| AYISE |


		BUILDING ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES
	This project was proposed to the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and we are awaiting their response. If implemented it will address the following of AYISE's core issues: Environment and sanitation - through reducing waste on the streets and manufacturing compost as an alternative to harmful chemical fertilisers Gender - as the Environmental Youth Corps would be composed of equal numbers of male and female volunteers, showing that both sexes are equally suitable for the task. Also, the health benefits of addressing cholera and malaria will improve the lives of mothers who typically shoulder the burden of caring for the sick. Livelihood Security - as the compost we produce would be supplied free or cheaply to local smallholders, to enable them to sustainably increase their crop output without the input of chemical fertilisers. Also, the training on permaculture would allow smallholders to diversify their income and to permanently minimise their fertiliser use. Additionally, if the project proved successful there would be opportunities to create full-time paid employment for some members of the community The Issues - click here to read more Health and Poverty The children of Namiyango (a suburb of Bangwe), and in the greater Bangwe Township, receive very little environmental and social education from parents. The lack of understanding of the responsibility of every resident in the areas of environmental protection and hygiene shall be repeated in following generations if left unaddressed among the youth. The lack of waste management facilities (all waste is burned or discarded onto the ground), combined with minimal environmental awareness has led to obvious aesthetic issues, health problems such as respiratory illnesses, and the spread of communicable diseases such as malaria and cholera. These diseases hamper economic growth and security for those affected, and a major outbreak can affect the local economy and food production significantly. The spread of vector borne and other diseases are exacerbated by decomposing litter and the rough, ungraded road network with poor drainage and many potholes. Every year in the wet months (November – March) there is an outbreak of cholera in Bangwe, with massive impacts on health and family finances for those affected. These outbreaks often increase the burden of responsibility for women, as they have to tend to sick children at the same time as all their other pressing domestic tasks. Reducing the areas where these communicable diseases thrive (decomposing waste and standing water specifically) will reduce the amplitude and frequency of outbreaks of communicable diseases. This in turn will enable economic growth at the community level due to increased productivity in the predominant smallholder, micro-retail sector. Gender Malawian culture traditionally offers few opportunities for women and girls, who are generally expected to stay at home and consequently do not reach a high level of education or career. This results in poor levels of education and self esteem among girls. To address this we encourage their involvement in the community – raising self esteem and reducing vulnerability with increased participation, education and skills-base. Some of the voluntary work they will be involved in with AYISE is raising environmental awareness and youth advocacy in the community, which has the additional benefit of increasing the girls’ own knowledge of the issues. The Environmental Youth Corps, who will be involved in monitoring and communication of environmental issues within and to the community, will involve equal participation of males and females. The Project - click here to read more Goal To induce and nurture a culture change with regard to waste disposal, care for the environment, and an increased community awareness of the links between waste, hygiene, food and livelihood security, and environmental sustainability. Specific Objectives To increase the levels of environmental awareness within the community and increase civic pride in the area. To improve the hygiene levels on the streets of Namiyango. To install community run refuse collection and disposal facilities. To provide environmental volunteering opportunities for local youth. To create a demonstration permaculture garden and composting facilities, and invite visitors to learn from it. To reduce incidences of communicable diseases such as malaria and cholera. General Strategy AYISE to conduct Environmental Awareness training for various community groups. We will target community groups which; contain ‘opinion leaders’ such as religious organisations, have a large membership such as schools, or contain residents who are already motivated to take action towards community improvement but need guidance on what that action should be, such as volunteer groups. Additional sensitisation training will take the form of face-to-face discussions on the streets during the EYC’s weekly community engagement patrols. The training will educate residents about what we plan to do, why we intend to do it, what the benefits will be to them and the use of the bins. Form the Environmental Youth Corps from selected volunteers (50% female). We will target community groups which contain: active young people such as sports clubs, a large membership such as schools, or residents who are already motivated to take action towards community improvement but need guidance on what that action should be, such as youth volunteer groups. Participants in these groups will be invited to apply to AYISE for a position within the EYC. AYISE will screen their applications to ensure a competent and motivated EYC membership. EYC members will be trained by representatives from the Blantyre City Assembly on waste handling, and hygiene. They will also receive training on the principles of composting and permaculture, as well as small-business management skills to help them in their management of the excess garden produce and compost. This will provide the youth with valuable skills for running a small business, marketing a “sustainable / environmental” product Grade the streets of Namiyango to improve their appearance, and reduce areas of standing water Run a programme naming the streets of Namiyango, and disseminating the agreed names, to enable more accurate collection services. This will consist of preliminary meetings between AYISE and the Blantyre City Assembly to determine the street layout, and then consultative meetings with the local community to ensure the proposals are acceptable. Finally, installation of the street signs. Install pairs of colour coded bins (one for compostable material, one for all other waste) Build a large, secure collection area for general wastes near where the main road meets the Namiyango ring road, easily accessible for the Assembly vehicles (following discussions and agreement with the Blantyre City Assembly about arrangements) (sketches available on request) Build a large, secure collection area for compost at the Bangwe Youth Centre where the compost can be used in the permaculture garden (sketches available on request) Run local collection services around Namiyango to empty bins and transport waste to the relevant collection areas in partnership with Blantyre City Assembly Process the compostable waste to produce compost Creation of a permaculture garden at Bangwe Youth Centre, growing fruits and vegetables
	Expected Outcomes - click here to read more Main Outputs Environmentally conscious and motivated community as a result of weekly interaction between the community and EYC on their community engagement patrols Reduced incidences of malaria, cholera and other communicable diseases Youth involved (at least 14 directly in the EYC) and motivated to keep their area clean and environmentally sound Involvement of girls and young women in the Environmental Youth Corps (at least 7) leading to their improved status Reduced littering on the streets Installation of c.200 pairs of bins around Namiyango General Waste and Compostable Waste collections regularly Compost generated at Bangwe Youth Centre Permaculture garden created at Bangwe Youth Centre Excess compost provided to local small holders at low cost, resulting in increased production and reduced poverty in the community, and covering running costs of the waste collections Garden produce shall be offered to volunteers for their own consumption (improving health, reducing malnutrition, and reducing poverty), and any excess shall be sold in order to support the long term operational running costs of the compost collection service. The youth who work on the permaculture garden will gain knowledge and skills on sustainable food production, which will enable them to continue to produce their own food and/or export food to markets, whilst feeding the soils rather than draining them of nutrients. Permaculture, an idea first initiated in Australia by Australians, could be one part of the solution to the threat of climate change to food security. Education sessions will be conducted with local schools, and other community groups and visitors to advise them on how to run their own permaculture gardens. A smooth, motorable road service improving access to Namiyango Greater involvement in Bangwe from the Blantyre City Assembly, and better relationships between the population of Bangwe and the officials at the Blantyre City Assembly Increased civic pride Long-term Benefits The poor infrastructure of Bangwe does not encourage those who have reached a certain level of income to remain in the area, and thus there is a drain of skilled workers out of Bangwe. This results in low pride in the community among those remaining, as they see Bangwe as the bottom of the social ladder. However Bangwe has much potential. Its hilly nature means it has cooler and damper weather than nearby Limbe or Blantyre and so is an attractively lush and verdant area. Additionally, transport routes into Limbe, Blantyre and further afield are straight forward. Consequently we believe that a little improvement in the construction and hygiene levels of the streets, and a visibly active and proud youth movement involving boys and girls could encourage people to stay in Bangwe even when they earn enough to leave. This would have the cyclical effect of providing more local spending and political power, and positive role models for the youth. EYC members will gain valuable experience in running an environmental business, producing environmental products. While predicting market forces within Malawi is very difficult, one can be confident that the ‘sustainable produce’ sector will be a growth market globally. Economically, Malawi is in a favourable position for Malawian exporters, which could encourage EYC members to move into this sector later in life with the skills they gain during their engagement with EYC, providing a pathway out of poverty and promoting long term economic growth. The permaculture garden will be used to educate locals and visiting groups on appropriate diets (richer in vitamins, and proteins than the typical poor Malawian diet today) and how to sustainably produce the required foodstuffs.