• Since 1996, DAPP Malawi has been actively improving livelihoods and communities in need across Malawi through its social development projects.

  • DAPP is implementing 16 projects within education, health, agriculture and community development in 24 districts that span across the country's three regions

Knowledge Kameza

For the past 7 years, Knowledge Kameza has been doing his shopping from DAPP Retail stores in the capital Lilongwe . “Today, like most Mondays, I come to shop for my kids” he said with a smile

Kameza likes the quality of clothes and says prices are also very fair compared to other shops “And the shop is convenient as everything is under one roof. As such, one can come here and spend hours. It is unlike Kaunjika (a local market for second hand clothes and shoes) because there you have to move around a lot to get everything one wants as everything has its own stand” he said

During his shopping spree article

He said on weekends, he usually comes to do his shopping with his friends “ A weekend can’t go by without coming here with my friends. That helps us in keeping up with most of the fashion trends around. Plus, it means every week we have new clothes to wear to the office” he said

The DAPP Clothes and Shoes project has over the past 25 years contributed significantly to the empowerment of the vulnerable and poor, children, youth, women and men in the rural communities through the projects implemented in Agriculture, Health, Community Development and Education

Case story – David Lameck

I am David Lameck and I hail from Matemba Village, Group Village Headman Chitinji in Traditional Authority Chiwalo in Machinga district. Since DAPP Child Aid project came to our village, it has helped us a lot in terms of sanitation and hygiene. In the past, people in this village didn’t have pit latrines and they were open defecation everywhere while other would depend on their neighbor’s toilets.

Community mobilazation meetings are conducted often

Community mobilazation meetings are conducted often

Latrines and a hand washing mechanism known as a tippy tap in use

Latrines and a hand washing mechanism known as a tippy tap in use

The community didn’t know the importance of having a toilet at household level and we were defecating in the bush. This kind of behavior was fueling up hygiene related diseases like Cholera, dysentery and Diarrhea.
Most of the children in the village used to suffer from diarrhea frequently because we did not have pit latrines as our children made it a habit to defecate everywhere. To make the matters worse, our toilets also did not have drop hole covers which attracted more flies and led to more diseases. Then DAPP Child Aid project came and changed all that. They help us to form groups called Village Action Group (VGA) committee which is currently working hand in hand with the project leaders in sensitizing the whole community on the importance of good hygiene. This has been through the use of pit latrines at household level, construction of Tippy taps which is a hand washing mechanism and ensuring that pit latrine drop whole covers are present.
I am thankful to DAPP for the project. It has changed our lives here in Chintinji village.

Case story – Olivia Mbewe

Olivia Mbewe is a single mother of two who was trained under the four months Satellite Tailoring Course Offered at DAPP Dowa Teachers Training College (TTC). The course equips vulnerable adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) with skills and knowledge in basic tailoring with the aim of ensuring that they become self-reliant members of society.
“Before joining the course, all I dreamt about was being independent” Says Olivia
When she got enrolled into the course, Olivia knew her dreams would come true.” I felt excited because I Knew that my goal and vision will be achieve through the training. I started the course and finished the training in four months. After the training, we received the startup tools including a sowing machine, scissors, threads, iron, roll off fabric and a tape measure and were encouraged to work in groups of three’s known as trios” she said

Students during gradution

Students during gradution

Sown traditional wear worn on graduation

Sown traditional wear worn on graduation


In her trio group, they agreed to find a shop and start sowing. In July 2019, they opened their business and have not looked back since. “As a trio, we have a good customer base and I believe it is because we produce good quality clothes, we manage to sew clothes for various occasions such as wedding and school uniform. To date, we have save K60,000 which is approximately 74 Euros. Our plan is to save up enough so that we all get a new sowing machines. We have invested the money by growing soya Beans and our plan is to sell the produce and then buy the sowing machines “Says Violet
Violet and her trio also plans on buying more materials so that they can sow more clothes and sell at the local market. On top of that, the trio plans on training people in our communities at a small fee as one way of raising funds.
“I thank Sympany from Holland for assisting DAPP to train us in tailoring skill on top of that I thank DAPP instructors for assisting me to become self-reliant” says violet

 

Case Story – Eliza Adam

Eliza Adam is 86 years old. She comes from Nthulo village in Traditional Authority Ngolongoliwa, Thyolo district. One afternoon, standard 8 learners from Nthulo primary school paid here a visit. Led by their class teacher Mr George Mphanje, the learners had been prepared to visit the Gogo (old woman) to cheer her up, donated grocery items and assist her with the household chores.
George Mphanje is a Deputy Head teacher at Mphanje. He graduated from DAPP Chilagoma Teachers Training College.
He is a member of the DAPP graduated teachers network that voluntarily stick together to share ideas and experiences on how to improve the environments around their schools known as 400 Primary Schools.
He said supporting the elderly in the communities they live in together with the learners is one way of grooming the young generation to grow up into responsible citizens.

George playing with Gogo Eliza

George playing with Gogo Eliza

Learners from Nthulo visit Gogo Eliza

Learners from Nthulo visit Gogo Eliza


“When we contribute money as a class and buy items for people in need we are learning that it is everyone’s responsibility to support the needy regardless of whether we are related to them or not,” said one of the learners.
For the second time, George led his class to Gogo Eliza’s house where the learners went to cheer her up and assisted with household chores.
The learners swept the compound, fetched water from the borehole and prepared food for Gogo Eliza.
All cheered up, Gogo Eliza said the gesture is priceless and she encouraged the learners and their teacher to continue being supportive saying this is what makes responsible citizens.
George Mphanje said supporting the needy is one of the thing he learnt while studying with DAPP TTCs. During one of the learning periods called fighting shoulder to shoulder with the poor, they are required to support people in their localities when a need arises and this is just one of the gestures at the same time using materials they can find locally.

DAPP Malawi participated in the International Youth Day commemorations that took place on 25 October 2019 at Embangweni Primary School ground in Mzimba district. The commemorations had been organised by Mzimba district council to celebrate youth in and around the district.The event was commemorated under the theme “Youth and Education: The Role of Education in Social Economic and Behaviour Change”.Students undergoing a Cobbler and Shoe Making course offered by DAPP Mikolongwe Vocational School at DAPP Mzimba Teachers Training College displayed the shoes that they have been producing in fulfilment of their training. The celebrations were graced by the District Commissioner for Mzimba. Also in attendance was the District Youth Officer and the Traditional Authority Inkosi Mzukuzuku. International Youth Day is commemorated to raise awareness and draw attention to issues that affect the youth.

Case Story: Nickson Somola

The shop

The initial Textile and Fashion Design (TFD) course funded by Sympany Netherlands produced 30 graduates. The three-year Textile and Fashion design course is offered at DAPP Mikolongwe Vocational School (MVS) in Chiradzulu district and equips students with skills and knowledge in Tailoring, designing, life skills and business management.
Nickson Somola was one of the 30 initial graduates. He grew up with passion to venture into the fashion industry and jumped to the chance of being trained at DAPP Mikolongwe Vocational School (MVS) in Chiradzulu district. He enrolled at MVS having been staying idol at his parent’s home while searching for tertiary education opportunities.
Even as a student, he started earning money from the work of his hands. He had a few customers that called upon his services mostly around his parent’s home in Bangwe Township of Blantyre district. Nickson started staying alone while in school just a stone throw away from his parent’s home. He bought a sewing machine from his early tailoring proceeds and with it he started business soon after graduating. He plied his trade for almost a year at his home in Bangwe while also offering tailoring lessons to those in need, at a small fee of course.
In April 2019, Nickson joined hands with his cousin, a Textile and Fashion Design (TFD) graduate from Beehive tailoring school and together they opened “2 in 1 Textiles & F.D” shop near the MACOHA weaving factory in Blantyre district.
The shop’s main lines of business since opening its doors have been designing and sewing bridal shower and engagements garments and school uniforms for primary and secondary schools. The shop has 4 sewing machines of which 3 belong to Nickson.
Nickson has had a monthly earning of more than MK100, 000.00 since opening the shop. His partner makes around the same amount. He reflected his first days in business as tough with customers not aware of his expertise but with time has built trust and a reasonable customer base.
He brands the training institution (MVS) as a yardstick in his life. He says despite his passion he nor his parents would afford to pay school fees hence thankful to Sympany for the financial support towards his training. He is independent, a bread winner to his immediate and extended family because of the training imparted by DAPP’s Mikolongwe Vocational School. He is also very appreciative to his trainers who he says have shaped his fortune.

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Contact DAPP Malawi

DAPP Malawi
Plot No. CC 1086, Maselema, Limbe
Blantyre District, Malawi

Cell: +265885834277

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