RSC has chosen to link with existing community organisations rather than starting their own charity. We believe that by supporting entrepreneurial Malawians sustainable community development can take place. Through offering immersive, workshop style, learning environments to students and providing links with the international community our aim is to work with linked community organisations to create income generating activities. Since 2009 RSC has worked with three community based projects in Southern Malawi, developing ecotourism initiatives, homestay programmes and educational workshops.
CISER (Community Initiative for Self Reliance) was started by local boat builder Joseph who saw the impact of mass unemployment amongst school leavers along Lake Malawi's southern shores and decided to form a youth group. The CISER youth go out into the surrounding communities and educate the local villagers in key development issues. They are an inspirational group of young people and an ideal group to link with international secondary school students. CISER works in villages close to the town of Mangochi.
Global Development Workshops (Environment, Literacy)
Youth Development Workshop- Join the youth group in an education workshop to young people in the community (2 hrs-6 hrs)
Literacy and Reading- Visit the village library and lead a reading group with 5-10 year olds as part of a community literacy programme (1 hr)
Malawian Cooking Class- Meet a local family and learn how to prepare a fresh fish lunch. (2hrs)
Boat Building in Malawi- Visit a local wooden boatbuilding workshop and discover how they use Mulanje Cedar to build fishing boats (1-2hrs)
The Effects of Overfishing on Lake Malawi- Join the youth group to learn about the effects of overfishing and prepare a workshop/literature to present to the local community/primary school (1-2 days)
Seedling and Village Environmental Protection- Work with CISER to identify and document the seedlings they are growing their village nursery. Prepare educational material for the community and work with the youth group to develop methods to sensitise the local community on key environmental issues such as deforestation and fuel efficient practices (1-3 days)
Village Development/UN Global Goals- Spend time with CISER, learning how the youth group are trying to implement the UN Global Goals into their community and assist with training, workshops, education and project management (7-10 days)
RSC Impact
RSC past clients sponsor 15 secondary school pupils.
RSC Educational Groups have assisted in building a community clinic and school.
RSC co-donated water pipes and pumps to bring fresh water from the mains supply to the villages where CISER works.
RSC has supported CISER’s environmental programme through training and building a greenhouse for seedlings to be grown and distributed (IGA).
RSC has co-donated funds to stock the community library with Malawi secondary school books.
YODEP is a non-profit community youth organisation working in rural villages at the foothills of Zomba Plateau. It was established in 1998 by a group of young people from the community to help address socio-economic conditions encountered by orphaned children, teenagers, the elderly and people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS in their communities. RSC met YODEP and were inspired by their passion and determination for self development and have since set up a homestay programme and number of development workshops within the community.
Global Development Workshops (Rural Village Development)
Yao Tribal Dancing Workshop- Learn how to dance Yao Style- join the local village as they teach you their traditional dance moves. (1 hr)
Elderly Care in the Community- join members of the youth group as they visit the elderly in the community and provide them and their families with support (1 hr- 3 hrs)
Women’s Village Banking Initiative- take part in the women's village banking initiative. Learn how micro loans are working to support families and aid the development of small village businesses (1 hr- 2hrs)
Income Generating Initiatives- Visit a village solar power project and learn how the community is using the initiative as an income generating activity. Take part in a community computer class (1 hr – 2 hrs)
Community Development Experience- Spend the day with YODEP youth team learning about how they are implementing the UN Global Goals within their community (6 - 8hrs)
Homestay- Stay with a family in the foothills of Zomba Plateau. Learn about village life first hand, prepare and eat the evening meal with your host family and sleep in their hut (mosquito net and bedding provided) (1- 2 Days)
RSC Impact
Facilitated support for creation of Early Childhood Education Centre
Fund matched solar power for IT centre benefitting 100 students and 40 teachers.
Goat Project – Income Generating Activity to support vulnerable families.
Blankets for the elderly care project
Creation of ecotourism and homestay programme as IGA.
Nancholi is situated about 5km from Blantyre and has a population of 42,000 of which 40% comprises of young people. In 2003 a group of young people started a community youth club in response to the increasing unemployment and issues in the area. Now a recognised Non-Governmental Organisation Nancholi Youth Organisation (NAYO) has grown into an inspirational group which offers support to disadvantaged members of the Nancholi Community.
Global Development Workshops (Healthcare, Income Generating Activities)
Youth Group Empowerment – Work alongside an inspiring group of teenage girls who have formed a village café. Help them with serving lunch, menu planning, budgeting and marketing. (2 hrs- 2 days)
IGA’s in the Community- Take a walk through the village and visit the ladies sewing shop. Find out how they are using their skills to make beautifully locally crafted sewing products and come away with a traditional Malawian gift! (1 hr – 2 hrs)
HIV/AIDS Home Based Care- Work with the local home based care team. Visiting families in the programme, assisting them with household chores and supporting the team as they distribute ARV’s. (1-2 Days)
UN Global Goals- Join NAYO to study the UN Global Goals in action with particular attention to healthcare and the challenges of over population and climate change on food security (1 Day- 7 Days)
RSC Impact
Support the creation of a Girls Empowerment Restaurant
Medical Supplies for Home Based Care Programme
Sales of Women’s Sewing Group merchandise in RSC Office
Co-funded the NAYO community office
Our sister company, RSC, is looking to raise £5,000 to build a final classroom for CISER village secondary school project. A chance to come to Malawi and work alongside these inspirational young people to get their community school project completed. The school will open with only two classrooms, we aim to raise funds to build the final classroom.