World Vision Malawi (WVM) has expressed satisfaction on the impact it has made through its 18-year journey at Lipiri Area Programme (AP) in Dowa district.
Speaking during the closure of the AP on Thursday, Director of Operations at World Vision Malawi Charles Chimombo, touted the organization’s approach of long-term community engagement as having borne fruits in the area.
According to Chimombo, the children’s charity has been implementing various initiatives in water and sanitation, education, child protection, and maternal and child health.
“We’ve spent 18 years here, extending beyond our typical 12–15-year commitment, to ensure that we achieved our goals. The results speak for themselves: improved access to clean water for nearly 90% of households, increased school enrollment, and a spiritually strengthened community,” he said.
The Operations Director highlighted that in the 18 years of the project, World Vision Malawi has managed to drill about 129 boreholes and has also empowered the community to be self-reliant.
The organization, according to Chimombo, will ensure that communities continue to benefit from the progress made by implementing sustainability strategies, including training community members and collaborating with local authorities.
“We have been working with the District Council, for example, the District Commission and other district departments to be able to move along with the community here as we are winding up. So, we are very hopeful that the achievements that we have registered here will continue even as we leave out of this place,” he explained.
District Commissioner for Dowa, Stallichi Mwambiwa, expressed gratitude for the enduring legacy left by World Vision Malawi in the area.
Mwambiwa stated the council will work with community leaders and local authorities so that the initiatives continue to thrive and benefit the area long after World Vision’s exit.
“The interventions that World Vision has been doing here have been embedded in the people of this area. We have economic activities that we have been doing, we have healthy facilities, we have issues to do with water, all these issues will continue and if we have services as a council, we have equally embedded some of these activities into our own activities,” said Mwambiwa.
Parliamentarian for the area Abel Kayembe, also spoke in praise of the organization’s contributions focusing on community participation.
Kayembe urged World Vision to consider expanding its model to nearby areas, emphasizing the value of their development approach.
“World Vision’s work in this area has been life-changing. From building school infrastructure to reducing waterborne diseases, they’ve equipped our communities to sustain these improvements independently.
“We would like to see similar initiatives in other parts of our constituency. The positive outcomes we’ve experienced here could greatly benefit other communities,” he said.
Senior Chief Kayembe, who received an award for playing a critical role in ending child marriages commended the child centred organization for the 18-year journey which has completely transformed the areas in education, maternal health, economy water and sanitation among others.
She pledged to continue promoting a girl child by ending child marriages through bylaws which she has set.
With funding from New Zealand’s Arise Church, World Vision Malawi has been working on transformation across health, education, advocacy, WASH, and livelihoods in the area.
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