Malawi
In one of the lowest-income countries in the world, we create possibilities through agricultural programs, vocational training for young people, and savings and loan groups.
In one of the lowest-income countries in the world, we create possibilities through agricultural programs, vocational training for young people, and savings and loan groups.
Half of Malawi's population lives in severe poverty. The reasons are varied: small farming plots, agricultural practices that deplete soil fertility over time, and rural migration due to a lack of job opportunities in the countryside. Additionally, increasingly extreme weather conditions, such as droughts and floods, contribute to growing food shortages, leaving many people hungry.
Youth unemployment is particularly high in the region of our training project. Many young people drop out of school because they don't have the money - and many young women become pregnant as teenagers. But without a school-leaving certificate, they have few prospects and face a future of poverty. This is why we provide 500 disadvantaged young people with vocational training in a skilled trade. 200 of them live in the nearby refugee camp.
We create comprehensive and long-term prospects in regions severely affected by poverty: Thousands of farming families improve their income and nutrition. And hundreds of young people are completing vocational training in skilled trades. We are convinced that aid must be sustainable and holistic if it is to create real opportunities.
In training courses, farming families learn organic farming methods and how to produce fertilizer. This increases their crop yields and reduces expenditure. Thanks to vegetable gardens and fruit trees, their diet becomes more balanced, which is particularly important for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. In savings and lending groups, people learn how to save safely. They can use this money or a mini-loan to buy urgently needed seeds or agricultural equipment, for example.
Disadvantaged young people receive vocational training in trades such as metalwork, sewing, baking, carpentry, woodwork and agriculture. Such skilled workers are urgently needed on the local labor market. During their training, they also learn how to set up their own business and sell their goods. Strengthening their social skills is also an important part of the training. This enables them to earn enough later on and not have to migrate to the cities.
Farmers - mostly women - meet weekly or monthly in savings and lending groups in which they invest money together and grant each other mini-loans. In training courses, the participants acquire financial knowledge and entrepreneurial skills. In this way, they secure their livelihood step by step.
Alle geschulten Personen wandten die erlernten Methoden in der anschliessenden Anbausaison an, was auf ein grosses Vertrauen in die vermittelten Ansätze hinweist.
Bereits 39 von ihnen gehen einer Erwerbstätigkeit nach und erzielen damit ein eigenes Einkommen. 17 Absolventinnen und Absolventen haben ein eigenes Geschäft gegründet, 22 konnten eine Anstellung finden.
Durch die Teilnahme an einer Spar- und Leigruppe konnten sie ihr Einkommen steigern. Die aufgenommenen Mini-Darlehen wurden beispielsweise für den Kauf von Nutztieren wie Ziegen sowie für Saatgut und Dünger eingesetzt, wodurch die landwirtschaftlichen Erträge weiter gesteigert werden konnten.
Your donation to our projects in Malawi
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As a relief organization, we provide life-changing opportunities worldwide through effective, straightforward assistance. We are committed to both short- and medium-term emergency aid, as well as long-term development cooperation. Based on mutual respect and an understanding of local needs, we focus primarily on livelihoods, education, health, and peace. The responsible and impactful use of entrusted donations is confirmed by the ZEWO quality seal and our commitment to the standards of the CHS Alliance.