sanitation Clubs as compared to the other schools which do not have them. The Sanitation Clubs are already advocating for handwashing practices after using the toilet, proper use of urinals and toilets, keeping school surrounding clean; through proper use of refuse pit and collection of all refuse; advocating for clean and well covered food items sold at school premises; and promoting four major types of hygiene and thus Water, Food, Personal and surrounding.

stories, Stories and News

HFH Malawi trains 33 additional builders to increase resilience of households and communities affected by disaster in Chikwawa District.

HFH Malawi is currently responding to a flood disaster which has displaced more than 86,976 people in fifteen districts in the southern part of the Malawi. Among other response activities, HFH has trained 33 local builders on safe house construction skills in Chikwawa district. Chikwawa is one of the districts that have been affected by disaster caused by heavy rains and floods which have left 35,888 people homeless. Through this training, HFH Malawi intends to increase the resilience of households and communities to future disasters by utilizing the skills and knowledge that the builders have learnt. The builders have been equipped with flood resilient construction techniques which include standard depths and minimum heights for foundations of houses built in flood prone areas, protection of foundation walls and superstructures, importance of raised floors and use of damp proof sheets for moisture protection. The trained builders are expected to help the communities construct houses which can withstand disasters such as floods and heavy winds. HFH Malawi’s Construction personnel will continue to give the builders practical advice in their various construction sites until they master their skills. In this way, HFH Malawi anticipates that these builders will remain a useful resource within their communities and surrounding areas even beyond HFHM’s interventions. This is the fourth training that HFH Malawi has conducted. So far, HFH Malawi has trained 159 builders on safe housing construction techniques with financial support JTI Foundation and Kostal (a Germany company) in partnership with HFH Deutschland

Stories, Stories and News, Support

Building Homes, communities and hope: A Look at the Benefits of “Shoes that Grow” to Kachitsa Primary School and communities in Mgombe Village, TA Chadza in Lilongwe

Building Homes, communities and hope: A Look at the Benefits of “Shoes that Grow” to Kachitsa Primary School and communities in Mgombe Village, TA Chadza in Lilongwe This week Habitat for Humanity Malawi is hosting Paterson Habitat Team that are building three houses for orphans and other vulnerable groups in Mng’ombe Village, TA Chadza in Lilongwe. To show their support for our mission, they brought over 500 pairs of shoes and distributed to Kachitsa Primary School during the build week. While there are many benefits to wearing shoes, many pupils at Kachitsa Primary School in Lilongwe Rural East of Central Western Division are not able to enjoy these benefits because of the lack of adequate footwear accessible to them. This was observed last year when Habitat for Humanity Malawi hosted Paterson Habitat Team in the area where they were constructing three houses for the orphans and other Vulnerable Group (OVG). The Paterson Habitat Team has made it possible for those pupils most in need of adequate footwear to own a good pair of shoes and the “shoes that grow”. Knowing just how important proper footwear for school going pupils, Paterson Habitat Team mobilized U$D7500 to procure 514 pairs of these growing shoes to distribute to the pupils of Primary School alongside building three more houses in the same area this week beginning 5th to 10th November, 2018. The shoe distribution not only inspired our community a worthy cause, it also reminded them of why footwear for school going kids is so important. Shoes can improve quality of life, prevent injury & disease, help with healing for those with chronic foot conditions, express one’s self, reducing the risk of certain parasitic diseases and foot infections among others. While shoes have a basic functional purpose with many benefits, there are also psychological benefits to the personality development of adolescents. Indeed, shoes hold value that is unique to the person and their environment and this was observed when one Stephano Madeya a grade 3 pupil who upon receiving his pair, pronounced in vernacular “ine lero nde ndadala”, in english meaning today I am blessed. I could hear many pupils declaring that they will never again abscond from school upon receiving their pairs. Surely the shoe distribution had a magical transformation and perceived to turn pupils at Kachitsa from ordinary to a superstar or model. This is all fruits of the Orphans and other Vulnerable Groups Country Program for Habitat Malawi which is aimed at improving the living conditions of orphans and other vulnerable children through construction of decent houses and provision of other complimentary services.

Stories

Speach by the Board Member of Habitat For Humanity on World Cities day

SPEECH BY THE BOARD MEMBER MR GERALD KHONJE DURING THE COMMEMORATION OF THE WORLD HABITAT AND WORLD CITIES DAY AT MASINTHA GROUND ON 31ST OCTOBER, 2018. • The Guest of Honor, Minister of MoLHUD, Hon. Anna Namathanga Kachikho, MP • His Worship the Mayor of the Lilongwe City Council • The CEO of Lilongwe City Council • The Principle Secretary for the MoLHUD • Senior Government Officials from Ministries, Departments and Agencies • Civil Society Leaders • Media fraternity • Ladies and Gentlemen 1. Habitat for Humanity Malawi is glad to be part of Malawi’s commemoration of the International Day for World Habitat and World Cities Day today on 31st October, 2018 at Masintha School Ground, in Lilongwe. The World Habitat day, being commemorated under the theme “improving municipal solid management is critical for sustainable urban development” while the World Cities day is commemorated under the theme “building sustainable and resilient cities”. 2. Driven by the vision that everyone needs a decent place to live, Habitat for Humanity began in 1976 in USA as a grassroots effort. The Christian housing organization has since grown to become a leading global nonprofit working in nearly 70 countries. Families and individuals in need of a hand up partner with Habitat for Humanity to build or improve a place they can call home. Through financial support, volunteering or adding a voice to support affordable housing, everyone can help families achieve the strength, stability and self-reliance they need to build better lives for themselves. Through shelter, we empower. 3. In Malawi, Habitat for Humanity was established in 1986 and has since transformed the lives of over 40,000 families through various interventions including: a. Housing Microfinance under which people obtained loans to construct a new house or improve an existing house, b. Construction Technical Assistance to people obtaining home improvement loans from other organizations, c. Vulnerable Group Housing focusing on the housing needs of orphans and other vulnerable children including persons with disabilities, d. Disaster Risk Reduction focusing on empowering local communities on how they can build better and safer; e. Water, Sanitation and Hygiene focusing improved sanitation and water facilities in schools and communities in peri-urban areas. 4. Ladies and gentlemen in its new Strategy Habitat for Humanity is promoting access to adequate and affordable housing, sustainable cities, and increasing security of tenure hence its involvement in this year’s World Cities day. 5. Habitat for Humanity believes that cities are dynamic hubs of activities that are interconnected and continuously evolving. Housing can serve as a platform that connects and improves urban quality of life as an integral and integrating element of sound urban development and urban policies. But housing also relies on a broader enabling environment to fully foster strength, stability and self-reliance. Thus, in addition to boosting access to adequate and affordable housing, Habitat for Humanity commits to promoting sustainable cities, increasing security of tenure and catalyzing market development to implement the New Urban Agenda. 6. Habitat for Humanity Malawi believes that Housing is at the center of inclusive and prosperous cities for all. As such improving urban resilience for cities to withstand the prevailing shocks and stresses is of paramount importance as it can have a greater impact on the household income, food security and equity let alone on economic returns of the country. 7. Malawi living conditions in urban areas have significantly changed due to prevailing demographic, environmental, economic, social and spatial challenges. Yet over 16.4% of the Malawi population are residing in urban centers. Moreover, it is estimated that 30% of the population of Malawi will be urban based by 2030. As the nation continues to urbanize, there is a need to address the challenges that this poses in achieving sustainable, safe, equitable and resilient human settlements across the country, underscored by access to affordable housing and security of tenure. In recent years, numerous global agreements have been signed including the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, and the New Urban Agenda or NUA, laying a critical foundation for improving living conditions in our cities. 8. Habitat for Humanity Malawi commends government for its commitment in adopting the New Habitat Agenda by working towards the formulation of the National Urban Policy or NUP. Habitat for Humanity Malawi calls on government to expedite the finalization and adoption of the National Urban Policy as it is an essential component in achieving development outcomes of the New Urban Agenda. Government must also continue strengthening policy dialogue and make necessary investment to foster the implementation of existing policies including the National Urban Policy which we expect to be enforced in the near future. 9. The Guest of honor, it is a clear fact that making our cities sustainable and resilient is a collective responsibility. Habitat for Humanity Malawi also calls upon the citizenry to join hands in making sure that right precautions are taken when constructing houses. Citizens must ensure that houses are being built according to National guidelines for safer house construction. 10. The Guest of honor, ladies and gentlemen, as I already mentioned on the onset, this day of World Cities Day is being commemorated alongside the World Habitat Day under the theme “improving municipal solid management is critical for sustainable urban development. Habitat for Humanity Malawi commends Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development for organizing the clean-up campaign across the country which demonstrated the renewed commitment of managing solid wastes in our country. Habitat for Humanity Malawi joins the Ministry in calling upon the citizenry to ensure that we all take part in managing waste in our homes and all places. 11. The Guest of honor, ladies and gentlemen, let me end my speech by thanking the Ministry for organizing this event where Malawians can reflect over how we are building our cities to be sustainable and resilient, but also how we are managing our wastes. 12. Habitat for Humanity Malawi is committed in working with the Ministry in ensuring that all Malawians have a decent place to

Author name: IT Admin

EXTENDING THE HELPING HANDS

MEET HRC FIRST START UP

A Malawi where everyone has a decent place to live

CJBL PROJECT

JRP Steel and Wire Ltd Donates Iron Sheets to Habitat for Humanity Malawi towards Post Disaster Recovery Interventions

No family goes without shelter when disaster strikes

School Sanitation Clubs geared to improve Sanitation.

HFH Malawi trains 33 additional builders to increase resilience of households and communities affected by disaster in Chikwawa District.

Building Homes, communities and hope: A Look at the Benefits of “Shoes that Grow” to Kachitsa Primary School and communities in Mgombe Village, TA Chadza in Lilongwe

Speach by the Board Member of Habitat For Humanity on World Cities day

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