Project profile — Building Sustainable Livelihoods in Malawi

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) improved economic status through access to work opportunities and financial skills for women, men, girls and boys living in poverty in targeted communities in Northern and Southern Malawi; (i2) improved educational achievement in primary, secondary, and third level schools for girls and boys; (3) improved productivity (ability of households to perform day-to-day activities) due to fewer health-related issues for women, men, girls, boys; and (4) enhanced equality between women and men, boys and girls, in communities and programs for beneficiaries and local partners.

Results achieved as of July 2016 include: (1) 2,125 (1,795 women, 392 girls, 24 boys) have taken out loans mainly used for business investments, and have repaid them; (2) 1,557 (1,189 women, 371 girls, 23 boys) developed business plans for their income-generating activities; (3) 522 vulnerable households (including 334 female-headed households, and 8 child-headed households) were trained in food security and nutrition and provided with legume seeds, sweet potato and cassava cuttings, and fruit trees; (4) in the last year, an average of 51% of pregnant women, compared to 40% at the beginning of the project, received pre-natal care, and about 35,000 children received medical attention in mobile clinics; (5) 4,461 (3,697 women and 764 girls) were trained in decision making and practical empowerment skills, and vocational and employment skills; and (6) the percentage of women participating in political processes at community level increased from 19% at the beginning of the project, to 36.4%. These results have contributed to improving the economic status of people (especially women) living in communities in Northern Malawi.