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Project to Eliminate Trachoma in Machinga District of Malawi
The Trachoma Eliminate Project, which has facilitated for 4years, come to an end.
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-The last annual F&E forum in Malawi-
On 12 December 2018, HtHI facilitated another success Annual F & E Forum. This was held at Anne’s Lodge at Liwonde in Machinga district. As the name suggests, the Annual F&E forum has been held every year, since the inception of the HtHI/KOICA funded Trachoma Elimination Project in Machinga district in 2015. The 2018 Annual F&E Forum was the last one, as the Project would end on 31 December same year. At previous Annual Forums of this nature, HtHI would present to participants its plans for the upcoming year, including presentation of what the Organisation had delivered in the previous project year. Given that this Project would end its interventions in about three weeks from the date it was held, HtHI did not present its concrete project plans for 2019. Key participants to this forum were Paramount Chief Kawinga, Machinga District Council Chair person, District Water Development Officer, District Health Officer, representative of the District Commissioner, the District Planning and Development Officer, District Environmental Health Committee, District Education Committee and other NGOs implementing WASH in Machinga.
CR Welcoming participants at the Annual F&E Forum The CR, who presented welcome remarks, also shared the purpose of the Annual F&E forum. He said the purpose was to evaluate, share updates with Machinga District Council and its partners on interventions that Heart to Heart executed in 2018. In this, HtHI at demonstrating its belief in Accountability and Transparency in project delivery. The forum was also aimed at fostering sharing and learning amongst key stakeholders. Additionally, HtHI shared the stage at which we are as regards Trachoma Elimination Project, including the transition of HtHI/KOICA funded interventions in the district and prospects of embarking on new interventions in the nearest future. After the CR’s welcome remarks, the enthusiastic participants watched a video documentary of the work HtHI has done in Machinga. A detailed presentation by PC followed. In his presentation, the PC made a detailed outline of all the key deliverables that HtHI had achieved.
The PC makes a detailed presentation on HtHI/KOICA funded Trachoma elimination project
Some of these were innovative ways of awareness creation on Trachoma, provision of surgical services to 824 TT patients, construction and rehabilitation of 71 school water facilities (68 Boreholes and 3 taps), construction of 86 new toilet blocks with four holes each, besides renovation of 50 toilet blocks. HtHI also produced and distributed 154, 853 Trachoma learners’ activity and Trachoma resource books, among many other interventions. In 2018, HtHI supported the construction of 6 new Boreholes, rehabilitated 3 others, supported construction and rehabilitation of 24 toilet facilities. Notably and with HtHI support, 163 schools have water facilities of the total 170 primary schools in the district, bringing the school water coverage of about 96%! These interventions are all aimed at Trachoma control and have greatly contributed to adoption of good hygiene behaviours, like face washing with soap at least twice a day. Trachoma awareness in schools in Machinga has been phenomenal! After the presentation, participants took turns to ask some questions, to which the HtHI team ably responded. Among others, participants wanted if HtHI would be moving out of the district and were happy to hear that HtHI had secured another funding to support the delivery of WASH/disease control project. Key participants that included Madam Jolobala, Member Parliament; the Machinga District Council Chairperson (Mr. Chitedze), spoke very highly about HtHI work. Jolobala congratulated HtHI for a job well done and further said HtHI has been very transparent in the delivery of this Project.All the key stakeholders in Machinga have been participating and following on what HtHI has been doing. She then challenges other NGOs to emulate the example of HtHI. Speaking during closing of this Forum, the District Chairperson said HtHI had clearly taken key stakeholders in Machinga from point A to point B. He said HtHI had clearly demonstrated what accountability and transparency should look like in practical terms.He thanked the HtHI leadership, which according to him, informed all these great strides the HtHI Malawi team had achieved, including the development of successful partnerships. He then assured HtHI that the Machinga District Council would take full responsibility to ensure these interventions are sustained over time. "We will not come back to HtHI to seek support to maintain these facilities, we will do it by ourselves,” he said and ended his remarks by expressing gratitude to KOICA for this great financial support.
Member of Parliament, Madam Jolobala takes her turn to thank HtHI for the job well done! HtHI facilitated yet another very successful Annual F&E Forum in 2018. The number of participants that turned out and their contributions made this year’s Annual Forum even more interesting. HtHI reiterated the need for Machinga District Council to ensure they provide ongoing support to schools and communities in order to sustain the HtHI/KOICA supported Trachoma elimination interventions in the district. Thank you for concerning on the HtHI, which has helped children in Malawi escape the dark realities of the trachoma and move to a bright future. We hope you will also take a lot of interest and participate in new projects that will begin in Malawi in the New Year of 2019. * Trachoma Eliminate Project in Machinga district of Malawi Heart to Heart International has been running Malawi Trachoma Elimination programme based on S.A.F.E strategy of WHO, with the support of KOICA.
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