DVV International in partnership with the Centre for Youth Empowerment and Civic Education (CYECE), has rolled out an Integrated Adult Education (IAE) project in Lilongwe District.
The one-year pilot project which is funded by GIZ will be implemented in Traditional Authorities (T/A) Mtema and Kalumbu in Lilongwe District.
Speaking during a community mobilisation meeting at T/A Mtema, CYECE Community Mobilisation Coordinator, Mussa Black, said the new project aims to enhance the business skills of 125 youth and women aged between 18 and 35 in the T/A.
Black said: “In the past, literacy education was mainly about learning how to read and write. However, it did not address the various other learning needs of youths and adults. The IAE programme integrates business and entrepreneurship skills and knowledge with the acquisition of literacy and numeracy. This will help local traders, who already have small scale enterprises, to improve their business practices.”
Area Development Committee (ADC) chairperson, Willy Mkandawire, said the programme has come at the right time when the majority of community members are doing small-scale businesses to improve their livelihoods. He said the project will complement the community’s efforts in business.
“We feel lucky to have this new project in our area. We know there were more areas and districts to which you could go and implement it, but you chose our district and area. On behalf of the community, I thank CYECE, DVV International and those who are behind the funding of this project [GIZ],” said Mkandawire amid ululations from the community members who attended the meeting.
DVV International and CYECE are implementing a similar programme in Dedza District also with funding from GIZ. The support is part of GIZ’s MIERA (More Income and Employment in Rural Areas) Project, which aims to enhance the entrepreneurial capacity of women and youth in rural Malawi.
“The programme will ensure that CSO partners, local communities and educators enhance their capacities to implement innovative adult education approaches with, in this case, a specific focus on entrepreneurship competencies,” said DVV International Programme Officer, Pellanie Mogha.
The pilot project, which is rolling out in Lilongwe and Dedza Districts, will continue until September 2021.
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