AUGUST 2, 2005

Hunger Project food bank strategy recommended for all Malawi

The Hunger Project's epicenter strategy - an comprehensive, integrated strategy to empower rural communities to meet their basic needs on a sustainable basis - received strong endorsement today from a visiting delegation. Malawi is currently facing a severe drought, yet all four of our Malawi epicenters have well-stocked food banks, protecting the residents.

Our country director Rowlands Kaotcha, reports:

Arthur Jokela is a state guest in Malawi currently facilitating an International Children's  conference here. At his request, the Ministry of Gender  Child Welfare and Community Services requested The Hunger Project Malawi to show him our work at the Jali epicenter. To our surprise, he was accompanied by the entire Ministry of  Gender, Child Welafre and Community Services beginning from the Minister  herself

The visit was a second lead news on the National Television News yesterday; it has been aired on the National Radio. And today one of the newspapers has produced an article (below).

The team arrived Jali epicenter at around 2:45pm and was welcomed by the epicenter committee, AWFFI Loans Committee, and the 31 chiefs from the 31 partner villages of the Jali epicenter. The Chairman briefed the guests on the work of THP in the area of Jali and how people's lives have been transformed. This was followed by an inspection of the epicenter structure and facilities beginning with the food bank, rural bank, dispensary, food processing, classroom, and meeting hall. The epicenter community food bank was full with maize and rice grain. In the dispensary, the guests found women who had come to get family planning services. In the rural bank, AWFFI women explained clearly how the facility is being used to access and repay credit.