By Sylvester Kumwenda

Dowa, January 11, Mana: Local structures under the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Program (CS-EPWP) in Dowa have been urged to familiarize themselves with how they can handle participant’s grievances so as to facilitate smooth implementation of the project.

District Project Facilitator, Kingster Kathumba made the call, Friday during a training on Case Management Protocols at Kaphirisiwa catchment in Traditional Authority Nkukula, which targeted Catchment Management Committees, Foremen and Extension Workers under the CS-EPWP.

Kathumba said one of the important aspects for the success is how to ensure that participant`s grievances are thoroughly addressed.

"We want all participants in the project to be happy and comfortable while doing their work. However, there are always some issues, which may arise and needs to be addressed. This is where these structures come in.

"We wanted to equip them with appropriate knowledge on how they can address challenges at catchment level, whether queries on payments, issues to do with SIM cards, transfers or deceased participants, amongst others. This will help them better serve the participants hence improving the quality of work done at catchment level and overall success of the project," he said.

He urged the participants to remain vibrant saying they are at the core of the programme`s success.

The training focused on how to handle, address and record issues, which arise, and major topics covered included case Management for Continuous Implementation, enrollment and replacement protocols, claim protocols and roll out of Case management protocols.

In an interview with Malawi News Agency (Mana), Chairperson for Kaphirisiwa catchment, Harold Baziwelo said the training was an eye opener.

"Sometimes we did not know how to handle some issues and we could depend on upper structures which somehow affected project implementation.

"But now it is my belief that we will be able to resolve most of the issues right at the catchment level," he said.

In a similar training held Thursday for District Environmental Sub Committee (DESC) and Designated Desk Officers (DDOs), Capacity Development Specialist for the National Local Government Finance Committee, Robins Gausi said capacitating the local structures will help minimize cases coming to the council.

"If we capacittate our local structures, we are going to reduce cases because local structures will be able to deal and solve most of the cases. And therefore, DESC and other upper structures would also only be focusing on major issues.

"But the important thing is that we work together as a team and remain committed," he said.

District Commissioner for Dowa Stallichi Mwambiwa said the training came at a good time when some participants needed some clarity on some issues.