By Andrew Phiri

Balaka, April 14, Mana: Balaka District Council has called on members of the community to embrace self-self-help spirit on community level development activities as the district is in community development month, which focuses on inclusive development through active community participation.

Speaking during community development month launch over the week end at Traditional Authority (TA) Amidu, Vice council chairperson, Councilor, Dickson Wasili, said communities should start using locally generated resources, playing active role in constructing and rehabilitating community level development infrastructures such as roads, school blocks, health facilities as well as doing afforestation.

“Communities should realize that they are primary beneficiaries of all projects that government bring to their areas. Community development month has come with an ultimate goal of empowering us to have a positive perception towards such development initiatives,” he said.

“In the past years, we have seen various development activities being neglected because community members had a perception that every work should be done by government or political leaders,” added Wasili.

Wasili, however, commended the people of TA Amidu for their hardworking spirit, citing afforestation and road rehabilitation being done in their area.

Group Village head, Chibwana Nsamala, commended government for acknowledging various works people in his area are doing in development programmes.

“We have already rehabilitated roads in all 24 group village heads and planted trees in most of the areas under TA Amidu.

“Our major concern is dependency syndrome among some people who are on social protection programmes. We urge government to restrategise such programmes,” said Nsamala.

District Senior Assistant Community Development Officer, Jafali Chisale, said community development month will help people in the district to embrace self-reliance in planning, implementing and monitoring community-level development activities.

He therefore called for strong collaboration among various stakeholders, such as community-level development committees, local leaders, among others.

Community-initiated activities are implemented in the month to encourage community members to embrace the spirit of self-help in development activities.

Community development month launch in Balaka was held under the theme: Inclusive Development through Community Participation.