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 Malawi through Mikolongwe Vocational School equips youths with technical and entrepreneurial skills for them to become self-reliant through securing an employment or starting up small scale businesses. The school offers both formal and informal courses targeting self-sponsored students and under privileged youths which are supported by various partners to receive free vocational training within the 11 courses currently being offered at the school.
On the 16th of November, Mikolongwe Vocational School organized an Open Day to with an aim of providing students at the school a platform to showcase the various products made from the skills and knowledge acquired during the course of their trainings. Exhibitions, fashion shows and music and poetry performances were made to spice up the event.
Gracing the occasion was the Ward Councilor for Nguludi Joseph Manyenje who applauded the youth for putting the skills gained to practice and encouraged them to venture into entrepreneurship after graduating.
Also in attendance was the Chiradzulu District Youth and Information officer, Catholic University of Malawi representative, Malawi Council for the Handicapped (MACOHA), Leather industry Association of Malawi, Dzika wear, TEVETA, Trend Settlers Shoe making Company, local leaders from surrounding villages and Mataka Orphanage.
Mikolongwe Vocational School is registered and accredited by Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA) Malawi under the Ministry of Labour, Sports, Youth and Manpower Development. Since its establishment in 1997, the school has trained over 8,500 youth.
DAPP Mzimba Teachers Training College in Mzimba district was established to train teachers for rural Malawi primary school who are also humanly trained to become change agents in their communities by playing leading roles in community building efforts. In an effort to reach out to more youth with technical and entrepreneurial skills, DAPP Mikolongwe Vocational School extended its operations by setting up tailoring and shoe making training centres at Mzimba TTC with funding from Sympany of Holland.
Satellite tailoring students awarded certificates by The TEVET authority
Shoe making students showcase products made during their training
On 26 September 2018, the Mzimba Satellite Tailoring and Shoe Making centres graduated 29 tailors and 15 shoe makers respectively. The tailoring training program targets the at risk and vulnerable adolescent girls and young women aged between 15 and 25 who are selected from communities around the college to benefit from the free training. On the other hand, the shoe making training targets both young males and females from disadvantaged backgrounds who also receive the training at no cost. The graduations for the tailoring and shoe making students were the third and first graduations respectively. At the end of their training the beneficiaries are provided with start-up tools including sewing machines which enable them to be able to start up small scale businesses. DAPP Mikolongwe Vocational School equips youth with technical and entrepreneurial skills for them to be able to start up small scale businesses or be able to secure an employment thereby alleviating poverty.
Nelia Henderson and Sheki Steven have been serving as ECD volunteers since 2001 and 2005 respectively. Nelia is a Caregiver at Katondo Nursery school while Sheki is currently an ECD Supervisor for 17 Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres that are supported by Chilangoma Teachers Training College (TTC). The two Caregivers have been recognized as ECD Achievers during the launch of the ECD Policy and ECD Advocacy Week which took place on 22 October 2018 at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe. The event was graced by the Minister of Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare Dr Jean Kalilani. A total of 75 individuals and organisations were recognized for contributing greatly towards ECD in Malawi.
Sheki And Nelia recognised as ECD achievers
The Minister launches the ECD policy
Held under the theme ECD for Every Child, the Minister highlighted that the revised ECD policy is expected to improve ECD access in Malawi from 45 to 75 percent by 2023. She emphasized that the government of Malawi will continue to provide guidance and technical support whenever necessary to ensure successful implementation. Nelia Henderson, one of the awardees said she feels proud to be part of the achievers for doing voluntary work. “Never a day did I ever dream that doing this work would bring me this far, there are people from my community who talk ill of the work I do voluntarily but I realize that I am able to contribute to the development of Malawi by doing this. Some of the children I taught during my 17 years are now in Secondary school and it makes me proud as a Caregiver and parent to see this”, she explained. The DAPP ECD project coordinator Gibson Abner expressed satisfaction saying the recognitions will encourage other Caregivers to work hard. DAPP Malawi supports 85 ECD centres surrounding its four TTCs of Chilangoma, Amalika, Dowa and Mzimba. The colleges provide free training to Caregivers on how they can teach the infant learners and in production of teaching and learning materials.
On 2 November 2018, DAPP Chilangoma Teachers Training College awarded certificates of completion to 66 primary school teachers who had been trained as teachers for rural Malawi primary schools. The graduated teachers, 39 females and 27 males, were awarded the IPTE 2 (Initial Primary Teacher Education) certificate by the Malawi Nation Examinations Board (MANEB) which qualifies them as primary school teachers in Malawi.
Graduated teachers in a group photo with guests
Awarding of certificates to graduating teachers
The event was graced by the Southern West Education Division Manager Henry Gwede who called on the graduated teachers to go out and embrace their noble profession by maintaining social distances and working hard to produce desired results. In his remarks, he emphasised that his office will continue monitoring teachers and as teachers trained for rural Malawi primary schools they need to prove that they are indeed change agents and another kind of teachers. DAPP Malawi trains primary school teachers specifically for rural primary schools. Apart from training the teachers in the profession, the training also emphasises on the role of the teacher as a change agent who plays a leading role in the community building efforts. The DAPP Teachers Training Colleges Principal Iben Pedersen expressed satisfaction with the graduating class for attaining a 100 percent pass rate. She called on the graduated teachers to go out and cherish their career of choice. The graduation ceremony was spiced up by activities which included drama, music and poems by the graduating teachers and primary school learners from Chigodi primary school. One of the school where the student teachers carried out their teaching practices. DAPP Malawi has four Teacher Training Colleges namely Chilangoma in Blantyre, Amalika in Thyolo, Dowa in Dowa and Mzimba in Mzimba district. To date, the four TTCs have graduated 2738 teachers of which approximately 2300 have been employed in rural primary schools.
Held under the theme right to education means a right to a qualified teacher, the 2018 World Teachers Day Commemorations were held on 9 October 2018 at Makawa Primary School in Koche education zone in Mangochi district.
The event was graced by the Minister of Education, Science and Technology Bright Msaka who awarded outstanding primary school teachers and outstanding secondary school headteachers.
The event had been organised by GIZ to recognise the great contributions teachers make towards education in the world.
An outsanding headteacher receives a trophy from the minister
The minister visit the DAPP pavilions
Speaking during the event, the Minister of Education Science and Technology commended teachers for being dedicated in contributing to the development of the country. He also announced that the government plans to hold the celebration annually.
Awards were presented to the outstanding primary school teachers and secondary school head teachers with the most outstanding secondary school head teachers receiving a special recognition of a trophy
During the event DAPP Malawi through Chilangoma and Amalika Teachers Training Colleges showcased how the colleges are contributing to the teaching profession through training of primary school teachers for rural Malawi schools.
Student teachers from the schools made displays showcasing what they are trained in college and how they apply the knowledge and skills during and after training.
The event was also attended by Education Division Managers, District Education Managers, Parents and School Managements Committee members and non-governmental organisations which included UNICEF, Save the Children, Action Aid and DAPP among others.
