UP to distribute free Chitetezo Mbaula

Social Cash Transfer (SCT) beneficiaries in the country will, on top of the free money they get from Malawi Government, receive free cooking stoves known as Chitetezo Mbaula from United Purpose (UP).

Under the project called “Access to Modern Cooking Energy for Poor and Vulnerable Groups in Malawi”, over 2 million cleaner cooking stoves are expected to be distributed countrywide by the year 2020.

UP Energy Projects Coordinator Mayamiko Minofu has told Malawi24 that the project which started in 2015 is currently being implemented in 7 districts namely; Machinga, Zomba, Neno, Mulanje, Thyolo, Phalombe, Chikhwawa and Mangochi.

According to Minofu, officers from UP will be accompanying Social Welfare Office workers who give out cash popularly known as Mtukulapakhomo in the local language where they will also be giving out vouchers to SCT beneficiaries.

“We will be giving them the vouchers of which one voucher is worth MK800 which they will be showing the supplier for them to take the Chitetezo Mbaula,” said Minofu.

In Phalombe district over 8000 people are expected to benefit from this project which is also likely to save fuel by 40 percent hence it will enable people to save a lot of resources such as money used to buy firewood.

The project will also establish and revamp the rural market for the stoves in the district.

UP has disclosed that they will work in all the Traditional Authorities across the district and about 2000 Chitetezo Mbaulas will also be distributed to those that want them.

With funding from DFID, the project in Phalombe is expected to run from July up to the end of the month of December 2017 and about Mk25 million is expected to be spent only in Phalombe.