Do you remember Cellina’s experience with drought and her story of perseverance? This week we visited Cellina to learn more and catch up on how she and her family have been surviving on the 15 bags of maize she realized from her 2 acre field. Read today’s blog article to catch up on Cellina’s journey.
The Village Chief's Vital Role
A Conversation with Mercy Nkhoma
Author: Praises Padambo
Can You Introduce Yourself?
“My name is Mercy Nkhoma, the village head for Kasese village. I was born and raised here in Kasese in Dowa and I am 53 years old. I have served as a chief since 2006.”
How Did You Become a Chief?
“The village people chose me to succeed the previous chief, who resigned after his wife’s passing. It was such a great honor for me to be chosen by my community for such a position in a village of hundreds of people, and I have strived to serve them with dedication and integrity.”
Talking to Idah Mphonde, one of the villagers in Kasese village, we asked her opinion on why she thinks Mercy was chosen to be the village chief. In her response she says, “we chose her because of her character. She relates well with others and she hates corruption. For us, those are some of the characteristics of a good leader.”
What Are Some Of Your Roles As a Village Chief?
“As a chief, I wear many hats. I oversee overall activities that take place in my village. I also come up with rules that guide my community to ensure harmony and order, and I make sure that people are complying to the set rules.”
“Adding to that, I also serve as a judge whenever issues and misunderstandings arise in my community. I also help in executing and initiating development activities that come in my village. My goal is to create a prosperous and peaceful community.”
What Are Some of the Challenges That You Meet in Your Role as a Chief?
“The greatest challenge that I face is people not wanting to comply with the set laws. Sometimes individuals resist change and have differing opinions, but I strive to find solutions that benefit everyone.”
What is your involvement with Orant?
“As a chief, I take pride in leading my community in participating in Orant’s programs and other development initiatives. We have collaborated on various projects, including Healthcare, Education, Microloans, Water and Sanitation, and Agriculture. We even help with tasks like cleaning the hospital premises. We believe Orant’s work benefits our village, so we take an active role in supporting their efforts.”
Anything Else You Would Like to Share?
“I am proud to lead this community and work towards its development.”
“My community is very grateful for Orant’s comprehensive programs, which impact our livelihood in various ways. Their support has improved our healthcare, education, and economic opportunities. We appreciate their commitment to our community’s growth and well-being. I encourage other villages to embrace similar partnerships for the betterment of their communities.”
By sharing her experiences and perspectives, Mercy Nkhoma highlights the vital role village chiefs play in community development and the importance of collaboration with organizations like Orant. Her dedication to her community is inspiring, and her story serves as a model for effective leadership and community engagement.
The Orant Journal
A New Era for Kabuluzi Primary School
Some months ago, our Education Program surveyed all the primary and secondary schools in our catchment area. There were a total of 24 schools: 20 primary and four secondary schools. We are so happy to have successfully conducted the survey and analyzed the results from it, which have helped us to start implementation of some projects. Read our latest blog to learn more about this development.
The Culture of Malawi: An Introduction to Malawian Proverbs
Malawian culture has always been known as a treasure trove of wisdom, and proverbs being an integral part of our rich heritage. These timeless sayings have been passed on through generations, offering guidance, direction, and warnings that shape our values, beliefs, and daily lives. In our upcoming blog series, we will delve into the world of Malawian proverbs, exploring their meanings, contexts and significance. Read today's blog post which serves as an introduction to our journey.
As Big as the Sky Book Review
Read today’s blog about the children’s book, “As Big as the Sky”, a Malawian story about a brother and sister whose love for each other is as big as the sky.
How the Mobile Outreach Clinics Operate
For years, our Healthcare program has been making waves in rural Kasese with our Kasese Health Centre and our two Mobile Outreach Clinics, operating in parts of Dowa and Kasungu districts. But have you ever wondered how our Mobile Clinics operate? In our today's blog article, we are shedding more light on what Mobile Outreach Clinics are and how they operate. Visit the link below to learn more.
Celebrating World Breastfeeding Week
Every year, the first week of August is dedicated to World Breastfeeding Week. The goal is to highlight the importance of breastfeeding, to encourage and promote breastfeeding and to improve the health of babies and mothers all around the globe. The theme for 2024 Breastfeeding Week is Closing the Gap: Breastfeeding Support for All, which aims at celebrating breastfeeding mothers in all their diversity, throughout their breastfeeding journeys, while showcasing the ways families, societies, communities and health workers can have the back of every breastfeeding mother. In today’s blog, we are sharing Malita Yohane’s breastfeeding journey and how it has been a game changer for her son Benjamin Kambambe who was born prematurely.
Breaking the Chains of Noncommunicable Diseases in Malawi
Imagine a world where noncommunicable diseases no longer hold people back from living the fullest of their lives. A world where quality healthcare services are accessible to all, regardless of socioeconomic status or geographical location. This is what our Healthcare program envisions. Read our latest to learn more about noncommunicable diseases and what our healthcare program is doing to free communities around our Kasese catchment area from the grip of such diseases.
Orant’s Values
“Orant respectfully serves and collaborates with our community in a sustainable way.”
Water Well Maintenance
At the heart of Orant’s programs and initiatives is sustainability, which is also one of our values. We believe in not only implementing programs or initiatives but also in creating long-lasting change that will continue to serve our community. In today's blog article, we talk about why we perform maintenance on water wells and how it contributes to the sustainability of our Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) program.
Evolution of Orant’s FEM Program
At Orant, we are committed to supporting local entrepreneurs, especially women. This is what spurred us to start our Financial Empowering Microloans (FEM) program in 2017. However, we came to realize that our program participants needed more comprehensive support to achieve sustainable growth. This is why we are excited to announce the evolution of our FEM program into what we now call Business Development Program!. Read our latest blog to learn more about this evolution.