Struggles fade, hope blooms

Zawadi Banda’s home is a charming, rustic haven near a dusty road that runs through Malengasanga Village—a place that is seeing a remarkable transformation.

Once defined by struggle and uncertainty, the village is now a symbol of opportunity and renewal.

Where families like Banda’s once faced daily hardships—battling poverty, struggling to afford education and lacking access to nutritious food—they are now flourishing.

Vibrant vegetable gardens and thriving poultry yards have replaced barren plots and the villagers, once focused solely on surviving, are now building a brighter future together.

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“It feels like this village has just opened its eyes. It is as if we have stepped into a new world,” Banda says, her voice brimming with contentment.

Not long ago, Malengasanga Village, in Traditional Authority of Malengachanzi, Nkhotakota District, seemed trapped in time, with families like Banda’s grappling with the relentless pressure of poverty.

Her children could not attend school due to a lack of money for fees and basic supplies. Nutrition was scarce and sanitation was a constant challenge.

Everything changed when Banda became involved in an initiative promoting sustainable farming, livestock management environmental conservation and improved nutrition.

“At first, I didn’t know what to expect. But when I learned how to grow healthy food and care for animals, I felt as though I had been given a whole new chance at life,” she admits, while tending to her chickens and goats.

Today, Banda’s family is thriving. Her children are back at school, their bellies full of nourishing food from the garden and livestock she cares for.

“Life is different now. My children are learning, growing and healthy. I never thought we would have so much—food, education and hope,” she says.

Her story mirrors the awakening of Malengasanga Village itself. The community is slowly transforming into a place of opportunity, rather than one of struggle.

The Sustainable Malawian Agriculture to Enhance Resilience to Climate Change (Smart Climate) project is supporting families like Banda’s to rise again.

Save the Children, alongside six other organisations, is implementing this three-year initiative in the Nkhotakota and Karonga districts with funding from the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation.

Participants have received various forms of support, including certified groundnut and soybean seeds suited to the local climate.

They were also given ten chickens each, which they later passed on to others in their communities.

During a recent visit to Nkhotakota, participants demonstrated integrated homestead farming, cooking techniques and processes for making products like juice from locally available resources.

When Banda received her ten chickens as part of the project’s livestock distribution, she had no idea how much this gift would change her life.

“The chickens have been a game-changer for us. They have provided a reliable source of eggs and meat,” she explains, her face lighting up with gratitude.

Banda also uses the chicken manure to enrich her garden, while the income from selling some of the eggs helps pay for things her family could not afford before, such as school fees for her children.

Abdallah Rashid, a health promoter trained by Save the Children, has been instrumental in assisting families like Banda’s.

His role includes guiding families on topics such as nutrition, sanitation and hygiene – key areas of focus for Save the Children to ensure these practices become part of daily life.

“Seeing the change in families like Banda’s is rewarding. It is not just about giving people chickens or plants; it is about changing mindsets.

“When we teach families about proper hygiene, clean water practices and healthy eating, they begin to understand how these things are connected to their health and well-being,” Rashid says.

Senior Group Village Head Malengasanga, whose area is benefiting from the initiative, has witnessed the changes brought by the project in her community.

Her voice reflects leadership and pride as she reflects on the transformation.

“When the project first arrived, I knew it would be something special but I didn’t realise just how much it would change the lives of our people – especially in terms of nutrition, sanitation and economic empowerment,” the local leader explains.

She welcomed the project, recognising its potential to improve the health and well-being of her community.

The project’s focus on nutrition, sanitation and economic empowerment has resonated deeply with her.

She recalls how many people in her area struggled to grow enough food and faced sanitation challenges, much like Banda’s family.

“Now, people are healthier because they are eating from all six food groups. Cases of malnutrition have declined and I am a proud traditional leader,” Malengasanga says.

Nkhotakota District Council’s Community Development Officer, Elina Lucas, is another vital voice in the success of the intervention.

She shares her perspective on the impact it has had on the participating households with a sense of pride.

“It has truly brought economic empowerment to the families in Malengasanga and beyond. Before, many households struggled to make ends meet, but now families are seeing tangible economic benefits,” Lucas says.

Her office has played an important role in monitoring the project’s progress, ensuring alignment with district-wide goals for community development.

“The families are improving their health and sanitation while also increasing their incomes through small-scale farming and livestock. It is a holistic approach and the results speak for themselves,” she says.

Smart Climate participant Precious Nkhoma speaks enthusiastically as she shares how the project has transformed her community and family.

“Save the Children encouraged us to eat from six food groups, all from foods readily available in our communities. It is been a game-changer for us – before, we didn’t realise how important variety was in our diet, but now, we see the difference,” Nkhoma says.

Nkhoma, like many in Malengasanga, has learned how to make the most of local resources.

One big lesson was how to process fruits, such as mangoes, which are abundant in the lakeshore district.

“We were trained to turn mangoes into juice. Mangoes are in season for a short time but we can now preserve them and sell the juice.

“It has helped us earn money and provided a sustainable way to make an income, especially during the off-season when there are not as many crops to harvest,” she says.

The knowledge shared by Save the Children has extended beyond food production and processing.

Nkhoma and other participants were introduced to a village loans and savings group, a critical part of the project that has helped many families, including hers, create a financial safety net.

So, with every seed planted, every egg sold, every penny saved and every lesson learned, the people of Malengasanga are no longer defined by their past challenges but by the future they are building together.