‘We need to stop hiding behind natural disasters and CoVID-19’—CONGOMA

* Other countries experience natural disasters every year but their economy is not going down

* With only six years left to achieve the MW2063 national vision, there was the need to act with urgency and renewed determination

* 51.5% of Malawians are still living in poverty, with 20.5% living in extreme poverty

* We are concerned with the rate at which we are implementing our development goals

* As both President Lazarus Chakwera and Minister Jean Sendeza reiterated government’s resolve to create an environment conducive to NGOs’ effective contribution to MW2063 goals

Wrap up by Brenda Nkosi, Agatha Kadzinje & Beatrice Bangula, MANA

Programmes Manager for Council for Non-governmental Organisations in Malawi (CONGOMA), Simekinali Karuzi said with only six years left to achieve both the sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the milestones set out in Malawi Implementation Plan (MIP)-1 of the MW2063 national vision, there was the need to act with urgency and renewed determination.

Karuzi said this yesterday during a press briefing on the commemoration of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty which CONGOMA and World Vision International-Malawi organised in partnership with the National Civil Society Taskforce on SDGs.

It was disclosed that 51.5% of Malawians are still living in poverty, with 20.5% living in extreme poverty, and Karuzi said: “We are concerned with the rate at which we are implementing our development goals.

“We cannot wait for 2030 to find out that we have not done enough. We are calling on all stakeholders to renew their commitment to the SDGs.

“We need to stop hiding behind natural disasters and CoVID-19. Other countries experience natural disasters every year but their economy is not going down.”

Presenting a media statement, World Vision International’s advocacy & communication manager, Charles Gwengwe said they have united to raise awareness of the progress, challenges, and the need for collective action to fast-track the achievement of the SDGs — particularly as they reflect on the global theme for this year; ‘Ending social and institutional maltreatment-Acting together for just, peaceful and inclusive societies’.

“Malawi has made strides in some areas of development, but the overall progress toward achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals has been slow, and we face significant hurdles, particularly in eradicating poverty.

“The SDG 1 which makes sure we do away with poverty is lagging,” he said. 51.5% of Malawians are still living in poverty, with 20.5% living in extreme poverty.

“This high rate of poverty continues to limit access to essential services, including health, education, and nutrition,” said Gwengwe adding that Malawi cannot afford to leave anyone behind in this race, especially the most vulnerable members of our society — children, women, and rural populations who are excessively affected by poverty.

At the commemoration of NGO Day on Wednesday, both President Lazarus Chakwera and Minister of Gender, Community Development & Social Welfare, Jean Sendeza reiterated the government’s resolve to create an environment conducive to NGOs’ effective contribution to MW2063 goals.

Celebrated under the theme; ‘Strengthening Partnerships and Capacity in the NGO Sector: Panacea for Achieving MW2063 Agenda’, the President applauded the NGOs and all other development stakeholders who continue to support a vision for a better Malawi.

He said the NGOs’ “dedication to service and partnership is invaluable to the achievement of the MW2063 national development agenda” and together, they will “build a stronger, more prosperous Malawi, leaving no one behind”.

“Without partnerships and enhanced capacity among all actors including NGOs, progress shall be slow against our wishes. We must be deliberate in fostering effective collaborations and double our efforts towards capacity building for the NGOs and the beneficiary communities.”

On her part, Minister Sendeza said the government “recognises the importance of creating a favourable environment that allows NGOs to thrive and contribute to the country’s progress”.

“For this reason, the Ministry of Gender is committed to ensuring that such an enabling environment is possible through a strong legal and policy framework, which the government has put in place.”

Sendeza added that the NGO Policy of 2019, currently under review, attempts to address emerging challenges and create a more supportive environment for NGO operations in the country.

“The review is an important step towards developing a successor NGO policy that will better align with the collective ambitions of all concerned parties,” she said, while emphasised the need for a strategic and proper framework to aid NGOs in achieving the goals of MW2063 vision.

Sendeza also said government is engaging with NGOs and stakeholders to ensure that the new NGO policy addresses challenges such as regulatory compliance, financial sustainability and capacity gaps.

The minister, therefore, acknowledged the importance of NGO Day to both the government and NGOs, saying: “This day signifies the vital role that NGOs play in enhancing Malawi’s national development agenda.

“It is also a great opportunity for NGOs to showcase their work to various stakeholders, demonstrating the power of collaboration,” she said, adding that the Ministry of Finance allocated K1 billion to the NGO Regulatory Authority (NGORA) in the 2024-2025 financial year to enhance the capacity of the NGO sector specifically, to the local NGOs.

The NGO Day preceded three sectoral workshops which NGORA hosted last week in collaboration with CONGOMA and the Ministry of Gender & Social Welfare, which were in three parts — focusing on NGOs that deal in education on the first day, October 9; health on October 10 and agriculture on October 11.

Also involved was the National Planning Commission (NPC), whose senior development planning specialist, Ivy Chauya implored on the NGOs to align their development projects to MW2063 if the national vision is to be achieved of an ‘Inclusively Wealthy, Self-reliant, Industrialised, Upper-Middle Income Economy by the year 2063’.

Chauya first took through the overall MW2063 vision; the First Year Implementation Plan (MIP-1); contents of the MIP-1, progress so far for MIP-1; how NGOs should align projects to MW2063 and the MW2063 implementation coordination & reporting mechanism.

She emphasised that first and foremost, the NGOs should know and understand the MW2063 overall goal of wealth creation; self reliance and inclusivity (gender, youth, people living with disabilities, rural areas, PLWHIVA) among others.

On planning for development projects, the NGOs were asked to focus on how their projects can contribute to wealth creation; self reliance and what interventions can be implemented within a particular project that can contribute to the overall goal.

She emphasised that if their projects are not in any way contributing to these three, then it means they are off-track.

She also highlighted that the NGOs need to understand the Pillars and Enablers of the MW2063 vision for them to assess what pillar or enabler of the vision relates to the project they want to implement.

Meanwhile, at the NGO Day celebration, Chakwera expressed gratitude that over the years there has been increased NGO accountability as well as compliance to various pieces of legislation governing the sector.

He said he was pleased to hear that 498 NGOs have submitted their reports to NGORA from 432 which did so last year, “which is a sign of growth and transparency in the localisation agenda”.

He, therefore, encouraged the NGOs to continue working in collaboration with government, saying both government and NGOs have one goal of serving people.

“As we look back to the progress registered last year, I am pleased to report the remarkable progress that has indeed been made today particularly in the area of NGOs compliance and accountability.

“Statics speak for themselves, in 2023 we had 77 NGOs registered under NGORA and am glad that this year, the number has more than doubled to 148.”

Chakwera added that the NGO Fund which was launched in August this year is to help in building the capacity of NGOs and a more responsive NGO sector.

NGORA Chief Executive Officer, Edward Chileka Banda said in line with this year’s theme, NGOs are playing a pivotal role in ensuring that they support government, citing the pavilions that displayed products of NGOs’ investment in various sectors in education, agriculture, health, among others.

“NGOs have now accepted that their role is to support government and making sure that together we transform Malawi,” he said.—Pictures by MANA; wrap up edited by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express