In the heart of Phalombe district, nestled along the banks of the Phalombe River, lies the village of Group Village Headman (GVH) Tamani, home to Mr. John Mbendera, a 58-year-old farmer with a story of resilience and hope. With a wife and five children depending on him, Mr. Mbendera's livelihood has long been sustained by his crop farming activities. However, his world was rocked in 2023 when Tropical Cyclone Freddy wreaked havoc on his main crop field, leaving him grappling with the aftermath.
Mr. Mbendera, a dedicated member of the GVH Tamani Village Natural Resources Management Committee (VNRC), was one of the 7,855 project participants enrolled in the Lake Chilwa Basin Project goat distribution program in 2023.
With funding from Jersey Overseas Aid (JOA), Scottish Catholic International Fund (SCIAF) and Trocaire Malawi, we are implementing this initiative to safeguard the biodiversity of the Lake Chilwa catchment area while strengthening community resilience to alleviate household poverty.
Among its various interventions, the project supports VNRCs by providing goats through a pass-on program and supplying beehives to engage in beekeeping enterprises, thus empowering them to manage Village Forest Areas effectively. Owing to his unwavering commitment and hard work within the VNRC, Mr. Mbendera was honored as one of the initial five recipients of goats from the Tamani VNRC, he was awarded five goats, a gift that proved to be more than just livestock but a lifeline towards a brighter future. With four she-goats and one he-goat in tow, Mr. Mbendera embarked on a journey of empowerment.
