Malingunde Woman Benefits from Self-Help Funding

When the team that manages the Ambassador's Special Self-Help Fund consulted the compass for their next adventure in September, 2005, they found a worthy project proposal in Malingunde, a remote area 45 minutes southwest of Lilongwe.  Barely two years later, the project's organizers boast of a substantial multiplier effect and the sort of extended benefits that many projects never achieve. 

In 2005, the Self-Help Fund granted $5,000 to the Malingunde Teachers Training School, a faith-based institution that runs training courses for women in tailoring and other life skills.  The grant funds purchased building materials, chicken feed, garden tools, treadle pumps, and a refrigerator, all of which were used to operate this "Food and Income Supplementation (FAIS) project."

Project participants established demonstration vegetable gardens and poultry houses, both at the school campus and in 15 nearby villages.  The output from the village sites is used to supplement food intake in this remote area, while the output from the demonstration site generates revenue to defray the tuition costs for students attending the teacher training school.  At $300 per six-month training session, this is frequently out of the reach of many deserving students.  More importantly, the techniques disseminated through these demonstration sites are being extended throughout the villages, improving the diets and the income of many villagers. 

Deputy Chief of Mission Kevin Sullivan visited the project recently to look over progress.  Mayi Kaludzu, who worked with Malingunde students to establish her own vegetable garden and poultry house, told him, “I make $3.22 for a tray of eggs … I have built a house and as you can see, it’s iron-roofed, and I pay school fees for my five children.”  Mr. Sullivan replied, “You have indeed done well; this is precisely what we want our money to help with."

After touring various project sites, Sullivan said provision of Ambassador's Self-Help funding was basically an act of faith and that sometimes the projects do not amount to anything.  He added, "I am happy that the strength of this faith-based institution and your personal motivation has helped you succeed with this project.”

The project concept arose from the need to meet food requirements of students at the school.  A secondary objective of the project was to educate the rural population on agricultural techniques in a bid to boost production and improve the health of participating farmers. 

The Ambassador’s Self Help Fund was established in Malawi in 1966 to address urgent development needs at the community level.  Since 2000, the fund has provided over US$754,000 to 110 projects.