In the year 2000, the international community pledged to attain by 2015 a set of objectives commonly referred to as the “Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)” with an aim of reducing poverty, fight hunger and diseases, educate children and give access to drinking water to a large number of people. His excellence the state president, Dr Bingu Wa Mutharika, in the year 2007 launched the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy, from Poverty to Prosperity (2006-2011) with an overall objective to reduce poverty through sustainable economic growth and infrastructure development. Both MDGs and MGDS emphasize social development as one of the key areas to development. There is recognition that human development is important if the country is to achieve its growth and development agenda. As such there is a need to prioritize building a healthy and educated population for Malawi.

Since its establishment (in 1984) Andiamo Trust has been working tirelessly in projects that would enable the surrounding populace (in essence the whole nation) to realize social, environmental and economic development. Currently the trust has also embarked in various projects as a step towards achieving economic growth and strategy.

According to the Projects Coordinator of the Trust, Mr. Mark Njoloma, they are constructing Chikhulupiriro Clinic (Pang’ono Pang’ono project) at Kapandatsitsi Village, T/ A Nsamala, Balaka district. The Clinic is expected to service people from the area after realizing that the nearest district hospital from the village (Balaka District Hospital) is more than 16km away. He also said that the Trust has a dekko at the problem of maternal mortality rate troubling the country with a different face. They are constructing a maternity wing at comfort clinics to ameliorate the situation by providing better facilities.

MGDS calls on equipping students, especially at primary level with basic knowledge and skills to enable them function as competent and productive citizens. The trust has taken a step towards realizing this goal by having projects of constructing the following primary schools. Nancholi primary school (Nchenga village) and Matola primary school (Matola village).

A better foundation in education can be accomplished if we can give our toddlers a chance. The trust is therefore constructing the following nursery schools; Mbela nursery school (Mbela village), Chikondi nursery school (Toleza Village) and John Paul II (Mpulula village).

To provide a basis for gainful employment in the informal, private and public sectors and to produce high quality professionals with relevant knowledge the Trust is extending Andiamo technical school to increase the intake. The school is currently offering the following courses; electrical installation, carpentry and joinery, motor vehicle mechanics and information technology. Since the key priority of MGDS is agriculture and food security the Trust will provide training in agriculture to all students enrolled with the college.

Maslow’s theory describes shelter as man’s basic need. Mr. Njoloma said that the trust has the knowledge that some people have problems in building there own houses. A project called “Chifundo project” is currently underway constructing 10 houses for identified elders in the district. Another project reffered to as “St Andrea Village Project” is in the pipeline to construct 14 houses and a borehole to shelter the needy. Village headman Kaumphawi should be a happy man because both projects will be situated in his area.

According to Mr. Njoloma, the projects the Trust is embarking on will provide social and economic growth of the nation. They will create employment to a large populace. He also said that the trust is calling on all stakeholders to join hands and move together with one heart to develop the state and not holding ourself aloof from the strategy. Louis Michel, (European commissioner) once said that the challenges we face are huge. But today we no longer have an excuse not to act. We are the first generation that can look extreme poverty in the face and say “we have the money, we have the medicines, we have the know how” but do we have the will to make poverty a thing of the past? Despite the figures, which are alarming, despite an unprecedent level of awareness, development remains an issue that is hard to sell. The fate of the suffering people seems to us to be sealed already. Nelson Mandela said that overcoming poverty is not a gesture of charity. It is an act of justice. It is a protection of a fundamental human right, the right to dignity and decent life. While poverty persists, there is no true freedom.

By Ronald Gundamtengo