Special Assignment

Empowering Rural Orphans in Salima

For communities grappling with hunger and poverty, diseases such as malaria and HIV and AIDS compound their desperate predicament. Irrefutably, orphans are the hardest hit. With no guardians to care for them, they are often left destitute, forced to head families, fending for their siblings. With little or no education, no income opportunities or vocational training, their future appears bleak.

The SATECH project, executed by UNIDO, aims to secure the future livelihoods of poor, marginalized rural community members in Salima District and bolster their current humanitarian and productivity deficits. One of the project’s core activities is providing artisan training and equipment. The SATECH project promotes a small community based organization, Maziko Orphan Training Salima (MOTS) to train orphans in various disciplines.

Since September 2006, MOTS Training Centre has benefited from tools, equipment, Training of the Trainers (ToT) and management advice. To date, 28 boys and 6 girls have successfully completed an intensive training in carpentry, welding, building, tailoring, motor vehicle mechanics and carving. Upon their graduation in mid August 2007, they will receive tool kits. Most of them will chose self-employment in the rural community and possibly join the agricultural and informal sector. Others are likely to take paid employment in urban centres. All of them will be better equipped to help themselves and provide for their dependants.

The MOTS Training Centre is part of a wider programme that is contributing towards economic empowerment by uplifting the economic status of vulnerable groups through integrated community programmes for income generation, training the disadvantaged groups especially women and orphans in business and technical skills, and promoting viable agro-based small-scale enterprises.

It is another step towards achieving Millennium Development Goals. The orphans programme is in tune with Government policies such as the National Action Framework for National AIDS Commission, which includes the mitigation of health, socio-economic and psychosocial impact of HIV and AIDS on individuals, communities and the nation.

In pictures. Trainers are MOTS Training Centre in Salima. Salima District is among the hardest hit by HIV and AIDS in Malawi and has high numbers of orphans.

Issue 1 2007