Since 1996, DAPP Malawi has been actively improving livelihoods and communities in need across Malawi through its social development projects.
DAPP is implementing 16 projects within education, health, agriculture and community development in 24 districts that span across the country's three regions
Margret is a 20-year-old young girl from Nkaombe village Traditional Authority Bvumbwe in Thyolo district. Second born in a family of 6, Margret is a determined young lady whose dream is to own a shop of her own one day.
Margret wrote her Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) in 2016. She then enrolled with DAPP’s tailoring course. Through the satellite training mode, students are taught tailoring skills and knowledge through the four various DAPP Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs). Margret did her training at Amalika TTC in Thyolo and graduated in 2017. After graduation, she and her 2 friends who graduated with her from Amalika satellite center started a tailoring business on the veranda of her parents’ home using the sewing machine and startup materials that they were given by DAPP when they graduated.
Working In Groups Of Three Known As Trios Is Encouraged Even Before The Students Graduate
Students Are Awarded Certificates After Completing The Tailoring Course
In July 2018, Margret was given the opportunity to work with Chirimba garment’s also known as Win-Win in Blantyre. This was after her tailoring instructor from Amalika TTC was tasked to select 4 girls to work for the company, three girls, which included Margret and her friends were given the job “ We decided to work for Win – Win because we wanted to gain more skills in tailoring especially how electrical sewing machines work” she says.
Furthermore Margret and her two friends also rent a sewing machine from a local tailor in their village so that they can be able to make more profit in order to one day buy more machines for the business they envision having.
“We are working double shifts and saving to kick-start our own business next month (October 2018), we have found a shop in Limbe Township that we will be renting for business,” narrated Margret of her next step in life.
Dannie Dzodzi is my name and I come from Misi Village Traditional Authority Msakambewa in the district of Dowa. When I heard that DAPP Dowa Teachers Training College was offering a tailoring course to adolescent girls and young women who come from disadvantaged backgrounds, I didn’t waste time to grab the opportunity with both hands as I was a small scale farmer and was struggling to buy basic needs that could sustain my relatives and I.
Giving a speech at the graduation ceremony
Dannie (left) entering the hall on graduation day
After graduating in April 2018, we received start up tools from DAPP as a way of helping us to startup businesses in groups of three known as trio’s, I decided to start up my own tailoring business at home using the skill I got from DAPP Dowa satellite center as I had brought my own sowing machine after selling some of my farm produce from the bounty harvest I had in 2017/2018 season and the money I accumulated as my share from the Trio tailoring business.
With this business, I am not only able to make enough money to sustain myself, but to also inspire other girls and young women in my village and let them know that hard work pays. From my savings, I have so far managed to buy two goats with an aim of selling them when they multiply. This will be another business which will help me to help my relatives financially without any difficulties because I am the first born child in my family.
I thank DAPP Dowa for this helpful program that has changed my life. Now I am able to stand on my own and make a difference in my community.
Ireen David aged 25 from Mntchenenje village in traditional authority Mkukula, Dowa district is a beneficiary of the DAPP Satellite course offered at DAPP Dowa Teachers Training College (TTC). The tailoring course is four months long and targets adolescent girls and young women from disadvantaged backgrounds residing in communities surrounding DAPP TTC’s in Mzimba, Dowa, Thyolo and Chileka.
Trios Are Provided Started Pack Materials
Graduating Students Wearing Self Made Attires
“I joined the tailoring course in September 2017 and graduated in April 2018. I must admit, I enjoyed my time at the college and the tailoring instructors were very helpful. By the time I was graduating I had learnt how to sew 8 items which include a petticoat, caftan, men’s shorts, girl school uniform, national wear, pencil skirt, ladies blouse and a that” she says After receiving the starter parks from DAPP Dowa satellite center on graduation day, Ireen and her trio group members who comprise of three women who also graduated from DAPP Dowa TTC started a tailoring shop business on the 21st July 2018 at Tchenenje village. “At first the business wasn’t going on well because I had no customers since I was new at the market, by and by I started receiving customers as I was producing good quality products at affordable prices. My wish is to one day have my own sewing machine and a tailoring shop where I will be able to be an employer. Now am a happy person because am able to support my family and buy farm inputs for this year using the money that I have made from the tailoring business.” Says Ireen. She thanks DAPP Malawi and Sympany who are the sponsors of this project for the skill in tailoring that she was taught throughout the four months training. Before acquiring the tailoring skills, Ireen was earning between K850 - K10, 000 and now makes between K80, 000 - K95000 per month because of the tailoring business.
Flaxon could not hide his excitement as he walked up the podium once again, this time, to receive the best graduating student award for the recently graduated 80 students at DAPP Dowa Teachers Training College (TTC) graduation ceremony held on the 7th of December.
Like his fellow graduating teachers, he was excited that he has made it after three years of hard work and determination. Flaxon joined DAPP Dowa TTC in 2015 with no idea how the journey ahead would be “As a young man, I always dreamt of being a Nurse. In fact, it is all I talked about. But you know, life doesn’t always go as we plan it and in 2015, I found myself here at DAPP Dowa TTC and I decided from the moment I got here that I would work hard and make the most of the opportunity I was given” says Flaxson
Flaxson Receiving His Award
Knows His Future Is Bright
And on the 7th of December, his hard work and determination indeed paid off. Coming from a family of six, Flaxon is the second born and plans on working hard in order to achieve his dream of becoming one of the influential decision makers in the Education sector of Malawi “ This is just the beginning. I hope to contiue with studying to gain more skills and knowledge in my field so that I can one day be in a position of making influential decisions about education as well as transforming the Malawian educational sector and I know it will not come easy but I am willing to work for it” he said.
He would like to encourage student teachers everywhere to work hard and know that teachers shape the future. “As teachers, we are entrusted with the countrie’s future, let us take this work seriously” He said. Flaxon comes from Ntimaukanena Village situated in Traditional Authority Chikukula in Dowa District
Hailing from Bwanya village Traditional Authority Makhuwira, Chikwawa district, Trizza’s dream was always to be a teacher. Even though she took up a business Management course, which she later dropped out of before enrolling at DAPP Chilangoma Teachers training college on the 16th September 2015. On the 2nd of November she graduated from the TTC making her the only female student teacher who passed her primary teaching examinations with a distinction.
Trizza was among the students whose training was being supported by OFID through the Federation of Humana People to People and she accredits her success to DAPP because the teaching style there has taught her a lot which she is currently using as she is teaching at Miqrat Foundation which is an orphanage centre in Thyolo district, Goliyati area. “At the college I learnt class management, how children behave through child study, how to handle large classes and how to interact with the community just to mention a few. The training has enabled me to be a good teacher and I have fitted in here because of it” she exclaims
Happy To Be Another Kind Of Teacher
Trizza Receiving Her Award On Graduation Day
She says that her best and most important period of study in her teacher training was the Charter Subjects period. “Charter period was the most important period to me because we as students were divided into different departments, I was in the Food production department where we were learning how to prepare food stuffs and making juice. In addition, we also had a trip to Bvumbwe research station to learn how some fruits are grown. This experience made me to be a teacher who is equipped with knowledge in some of the things here in Malawi. This gives me an opportunity to not only rely on teaching but also to open my eyes and see that I can also run a business which can help me in my day to day life.”
Trizza started working at Maqrat Foundation on the 1st of August 2018 and is enjoying it: “I teach in standard 4 and 8. In standard 4, I teach English, Chichewa, Mathematics, life skills, Expressive arts, Bible knowledge, Agriculture and Social science while in Standard 8, I teach Social science. I really love my job. It’s everything I dreamt it would be and more.
