The Story of Mchenga Community
Within Mchenga, life is challenging. In order to survive, many people farm, but without the necessary fertiliser and seeds, producing a good harvest is a struggle. A poor harvest means people aren’t able to provide food for their families, let alone buy clothing and pay school fees. Compounding these challenges is the distance of the clinic - forcing people to walk long distances to get the medical care they desperately need.
80 Children currently supported
12 Care Workers Coordinated by Felegesi
Basic Services Started in 2023
When Erick, a teacher and pastor in Chinku community, realised the desperate need to care for the most vulnerable children, he, together with a group of newly mobilised Care Workers, partnered with Hands at Work to form the Chisangalalo Community Based Organisation (CBO). As the Care Workers grew in their capacity to care for the children, second and third feeding points were established under the umbrella of the Chisangalalo CBO, reducing the distance many children needed to walk to the main Care Point. One of these feeding points was Mchenga.
In January 2023, the local Hands at Work team in Dedza, after seeing the ever-growing need in Mchenga community, decided to make Mchenga its own independent Care Point and CBO, with its own leadership and team of Care Workers. A ‘Foundations’ training was run in Mchenga, where the Dedza team shared with the Care Workers the foundation of Hands at Work and the importance of Holy Home Visits and Relationship Groups.
The local Hands at Work team in Lobi currently supports five Community Based Organisations, which exist to care for the most vulnerable in their communities. The office provides training, networking, and encouragement to those Community Based Organisations like Tima. It also gives administrative support, including helping with funding proposals, monitoring and evaluation, bookkeeping and reporting to donors.
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