Some of Our CBO Partners - May 2022
Chitungu CBO
In Chitungu’s report to us, I admit to feeling proud of the work of this CBO located in Ntcheu in the Central Region. This was my home in 1965 and it’s always a joy to see it again and to walk through some of Chitungu’s villages. There was a recent challenge when they faced re-organization when new leaders were selected three years ago. We monitored them and withheld any further funding until the new administration became establish. Before that, six rental homes had been funding and built that now show a consistent profit that supports six OVC in secondary schools and materials e.g. uniforms for primary school students. A reserve fund has slowly grown. This important signal of stability has paid to replace windows on rentals, built new latrines for the tenants, pay preschool caregivers $10/mo and sources meals, sugar and salt for 3 pre-school childcare centers. The reserve fund build fourth preschool. All this without seeking outside funds. Future plans include building another rental house and repopulating their nine fine piggery structures whose pigs were lost to swine flu. These achievements are done with reserve funds and place Chitungu as our best prospect to become a self-sustaining CBO within a couple of years. The Group Village Headman, chiefs and management renewed a request that VOCA fund nine additional villages that have come under the authority of the GVH. The number of OVC would be increased from 350 to 525. Such an expansion would also mean a VOCA expansion. (Currently no new CBOs are seen as meeting our criteria for partnering since only those CBOs who partnered with Orphan Support Africa are eligible). With Chitugu’s most recent report to us this May and their expeditious building and use of a reserve, VOCA will revisit their request.
Masangamo CBO
Masangamo has led our group of CBOs with its community participation, oversight of IGAs and the success of those projects. With a large grant from OSA’s first grant it built a Community Hall containing an office, storage area and a large meeting room. It is a well constructed building that now serves an aged group, a district mobile health unit and disaster aid supply centre during too frequent floods. It’s 13 villages target 1,125 OVC and so far 620 have been served (55%) Three grants from VOCA: 2 goat pass-on projects now video entertainment hall is built that waits for purchase of its equipment.
In 2016 the CBO received a grant for 30 pigs for pass on project. Even though rough times with swine fever over several years, currently 42 homes have pigs that survived and continue to sustain the program. Each family has more than two pigs at their homes.
2017 a second grant was funded for a pig pass-on project and 40 goats were distributed to forty OVC families. In 2019 another 50 goats were distributed. From these ninety goats, 273 OVC have been reachand both Goat program have now reached to 273 OVCs. No surprise that there is wide support from the community for these small animal pass-on projects.
Kapiri CBO
Kapiri, located in the Central Region, decided to build five rental units near the shore of Lake Malawi to house fishermen and traders coming to the lake. The Group Village Headman donated the land and the community provided river sand, burnt bricks, and labor for transporting the materials and water for cement. The buildings went up quickly taking only three months until completed and even before it was done all rooms had been rented. This will bring in $150 per month to the CBO, enough to support fees and uniforms for several secondary school students. Kapiri serves a large number of OVC in their area--1,100. Their primary income comes from a maize mill built with an OSA grant, but VOCA has added IGAs of a barber shop, battery charging for night fishing, a welding shop and, more recently, a goat pass-on IGA. Impressively the group has built a reserve fund to resolve any problems with their projects. Historically they have been well managed, keep accurate accounts and have wide community participation. In the past we have been impressed with their Oversight Committees' monitoring of projects. So we were surprised when they told that they had lost 20 or the 50 goats they distributed--some from disease, some ingesting of poisonous insects, some road kill and a few guardians had sold their goats before they reproduced in violation of their contacted with the CBO. The latter will repay the CBO, but still it delays the pass-on process. Kapiri has formed a committee to look into solutions. We wait to see what actions they will take, certainly Zero Grazing that brings food to the animals, would seem a solution if they can commit to the labor to source and transport plants to the kraals.
Kapiri will soon submit another grant proposal to us--we won't be surprised if they want to double the number of their rental units.
We still believe that Kapiri will among the first three CBOs to reach a state of self-sustaining projects through their several income generating projects.
Twavwane CBO
Twavwane lies in the remote northwest of Malawi, forty-five minutes of rough road from paved highway and without cell phone reception. So we arrived for a first VOCA visit unannounced. Luckily we found the CBO’s secretary, who came in his gum shoes from his field. Before talking with us he hurried back to his some to get notes. He outlined the group’s continuing effort since last seeing an OSA staff about six years before that day. The group had continued to meet, support their OVC and search for any kind of funding. They were impressive and were chosen for a grant. In 2019 600 OVC were selected for future assistance out of 1,250 in their 25 villages. Traveling long distances, they purchased and transported twelve pigs that were given to secondary school students who were trained in the care of their pigs. Since pigs reproduce quickly and with large litters, over 200 families now own a pig. However due to fear of swine flu, 23 of these pigs were sold and 7 cows purchased. These large animal need an entire community to join the their feeding and care. A second grant for 40 goats now reaches 92 OVC household—292 have benefited so far. Manure from animals as fertilizer for gardens. The group demonstrates great enthusiasm and fine oversight of their projects. Third grant of $2,000 is sought 50 more goats, plus three for the CBO in order to build a reserve fund. Kraals are required which protect the animals from predators and also captures manure to fertilize household gardens and reduce commercial purchase of chemical fertilizer. , located in the Central Region, has operated its maize mill (a Gates grant) since electric connection was completed after a long wait. VOCA gave them a grant for a battery charging station and a barber shop. The group is very transparent, presents plenty of data about programs, enjoys high community participation and has full support of the traditional leaders. Of 508 OVC in seven villages, about 310 are targeted and supported (83 of them are positive for HIV-AIDS). The group was originally formed to provide HIV/AIDS support and continues to focus on this population, although OSA/VOCA is clear, and they understand, that our funds are to target OVC. They have 18 CBCCs although only 3-4 are operational due to lack of food for the daily meal. There are Oversight Committees for each IGA and members are in charge of monitoring the maize mill, making the deposits and approving use of funds recommended by the Executive Committee—practices that make it one the best designs we’ve encountered for accountability and transparency for both their community and for donors.
Overall Kapiri is exceptionally well organized and looks to be one of our brightest stars.
Chidoole CBO
Chidoole was another recent recipient of grants. Their area of service lies above the city of Mwana in west-central Malawi. It sits close to the Mozambique border with a robust trade market in the nearby Mwanza. We knew them to act quickly and draw strong community support. In 2019, they purchased 43 goats but did not distribute any until the recipient was trained and was visited to ensure they had built quality, elevated, and hyena repelling kraal. Now 96 OVC benefit from their successful pass-on project. Six children are supported in secondary school. Their second grant in May 2021 was for distribution of 40 goats that in a year have produced 16 kids which were passed on. In three years of VOCA funding, 123 of 343 OVC are now supported (36%) in these self-sustaining multiplication projects. Keeping their goats tethered or in kraals, called Zero Grazing, is a high yield practice in which animals gain weight faster, have more kids, produce high quality fertilizer reducing the amount purchased and supply high protein milk for the family. The CBO’s management and community participation make them among the most vibrant of our partners.
Chifundo CBO
Most enthusiastic dancers greeting us, who would jump up during the meeting when any good news was shared. They were excited because they had no funding from any government office and none since OSA left in 2010. Some support was sustained from a Vitameal (porridge) donor for the CBCCs and from the pockets of executive committee and community members who could share a little. This provided part of secondary school fees for twelve students. VOCA began funding in 2019. Chifundo has 16 villages with 450 registered OVC. To date they report 112 OVC have been reached. Grants were made for 2 goat pass-on projects: one in 2019 for 40 goats with 22 kids passed on to other OVC beneficiaries. The second grants in 2021 bought 50 goats, with to date have had four kids. With some loss of goats, there are currently 112 goats as the second tranche beginning to produce offspring. The group will continued to be monitored by our consultant, Feston, and advised by him when needed. If successful in conducting the pass-on project, Chifundo will be considered for a third grant in October for an IGA of their choice. It is perhaps a group that will be challenged in the level of community’s participation that we have found to be a core factor in sustaining a CBO. Their enthusiasm is consistent and should move their neighbors to join in.
TOOA CBO (due to flooding we could not visit on this May trip)
In the far south District of Nsanje, the villages that TOOA serves are migratory because of annual fooding of their low land farm areas. Despite the challenge of organizing and monitoring these seven villages as they move into their lowland fields and later return to their village homes. Still these homes on higher grounds themselves have flooded that have been declared disaster areas several times. TOOA have an active and dedicated Oversight Committee that interacts with their neighbors in order to provide accurate reports from each village on their goat reproduction projects. Over half (179) of their 321 OVC have been served with two grants. Income generated from OSA former sponsored maize mill has for many years provided the income that supports secondary and primary school students. The first goat offspring that is passed on to another family provides an OVC household with a sustainable income, and there are many testimonies of how children have remained in school, homes improved and even rebuilt and food secured. Both the maize mill and goat pass-on projects have been well managed and documented, which demonstrate the ability of the CBO to build their organization. This makes TOOA eligible to submit another grant proposal, now increased to $2,000 from $1,600 that adjusts for inflation and devaluation of the country’s currency.