Vincent Gunde 
By Vincent Gunde
A local Non – Governmental organization (NGO) – There is Hope (TIH) says Skill Up project, the organization is offering to students, is registering sustainable livelihood through self – reliance and economic well – being for refugees and host communities in Dowa district.
There is Hope’s Skill Up project is targeting young people aged 15 – 35 in the Dzaleka Refugee Camp and Dowa district attracting students from all sexes to be trained in various vocational skills, the organization is providing.
The project is coordinated by Welthungerhilfe (WHH) Malawi and is being implemented by There is Hope (TIH) offering non – formal Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET).
Presenting the progress report for the project, There is Hope’s Project Officer Nyengo Magagula Kumwenda, said the organization has from 2024 been offering six trades Bricklaying, Carpentry and Joinery, Fabrication and Welding, Plumbing, Solar photovoltaic installation, Tailoring and Fashion Design.
Kumwenda said the organization is dedicated to unlocking potential by providing refugees and their host communities with access to opportunities for education, artisan skills and spiritual well – being to foster a robust foundation to self – reliance, dignity, and shared harmony.
He said the organization also provide entrepreneurship, Life Skills and Digital Literacy, vulnerable girls scholarships, free work suits for all girls, students attachments, start – up kits, and tree planting, among others.
The officer said Skill up project has registered meaningful achievements in the trades it is offering saying 436 students were recruited (156 refugees and 280 Malawian), 402 graduated (206 male and 196 female) making a completion rate of 92.2 percent.
He said in the current status, the initial project targeted 657 students, this was revised to 503 in the revised trades of Carpentry and Joinery, Fabrication and Welding.
“The reduction has been made because of loss of unrestricted donor funding support, and There is Hope’s (TIH) programming areas,” said Kumwenda. .
He said the choice of trades was made by the project donor recommendation, to be supported by Social Business Enterprise (SBE) as well as encouraging more females in Technical and Vocational Education Training (TVET).
Kumwenda said the Skill up project is being implemented by a number of partners including There is Hope, TEVETA Malawi, SMEDI, Malawi Council for Disability Affairs (MACODA), Dzaleka Camp management, Dowa District Council, community leaders/ structures, local media and COMSIP.
In his remarks, Dowa District Council’s Director of Planning and Development Phillimon Maseko, urged all partners implementing their various interventions in the district to share progress of the projects they are implementing saying this enhances cooperation, accountability, and transparency.
Maseko appealed to Dec members to encourage school leavers to enroll themselves with There is Hope for them to be trained in various trades so that they be self – reliant and be able to contribute positively to the development of the district and the country as a whole.
