As one way of encouraging youth and women to take part and be included in local structures, Total Land Care Malawi through the Sustainable Management of Landscapes (SAMALA) project is conducting awareness campaigns, leadership training programs, and mentorship opportunities in the Ntchisi district to empower women and youth, equipping them with the skills and confidence to engage effectively in civic affairs.
SAMALA project focuses on watershed management, conservation agriculture, agroforestry, co-management of protected forest areas and natural regeneration and tree planting to improve their livelihoods.
Speaking after successfully conducting awareness at Mzandu Community Hall, Field Coordinator for Total Land Care for Kalira and Chikwatula Extension Planning Areas (EPAs) Wasili Akimu Mantchombe said the project will assist communities in understanding the importance of participating and taking part in all activities happening in their respective areas as they natural resources.
“Sensitizing the community on the importance of youth and women involvement as well as disabilities in local governance structures will help them to realize their specific role in every activity or project for development”, said Mantchombe.
He added that since the inclusion of youth and women in various programmes is an issue, Total Land Care through the implementation of this project is promoting women and youth inclusion in local governance encompassing various initiatives, ranging from policy reforms to grassroots activism.
In his speech, Group Village Headman (GVH) Mzandu under Traditional Authority Chikho in Ntchisi district thanked TLC for coming up with the project saying it will help in environmental management and citizen participation.
He also expressed satisfaction with the element of women and youth inclusion so that they can directly be responsible instead of pushing everything to men.
“Youths and women have been ignored in various activities since they are regarded as trouble makers and weaker people respectively resulting from denying them in the decision-making process even at the grassroots level”, he said.
He added that the coming up of the project will make people appreciate the importance of youth and women’s involvement in community activities.
He also encouraged his subjects to incorporate issues of gender during the implementation of all activities.
Total Land Care (TLC) is implementing a 5 years project called Sustainable Management of Landscapes (SAMALA) with funding from Irish Aid and the Government of Flanders.
The project sets out to support the Malawi government to address land degradation.
The central objective is to contribute to the restoration of degraded landscapes to support sustainable livelihoods in the following areas: Mzimba Luwerezi and Khosolo EPA in Mzimba district, Kasungu-Chulu EPA, Ntchisi-Kalira and Chikwatula EPAs and Dowa- Nachisaka and Nalunga EPAs.
