Malawi: UNICEF has donated 100 push bicycles to Nsanje District Council to ease mobility of volunteers of the Social Protection for Gender Empowerment and Resilience (SP-GEAR) initiative.
Speaking after the donation at Nsanje District Council this week, Social Protection Specialist at UNICEF, George Juwawo said the bicycles will help in the implementation of the SP-GEAR. He highlighted that volunteers will be able to reach out to households in social protection programmes. This will help to economically empower them, thereby building their resilience to shocks.
He has advised the beneficiaries to look after the bicycles that they would be receiving. The Social Protection Specialist at UNICEF said that the bicycles were distributed to save a good purpose in the three years implementation of SP-GEAR project.
“We are committed to complement government efforts to make sure that communities graduate from ultra-poor to self-resilience in order to be economically independent,” he added.
Nsanje District Council’s Director of Planning and Development, Ernest Kaphuka, thanked UNICEF. The donation of thee bicycles is complimenting government efforts in uplifting lives of people in the district. The officials have shared that they are delighted to work with the organization for helping communities thrive from the grassroots.
He said volunteers who are championing SP-GEAR had mobility challenges, adding that the challenges made it difficult for the volunteers to reach out to communities in hard to reach areas.
“The bicycles will help community based front line workers to encourage communities under Social Cash Transfer Programme and Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme to join Village Savings and Loans groups which are in place to transform livelihood,” he added.
One of the beneficiaries, Chimwemwe Khakhi said the push bicycle will improve mobility as it will help her to mobilise many households in her area to join VSL groups.
The SP-GEAR initiative is being implemented in nine districts in the country including Nsanje with support from Ireland and European Union.
The initiative was launched in the year 2024 and will run up to 2026 for the people of the country.