World Environment Day is observed annually on 5 June. The theme this year, ‘Seven Billion Dreams, One Planet, Consume with Care’, aimed to raise awareness on how humanity, the environment and societies all rely on the responsible management of the planet's natural resources. Climate change, waste management, water management and other environmental issues affect all of our daily lives, though we are not always aware of how.
It is with a great smile that Eveless Thole of Silota Village, Group Village Head Nyirongo, expresses her view on the impact that the clay cook stoves have had on her family. Eveless, who belongs to a household of four, started using these modern stoves in December, 2014. As ICS volunteers, myself and Karen Laheen are here to collect feedback from Eveless on the usage and impact of these stoves.
Until we were given the task to come up with some ideas to commemorate World Environment Day on 5 June, we had not really thought about the issue of waste management in Malawi and how it differs with those systems we are used to in the UK. A discussion on our own experiences of environmental issues and waste management highlighted these differences and got us thinking about what we could try to do more here in Malawi to do our bit for the environment.
A Perspective from the UK volunteers
In Malawi, local organisations have struggled for years to get young people engaged with the issues that surround HIV and AIDS, such as stigma and healthy living. The Coalition of Women Living with HIV and AIDS (COWLHA) has found that Progressio ICS volunteers have made the difference. Here is one story that shows how young people are finally aware of the impact HIV and AIDS is having in their country.
Upon visiting a Special Project on 29 April, there were smiles all over the faces of the Mulanje Cedars ICS volunteers whilst seeing the ever-green tea grown on top of the mountain, some kilometres away from the community.
UK volunteers’ journey…
Our journey began at Terminal 2, Heathrow on 17 April. A group of nervous young adults gathered with their bags waiting to board flight ET2701 to Lilongwe via Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with DEET spray in hand and passport at the ready. We hadn’t seen each other since the training weekend back in March so it was great to see everyone’s shining faces again.
As our first week in Mulanje moved towards its close, we embarked on our first campaign to celebrate Labour Day. Labour Day is a time to commemorate the role of workers and labourers and the contributions that they make to our society because as none of us can deny at times such contributions go unrecognised. Labour Day is also an opportunity to address how the social and economic wellbeing of workers can be improved. Malawi ranks 171 out of 187 in the Human Development Index (2012), which in turn inevitably produces some of the toughest conditions for workers worldwide.
Over the last few weeks, I have stumbled upon several articles discussing the value (or lack of thereof) of sending young people to volunteer overseas. As an employee of Progressio, an international development charity that sends 18-25 years old to Africa and Central America, I felt I needed to dig into the issue a bit more.
The Malawian Government has set aside the months of December to April for ‘tree planting season’ in Malawi, so Team Dziwe is not holding back on our tree planting awareness activities!
WESM (Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi) ICS volunteers, together with MMCT (Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust) staff, recently held another tree planting awareness campaign in the area of group village headman Njirambo T/A Mabuka, in the Mulanje district.
Child rights are based on what a child needs to survive, grow, participate and fulfil their potential. Such as rights to basic needs for foods, health care, education and many more. In its effort to further promote and advocate for child protection, Ungweru Organisation with the help of team Catseye has been establishing Child Protection Committees (CPCs) in communities.
