By Pauline Kaude
Ntchisi, July 8, Mana: State Vice President, Dr Saulos Chilima has commended World Vision Malawi (WVM) for changing the mind set of people in Ntchisi which has in turn resulted in having their livelihoods transformed for the better.
Chilima, himself an advocate of mindset change, said this on Thursday when he toured WVM mind set change and Empowered Biblical Worldview (EBW) which aims at improving the behavioural and attitude change interventions in Traditional Authority (TA) Nthondo’s area in the district.
During the visit, the Vice President toured Cheka Forest Reserve which was heavily deforested but has now has reclaimed its lost glory.
He visited Cheka Cooperative where he was taken around pavilions showcasing various products which farmers are producing.
For the past five years, WVM has been using The Empowered Biblical Worldview model in the area under the Transforming Households Resilience in Vulnerable Environment (THRIVE) Project which has led to mind set change among the people.
“What we have seen at Nthondo is mind set change in action and not just in words. We need this mind set concept adopted in all the areas of the country if we are to achieve meaningful development,” Chilima pointed out.
He said it was high time farmers benefitted from the fruits of their hard work and appealed to stick to the mind set change model.
The Vice President added that government was committed to ensure that this was achieved hence it decided to implement the Affordable Input Programme (AIP) for easy access of farm inputs by small scale farmers.
“Government wants to make sure that there is no hunger in the country and AIP will again be implemented this year,” Chilima said, adding ADMARC would soon start buying maize.
Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Dr Patricia Kaliati said there was need for people to be economically empowered so they could contribute to the country’s development.
She appealed to the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) to reach out to people in the remotest areas for them to access loans and improve their livelihoods.
World Vision Acting National Director, Charles Chimombo said under the EBW model, the organization believes in taking everyone aboard in achieving meaningful development.
“We believe that everyone else has got the potential to change their own status based on the resources and skills that God bestows on them and for the last five years we started using this model to help people to change their mind set, believe in themselves and be able to improve food security and their livelihoods,” he said.
Seventh Day Adventist President, Pastor Frackson Kuyama, one of the pastors taking part in the model, said he believes that the country has all what it takes to be a successful nation, what remains was mind set change among the citizenry.
He explained that as faith leaders they would make sure that they advocate for mindset change so that Malawi can develop better.
TA Nthondo thanked WVM for changing the mind sets of people in his area as evidenced by their change of approach in doing things.
“For instance, people in my area have now seen the importance of forests as such every village and household has its own forest. Food security at household level is being achieved every year,” he said.
