Balala Village – VILLAGE REPORT

Village Report for the Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi

for Love’s Harvest – Women’s Empowerment Program

Name of Village: BALALA VILLAGE

Name of Church: St. Marks Church

Name of American Donor – Michael Wood & Joan Pepin, OVT Partner

Love’s Harvest Diocesan Program Director’s Name: Yasinta Omegah Mtambo

Address: Anglican Diocese of Southern Malawi, P.O. Box 30220, Chichiri, Blantyre 3

Phone: 265 888 31 23 31

Email Address: yomtambo@yahoo.com

Report Date: July 2011

NEEDS ASSESSMENT BASELINE SURVERY

Balala village is found in Chiradzulu District in Southern Region of Malawi. This Village is in

Bangwe Parish, one of the semi- urban Parishes in Limbe Archdeaconry. The distance from the

main city is approximately 75 km; more than 480 families live in this village. The total number

of AIDS orphans is approximately 135 and there is a total number of 2 child headed families in

this village. Due to high prevalence of AIDS epidemic there is an increased number of School

drop outs as most relatives fail to support the orphans by providing them with basic needs for

them to attend School due to the high level of poverty amongst the villagers.

There is a nearby local market where the villagers sale their farm produce. The type of soil in

this village is clay sand which has low soil nutrients. Most people used to apply chemical

fertilizer in their fields in order to harvest more crops but this has resulted into low yields due

to poverty.

The village has one borehole where people get water for domestic use. However, during dry

season this borehole gets dry and people get water from a nearby stream which also dries up,

hence people have to travel long distances to fetch water.

The families in this village grow crops at a small scale and they mostly grow maize, sorghum,

millet, pigeon peas. The types of vegetables available include rape, Chinese cabbage,

tomatoes, onions and other local varieties while lemons mangoes, pawpaw, guavas, oranges,

granadillas and local fruits are grown in this village. Most of the families are now able to

prepare two meals a day; usually the wife/ mother and the girl child are the ones who prepare

the food for the family. They don’t have any hot dish served only main meals thus lunch and

supper.

Generally the families keep goats, only few keep pigs and the number of animals per family is

not more than ten as they sale the rest in order to use the money to buy other necessities for

their families members such as buying books, pens, writing materials & uniforms for their

School children. The villagers have traditional land where they raise corns and other products.

Few villagers do business on a small scale as an economic engine.

The project commenced in May, 2010 funded by Michael Wood & Joan Pepin and a total sum of

MK497, 971.00 has been used to carry out different activities for this project with an objective

of helping the rural poor to grow the crops they want using Permaculture knowledge by

growing and keep animals on their own land to improve their living standards as a source of

food and income. The direct beneficiaries of this project in this village are thirty one (31) and

most of them are women.

Take note that the MK497, 971.00 (Equiv. USD150) is part of the total funds of MK1, 824,

825.00 funds sent for the Women Empowerment Program.

ACCOUNTING REPORT NARRATIVE

The names of the direct beneficiaries in this project are 31 as listed below:

1. Esnart Muliya

2. Violet Duli

3. Steria Kaunda

4. Teleza Juma

5. Ethelo Kampango

6. Ellena Chinseu

7. Malise Chimimba

8. Esnart Nazombe

9. Flora Lamusi

10. Catherine Luka

11. Margret Loweni

12. Rose Sitima

13. Mary Chambo

14. Pocuneti Sochela

15. Joyce Chitsulo

16. Tionge Chinjala

17. Esnart Mulenga

18. Maria Chiotcha

19. Bhati Friday

20. Bertha Huwa

21. Gladys Sitole

22. Christian Chupe

23. Zione Gundani

24. Rose Yasini

25. Barbar John

26. Beatrice Cikule

27. Akittle Bundula

28. Martha Pinifolo

29. Modesta Libson

30. Deliya Maluwa

31. Christian Chirwa

A committee was formed whose leadership comprised of the Chairperson, Secretary and

Treasurer for administration. The Permaculture training programme was conducted by

Pastor Joseph Chawawa on 13th May, then from 19th to 23rd September, 2010. The following

is the list of topics learnt:

Permaculture – Ethics & Principles.

On this topic villagers were taught that Permaculture is the wisest way to grow more

food as we work with Nature not against her to improve and enjoy our lives, and that it

needs long and thoughtful observation, not long and thoughtless labor. In Permaculture

one needs to use common sense + local & traditional knowledge to give a holistic design

system for sustainable living. Care of the earth and land is one of the Permaculture

ethics. Growing different crops on household farm is one of the Permaculture Principles

which helps to reduce labor and increases inputs so that villagers should become self

reliant.

Ecosystems – The Nutrient Cycle

People are reminded that nature cycle always works in cycles, i.e. plants are used by

people and animals for food and shelter.

Food & Nutrition – Food groups, a Balanced Diet

Villagers were reminded that ‘We are what we are because of the type of food we eat.’

We have the right to healthy and nutritious diet for our daily life. We need to eat food

from all the six different food groups daily to stay healthy and strong, so we have energy

to live, grow, learn, play and work. Building strong bodies is like building a strong house.

‘We don’t use only bricks or timbers, but need lots of other things too’, so we need to

eat different food groups to be health.

Land Design – sectors, zones & House Sitting

No Piece of land is perfect. Permaculture design is information – intensive and can

design our land so all parts work in relation to each other. We must study our land and

nature is our teacher and guide.

Plants – Guilds, windbreaks, Transplanting seedlings

Villagers were taught that by growing crops in guilds help the plants to support each

other as some are pollinators and pest predators’ while others are legumes which fix

nitrogen in the soil.

Animal husbandry

Animals act as a ‘rural bank ‘providing capital, young animals are the ‘interest &

indigenous animals are local currency. This means that animals complete the natural

system, they provide protein – rich food and other products, control vegetation & pests,

decompose organic matter to return nutrients to the soil and maintain natural areas.

Without animals as part of the design no Permaculture system is complete.

The following tools were provided to the beneficiaries

31 water cans,31 hoes,31 sickles,31 slashes,31 Phanga Knives

Variety of vegetable seeds ( Rape, Chinese, Mustard, Tomato, onions)

310 Fruit seedlings ( Oranges, Guavas, Lemons, Peaches and Granadilla)

31 Goats

31 Goat khola using local materials such grass, timbers, nails and ropes.

Transport for animal Purchase

Hiring of veterinary assistant

The beneficiaries met the cost of vaccination and medication for the pigs.

Two days follow up Permaculture teaching each month for nine months.

Labour charge for the demonstration garden ( Clearing & tilling of the land)

ACCOUNTING REPORT TABULATION OF EXPENSES

ITEM EXPENSES AMOUNT (MK )

FARM TOOLS

31 Water cans @ MK850 each 26,350.00

31 Hoes @ MK750 each 23, 250.00

31 Panga Knives @ MK650 each 20,150.00

31 Sickles @ MK500 each 15,500.00

31 Slashes @ MK450 each 13,950.00

31 Garden forks @ MK1,200 37,200.00

Transportation Cost ( Fuel ) 18,000.00

Lunch & Refreshments 5,171.00

Communication Cost 2,000.00

Subtotal Farm Inputs 161, 571.00

Vegetable Seeds for the individual & the Demonstration

gardens (10 pkts. @ MK300 each & 30 pkts @ MK250 each)

16,500.00

Fruit seedlings @ MK250 & MK300 each

31 Mango Plant @ MK300 each

31Peaches @ MK300 each

33 Pawpaw @ MK200 each

31Mexican Apples @MK200 each

32 Avocado Pears @ MK300 each

31 Lemon @ MK200 each

33 Guava @ MK200 each

33 Granadillas @ MK200 each

32 Oranges @ MK300 each

70,000.00

9,300.00

9,300.00

6,600.00

6,200.00

9,600.00

6,200.00

6,600.00

6,600.00

9,600.00

SUB TOTAL 70,000.00

ANIMAL PURCHASE

31 Goats @ MK3,500 each

108, 500.00

Demonstration Garden ( Labour charge for Clearing, tilling &

making of beds)

18,600.00

2 Community Meetings

- Fuel

- Communication(Purchase of units)

- Lunch & Refreshments

8,000.00

2,400.00

4,600.00

Sub Total Meetings 15,000.00

Pastor Chawawa’s Expenses

10 Days Permaculture Teaching @ MK7,250/ Day

Permaculture Teaching (this includes Transport, Teaching

Fees & Meals)

72,500.00

Monitoring

- Lunch & Refreshments

- Fuel

- Internet Charge

- Units (communication)

5,500.00

10, 000.00

3,200.00

3,800.00

Sub Totals Monitoring 22,500.00

Participants Meals during Comm. Meetings

12,800.00

VILLAGE TOTAL EXPENDITURE

$US3,319.80 497,971.00

YEARLY IMPACT ASSESSEMENT SURVEY

A typical family in Malawi mostly lives in a glass thatched house with one or no bedroom and

mad floor. In some houses people sleep together with their domestic animals such as goats,

ducks or chickens. The family members walk on barefoot or slippers (flip flop). Most of the

school children go on bare foot to school. They live on less than a dollar per day and eat one

meal a day.

Before the introduction of this project the following were noted in the living standards of

people in Balala village:

A family set up of an average of 8 people per family used to eat one meal once a day

with lunch at 2.00 p.m.

Before the program the people had no knowledge of nutritious foods to improve their

health as most of the children suffered from malnutrition.

The women were dependent on men’s decisions on what to grow on the land.

Men were the only source of income for the family.

The villagers relied on chemical fertilizer a Government subsidy.

There was lack of team spirit for the common good to share experiences and exchange

of ideas.

The project has brought significant impact in the living standards of people of Balala Village in

different forms as follows:

A family of set up of an average of 8 is now able provide themselves with three meals a

day, breakfast, lunch and supper.

They are able to distinguish the nutritional content as they grow different crops on the

same piece of land using the Permaculture system of farming.

The women are now able to decide the type of crops they can grow on their land.

Women are now able to sale the proceeds from their kitchen gardens and earn money

to support their families which was not the case before.

The villagers mind set of growing only the same types of crops in the area has changed

as they are now able to grow a variety of crops on the same piece of land.

Women now have ownership of the goats.

The people are now using the manure which is cheaper, made by themselves and

locally found as an alternative to chemical fertilizer which is expensive for a poor

villager even though the Government subsidies.

As the villagers work together, they are now able to share experiences and exchange

ideals.

The money raised from the demonstration garden is used to assist some of the orphans and the

elderly in village while the money raised from the individual kitchen gardens is used to support

their families.

Out of the 31 goats given to the women, 12 have produced 16 young ones. The pass along

exercise is yet to take place.

Also included in the Permaculture garden are fruit trees, the trees have not yet started to bear

fruits. The families have started selling vegetables at the market but they also practice

bartering, i.e. maize in exchange of sweet potatoes or cassava. The money raised from the sales

of vegetables is used to buy things like washing and bathing soap, sugar and salt which they

give to some of the orphans and other vulnerable people in the village.

Currently, eighteen (18) kitchen gardens at Balala village are still producing vegetables

throughout the year while a few are not producing as the animals have destroyed their fences

and also because of shortage of water during dry seasons.

The community garden is still owned by the community but the members would like now to

own a permanent land since the one in use was loaned to the members for a short time. The

women are now economically empowered as they are able to sale some of the produce from

their kitchen gardens for money , the program has also helped to reduce the kitchen cost since

they no longer buy vegetables.

The types of vegetables grown by the women in this village include, rape, tomatoes, Chinese

cabbage, eggplants, Bonongwe, sweet potato leaves, luni while the types of fruits grown in the

family household farms are guavas, papaws, peaches, lemons, Mexican Apple, oranges and

granadillas

CHALLENGES

Transportation – Sharing of vehicle for three women departments still remain a big issue

because the work requires close supervision but l fail to meet the target since we use

the vehicle for only two working days a week.

It’s not all that easy to move with Pastor Chawawa to all the houses, so the TOT’s who

were trained in this village should carry out some of the work and that they should be

considered to be given a certain amount as an incentive so that they can use during

the house teaching.

Lack of support from leaders – some leaders wanted to be paid on daily bases as they

come to supervise the project.

Lack of transportation to village as there is only one vehicle shared by three

departments.

Heavy rains that destroyed most crops and thereafter the area experienced dry spell for

a period of one month.

Supervision of the kitchen gardens needs a lot of time as the houses are located in

different places.

The Parish Priest and some Church leaders including the village headman is very much in

support of the project, they also participate in some of the community meetings. They are also

involved in the monitoring of the project as they visit the homes to see the kitchen gardens.

Men help the women as they work in the community garden and also assist in the clearing and

tilling of the garden, in homes they help in the construction of the fences while other family

members help in watering of the vegetables. The Mothers’ Union on Diocesan and Parish level

helps in monitoring of the project. The Diocesan Office support the project by providing

vehicles to be used when going for monitoring the project in the villages, the Diocese also

sometimes do sends some of the staff to supervise the project.

It has been noted that people have learnt a lot from the tenets of Malawi Permaculture

Practices as they have acquired different skills and experiences which they are practicing in

their house farms. The monthly income in most families in this village has greatly improved as

the kitchen cost has greatly been reduced.

MOTHERS’ UNION PLAN TO SUPPORT THE BALALA VILLAGE LOVE’S HARVEST ONE VILLAGE AT A TIME

PROGRAM IN 2011 & 2012

To provide the group with more funds for the buying of plastic sheets and nails for building of

the goat house.

To include shovels and wheelbarrows for easy collection of manure. This will be given to those

who are hard workers in order to encourage those that have fallen behind.

To provide incentives to the two TOT’s ( ladies ) who went for the National Permaculture

training

Additional funds for damaged water cans, monitoring & medication for the goats.

Balala Villager getting water from the local stream for the Community Garden