Chiphunzitso Youth Organization: Empowering the Youth of Kataya Village to Overcome Financial Challenges

Malawi: Young people in Kataya village, T/A Mkagula in Zomba, Malawi, have taken the initiative to address their financial difficulties by forming the Chiphunzitso Youth Organization, a non-profit group aimed at helping the youth combat challenges in accessing education, writes Mathews Mwantani.

The organization, established in 2014, has 10 male members and 17 female youth members who are working together to find local solutions to their financial struggles, instead of waiting for government assistance.

One of the initiatives the organization has implemented is a village savings and loans program, with the goal of saving money to support needy students.

At a recent ceremony, the group shared their village savings and awarded exercise books and buckets to four top-performing girls from Mafuwa and Mliramkhwazi primary schools as a way to promote girl child education.

"One of our objectives is to encourage and support girls' education," said Ruben Matewere, chairperson of Chiphunzitso youth group.

"Recently, we saved a female student who was on the verge of quitting school due to lack of school fees, and we helped her find a sponsor through our Facebook page. We have also managed to bring back to school 15 girls who dropped out due to early marriages by providing counselling and school materials."

The efforts of Chiphunzitso Youth Organization have been greatly appreciated by the community, including T/A Mkagula, who called the group "youth with impact."

Beneficiary Thokozile Chikopa shared how the group has changed her life, saying, "I was a nobody and useless before joining this group, but since I joined, I have been given another chance at life."

Enock Chabwera from the Zomba District Council Youth Office advised fellow youth to follow in the footsteps of Chiphunzitso Youth Group.

Despite their successes, the group still faces financial challenges that make it difficult to reach more areas.

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