Mzimba CS-EPWP participants told to use money prudently

Mzimba, August 13, Mana: District Commissioner for Mzimba, Rodney Simwaka has urged particiants of the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) in the district to use their payments wisely.

Simwaka made the remarks on Monday at Kaumphu Primary School in Traditional Authority Chindi in the district during a pay parade to over 1,000 participants of the Third Cycle of the multi-donor-funded climate smart program.

At least 1,000 community members from villages under Group Village head Chitapamoyo are part of over 15,000 participants from 19 catchment areas in Mzimba set to receive payments for having taken part in restoring degraded landscapes.

According to Mzimba district land resource officer, Oliver Nyalira, the people promoted natural regeneration, afforestation, making contour marker ridges, and gully reclamation, among others.

In his remarks, Simwaka said donors are funding the climate-smart program by investing huge sums of money to repair the damaged environment and stop the effects of climate change which are impacting negatively on people.

‘‘We are facing effects of climate change in terms of poor harvest in our farms and even destructive heavy rains. Donors are interested in stopping such phenomena by investing in programs such as climate-smart. Some of these things we are witnessing are the effects of climate change. As beneficiaries let's work hard at ensuring we restore degraded environments and not just look at the monetary value of working in the fields and forests, let's look at the benefit of caring for the land we live on,’’ said Simwaka.

He further urged the people to put the money received to good use and not squander it on trivia.

‘‘The money you are receiving today is meant to compensate you for the work you undertook in restoring the environment and you should use it prudently by investing in improving your households and not buying beer. Let the money benefit your families, ’’ he said.

One of the recipients Abner Phiri from Chandodo Village said he owns a garden and will invest some of the K38, 400 he received into buying seeds for the garden.

Another beneficiary Maria Moyo from Chakazi village hailed the programme for enabling them to work and get paid.

‘‘With this cash, I will buy food and other things for my household. I thank the donors and governments for starting to disburse the payments now when most of us are running out of food stocks, ’’ said Moyo.

The participants are receiving K38,400 up from the K28,000 they used to receive for working for 24 days in the past.

At least 15,000 participants are expected to receive their payments in Mzimba from 19 catchment areas.

CS-EPWP aims at addressing climate change and environmental degradation and promoting sustainable development in vulnerable communities.

It is a component of the social support for resilient livelihoods program which is being implemented through the National Local Government Finance Committee with support from the World Bank and the social protection multi-donor support.