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
DAPP Teacher Training Colleges (TTCs) train “Another Kind of Teachers” who are not only trained as teachers but as change agents that will spearhead community building efforts in rural Malawi primary schools. The unique training program takes three years. In the first year, student teachers travel across countries in the Southern African Development Community region or different districts across Malawi on a bus for four months. During the travel, they carry out researches, interact with people of different background and cultures, visit historic places, carry out open days and overcome challenges that they face during the trip which are later considered lessons. In April 2018, first year student teachers from Chilangoma and Dowa TTCs have embarked on a 10-week learning travel across Malawi, a period known as Bussing Our Country. The students from each college are grouped in two teams that travel in separate buses called Bus 1 and Bus 2.
One Of The Buses Used During Bussing Period
Parents Guardians And Student Teachers Going On A Bus Travel
Chilangoma student teachers are expected to visit over 18 districts while Dowa students plan to visit more than 14 districts. Before departure, Chilangoma TTC invited guardians and community members to see off the students as they go on their learning journey. The school’s Operations Manager Timothy Chadzandiyani assured the parents and guardians that the students will be safe and that this is part of their training requirement. The bussing students from the two colleges have planned to visit among other places Inkosi Ya Makosi Gomani 5 Headquarters, Mulhako wa Alhomwe Headquarters, Bvumbwe Research Station, Malawi Parliament, Zomba Mental Hospital and part of Lake Malawi in Mangochi. DAPP Malawi has four TTCs namely Chilangoma in Blantyre, Amalika in Thyolo, Dowa in Dowa and Mzimba in Mzimba district.
Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) Malawi through its Let Children Stay in School (LCSS) project held district Open Days to showcase what the learners, teachers, and the school committee structures have learnt in managing the schools in order to improve the quality of education and create child-friendly learning environments. LCSS is a three-year project being implemented in six districts of Chitipa, Rumphi, Ntchisi, Lilongwe, Machinga and Nsanje will phase out in May 2018. It aims to create a conducive learning environment in primary schools for Standard 1 and 2 learners to remain in school. In Nsanje district, the Open Day was held on the 27th of March 2018 at Kapalakonje primary school in Nyamadzere zone under Traditional Authority Malemia. The theme for the event was “Let Children Stay in School”. It was attended by different primary schools including Nyamadzere, Nsanje Catholic and Dinde; Community Based Care Centre (CBCC); the District Project Area Leader; Representatives from the District Education Office; Action Aid representative; Group Village Heads and Villages Heads; the school committee structures; and teachers.
Learners Presenting During The Open Day
Part Of Leaarners During The Open Day
In Lilongwe, a similar activity took place on the 16thof March at Likuni Boys primary school where Nguluwe, Ngowe and Likuni Girls primary schools attended. Held under the theme “Our best Results from Our Schools”, the event was graced by the Ward Councillor for the area, representatives from the District Commissioner’s office and District Education Network representative. In both activities, the learners showcased different performances which included plays, traditional dances, poems, lesson demonstrations, reading and press conferences. The project has also trained teachers, Primary Education Advisors and the school committee structures in sustainability activities which include among others income generating activities, tracking children from CBCCs into primary school to ensure smooth transition and school feeding programs.
The Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) Malawi through its Let Children Stay in School (LCSS) project is from 19th to 29th March 2018 training 32 Primary Education Advisors (PEA) on sustaining the project’s activities. The PEAs come from 32 education zones where the project is being implemented. LCSS aims to reduce the dropout rate for children in lower grades of standard 1 and 2 in 114 primary schools in six districts of Chitipa, Rumphi, Ntchisi, Lilongwe, Machinga and Nsanje. To achieve the goal, the project works with standard 1 and 2 teachers, community members, DEMs, School Inspectors, PEAs, School structures which include Parents and Teachers Association, School Management Committee and Mother Groups. The PEA for Mahowe Zone, Nthalire in Chitipa district Lucius Mbale expressed satisfaction towards the training saying it prepares them well in ensuring that the project’s activities are sustained after the project phases out.
PEAs visiting a primary school to monitor lessons
PEAs attending a training in Nthalire
The two-week training focuses on monitoring the project’s activities, tracking learners’ class transitions, supervising lower class teachers in their classes, following up on the school feeding programs, facilitating establishment of standard playgrounds and reporting to the District Education Managers. The Let Children Stay in School project will phase out in May 2018. However, it has deployed sustainability measures which include training of school committee structures in income generating activities; community involvement in school feeding program; construction and maintenance of playgrounds and the training of PEAS.
Officials from three Italian organisations namely Humana People to People (HPP); Centre for New Development (CND) and VIVI Balon visited Chisenjere Primary School on March 8 2018 to appreciate implementation of the 400 Primary Schools program by Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) Malawi.
The idea behind 400 Primary Schools is to provide the opportunity for teachers graduated from DAPP Teacher Training Colleges who are working in government primary schools to stick together and support each other in improving the schools, where they are working. The officials comprising HPP Italy Chairperson Karina Bolin, HPP Italy Programs Manager Pietio Luppi, VIVI Balon Vice President Alexandro Stillo and CND President Francesco Gesoaldi visited the school on 8 March 2018 and were pleased when they learnt from one of the teachers Matildar Banda that the program has strengthened the school’s relationship with the surrounding communities. “As teachers in the 400 Primary Schools Programme we engage surrounding communities on issues that affect them and ensure we collaboratively bring a change,” said Banda who graduated from DAPP Chilangoma Teacher Training College in 2008.
Bolin, Luppi, Stillo and Gesoaldi accompanied by Chisenjere Primary School staff inspect classes in session
Chafikana and Banda explains to Stillo on how the 400 Primary Schools programme works
Concurring with Banda on how the programme has benefitted the school and its surrounding communities, headteacher Bruno Chafikana commended the 400 Primary Schools for improving the school's general outlook. " Through the program, we successfully engaged the surrounding communities in renovating some of the school’s buildings and planted about 100 trees. The school really looks smart," he said.
Speaking on behalf of the three organisations, Bolin praised the program saying it is fundamental to the welfare of teachers, pupils and entire Malawians because from her observation the 400 Primary Schools is effective and will contribute to achieving Sustainable Development Goals on Education, Health, Sanitation and Climate Action. “I am happy to see how DAPP Malawi is promoting quality education, health and sanitation in Malawi. I hope the organisation will continue with such programmes in the future," She said. 400 Primary Schools program started in April 2012 and it has 87 teachers working in 56 primary schools across Malawi. The teachers participate in the program on voluntary basis and meet every month at a nearby DAPP Teacher Training College for monthly coordination, planning and evaluation meetings
DAPP Mikolongwe Vocational School has awarded Tailoring certificates to 175 young women who have successfully completed four months of training under the institution. Three graduation ceremonies took place in February at DAPP Teachers Training Colleges (TTC) of Chilangoma, Amalika, and Mzimba where 59, 60 and 56 trainees graduated respectively. Satelite training centres were established in the DAPP TTCs where Mikolongwe has extended its operations to reach out to more youth. With funding support from Sympany of Holland, Mikolongwe Vocational School expanded its operations to equipping vulnerable girls from under privileged households surrounding the four DAPP TTCs with vocational and business management skills for socio-economic development. Speaking during the certificate awarding and start up tools handover ceremony at DAPP Chilangoma TTC in Bantyre, the guest of honor, TEVET Authority Service Centre Manager for Southern Malawi Albert Wasiri said, as an authority, TEVETA understands the demand for skills that is existing among youth in Malawi.
Members of Msangu Cooperative
Part of the produce in a warehouse
“TEVETA is grateful for the role of complementarity by partners like Sympany and DAPP in the provision of TEVET skills to the deserving population like girls” he stressed. The Principal for DAPP Mikolongwe Vocational School Augustus Kaliati said illiteracy and lack of entrepreneurship skills make girls vulnerable to social injustice and abuse as such it is DAPP Malawi’s hope to equip more young women with technical skills for them to contribute to the growth of this nation. He called on the graduating students, who received sewing machines in trios (a group of three), to be well coordinated and take care of the starter packs in order to generate funds that will enable each of the members own a sewing machine. Expressing her satisfaction on the day was one of the graduates Chikondi Kasauka who looks forward to establishing a business with the members of her trio and as well to train her fellow women with the skills she has acquired. The training program runs for four months targeting young women between the age of 18 to 24 who are vulnerable in their communities due to school drop outs, early marriages or orphanage. Among the activities on this day were displays of the products made by the students, drama, music, dances and poems.
