Malawi News Agency (Lilongwe) Dowa — There Is Hope (TIH), a Christian Nonprofit organisation, plans to implement several projects aimed at improving the livelihood of people surrounding Dzaleka refugee camp in Dowa from July 2013.
Speaking during the District’s Executive Committee meeting, Field Coordinator for TIH George Allan Phiri said their plans will be achieved with the help of communities in what they call Asset Based Community Development (ABCD).
“Our plans include youth and infrastructure development, environmental management and climate change activities, education and training. However we will do it in phases starting with the education and training sector.
“Upon researching our catchment areas we noted there is need to support education especially for girls and early childhood, through scholarships to universities and secondary education,” said Phiri.
Phiri added: “ABCD is encouraging the use of resources produced by community efforts in projects to decrease donor dependency. We believe no community is poor; the already existing assets can be used in the development of a particular community. For example the land can be used in infrastructure development, thereby making the community appreciate its contribution.”
Already the organisation is yet to develop a training center for the youths surrounding Dzaleka in order to provide skills and education.
According to the Manager for ‘There is Hope’ Innocent Magambi, the organisation already has the funds for the training centre.
“We already have the funds for the training center project; we are just waiting for an approval for the site where we will construct the center. Through this project, the youth will acquire skills that will help them be innovative in order to reduce unemployment and crime rate because much of the population consists of the youth,” he said.
There is Hope was conceived in 2006 by Innocent Magambi , a Burundi national who has lived in different refugee camps within Eastern and Southern Africa since his birth.
