Leadership and Development

13/04/2026

𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐫, 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐤𝐚!

On 10 April 2026, YONECO joined various stakeholders in a clean-up exercise at Balaka Main Market aimed at promoting hygiene and public health.

The activity kicked off at Manica Open Square, one of the main waste disposal points and continued through shops and business areas along the railway line up to the tarmac road.

The exercise brought together government institutions, CSOs, CBOs, faith groups, youth clubs, and business networks, demonstrating the power of collective action.

“Maintaining cleanliness is everyone’s responsibility to prevent communicable diseases,” said Market Chairperson, Haroon Matipa, who also called for continued support to address resource challenges.

07/04/2026

As primary schools closed for the second academic term last week, we conducted awareness sessions across various districts in Malawi to encourage learners to enjoy their holidays responsibly and avoid behaviours that could jeopardise their wellbeing and education.

📸One of the sessions held in collaboration with teachers at Muselema Primary School, which reached 175 learners.

07/04/2026

Last Friday, our team participated in a joint clean-up and sanitation exercise that was led by the District Council in Nsanje, following a recent cholera outbreak in the locality.

The activity aimed to strengthen sanitation practices and contribute to efforts to end the cholera outbreak in the district and related sanitation issues.

The clean-up exercise, which started from Nsanje Main Market to Mtowe Bus Stop, brought together community members, traditional leaders, officials from various government departments and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

Among the key activities, exercised involved sweeping roads, clearing drainage systems, and collecting waste for proper disposal using dustbins and a council disposal van.

The event concluded with a mass awareness session to promote proper waste management and hygiene practices as key measures for cholera prevention. Food vendors, shop owners, and sugarcane sellers were mobilized and encouraged to maintain dustbins at their business premises to reduce littering.

31/03/2026

YONECO joined various policymakers and civil society actors from across the African continent at the 5th Regional Conference on Loss and Damage, held in Lilongwe, Malawi, from 25 to 27 March 2025.

The conference, convened under the theme "Advancing Sustainable, Equitable and Just Financing and Technical Support for Loss and Damage in Africa," aimed to develop a coordinated African position on climate financing and technical support.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Natural Resources, Patricia Wiskes, stated that, given the struggles communities are facing, such as floods, prolonged droughts, and loss of livelihoods and lives, there is a need for unity to win the battle against loss and damage.

"Climate-induced loss and damage is no longer a distant concept but rather a lived reality; hence, it requires Africans to come together and take necessary action in order to prevent, prepare for, and address it," the Minister said.

The three-day conference was hosted by the Civil Society Network on Climate Change (CISONECC) and other partners, bringing together representatives from over 14 African countries.

28/03/2026

YONECO, under the Social Protection for Gender Empowerment and Resilience (SP-GEAR) Project, conducted a series of sensitization meetings with Area Development Committee (ADC) members in Mulanje district to enhance their understanding of social protection issues and interventions.

The meetings, held from 21 to 29 March 2026, were supported by representatives from various key government departments and covered the areas of Traditional Authorities (T/As) Nkanda, Chikumbu, Mabuka, Ndanga, Mthiramanja, Juma, and Sunganzeru in the district.

The primary objective of the meetings was to equip ADC members with knowledge of the SP-GEAR project and its social protection services, while also preparing them for their role in supporting implementation at community level. Facilitators provided detailed information on available services, referral pathways, and mechanisms for reporting cases of abuse.

Participants were further oriented on various forms of abuse, including gender-based violence, neglect, and exploitation, and were encouraged to actively promote reporting through established community and district systems.

The discussions also highlighted the need to safeguard vulnerable groups, particularly youth, women, the elderly, and persons with disabilities, especially those benefiting from the Social Cash Transfer Programme under the project.

28/03/2026

conducted an awareness session on good governance and human rights aimed at empowering communities to actively participate in local development at Kasisi in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Mwabulambya, Chitipa district.

The session emphasized the importance of community involvement in development initiatives, highlighting that participation is not only a responsibility but also a fundamental right. officers encouraged community members to take a leading role in shaping development efforts within their area.

Addressing concerns over limited citizen engagement, facilitators urged participants to be more proactive in holding leaders accountable by engaging with local authorities, including chiefs and Village Development Committees (VDCs), to monitor the implementation of development projects.

The officers stressed that accountability is key to ensuring transparency and effective service delivery, noting that leaders are more likely to perform their duties when they are answerable to the communities they serve. Participants were also reminded of their right to demand information and clarity from duty bearers regarding ongoing and planned development activities.

In addition, the session highlighted the role of Community-Based Organizations ( ) as important platforms for reporting social issues such as Gender-Based Violence ( ), child abuse, and child marriages.

26/03/2026

YONECO continues to promote healthy living among children through practical hygiene education. Today, our team in Blantyre organized a hygiene and sanitation session at Machinjiri Drop-In Centre, in response to the increased risks of cholera outbreaks in Malawi.

Children were encouraged to take responsibility for their personal hygiene as a simple but powerful way to protect themselves and their communities from diseases.

The interactive session brought together children from different age groups and created an engaging and lively learning environment. One of the key highlights was a hands-on demonstration of proper handwashing techniques, where children were guided step-by-step on using clean water and soap, ensuring all parts of their hands are thoroughly cleaned.

The session emphasized the importance of washing hands before eating and after using the toilet, while also covering other essential hygiene practices such as regular bathing, wearing clean clothes, and maintaining clean surroundings.

25/03/2026

As the journey of mental healing through performing arts continues, YONECO visited Magwira Community-Based Organization (CBO) in Zomba, which is currently hosting 91 people, including children who were displaced by heavy rains that occurred between 15th and 18th March 2026.

Today, the YONECO Cultural Troupe facilitated mental healing and emotional well-being for the survivors through a theatre-based psychosocial initiative at the CBO. Through performances and sports activities, participants were provided with a safe space to express their experiences, reduce stress, and reconnect as a community.

The activity aimed to enhance participants' emotional well-being and alleviate stress.

The activities enabled the affected children to rediscover their joy, becoming more expressive and active in the games and sporting events that were organized.

25/03/2026

YONECO participated in a farmer field visit that was organized by CARD from 20 to 23 March, 2025 at Senior Group Village Head (SGVH) in the area of Traditional Authority (TA) Mbenje, Nsanje district.

The activity under an FCDO-funded project titled Climate adaptation and resilience for Communities.

The visit aimed to showcase demonstration farms that are being managed by 2, 810 lead farmers who benefited from hybrid, climate-resilient seeds that were distributed through a consortium that is implementing the project, comprising CARD, Concern Worldwide, and YONECO.

The crop estimates in the fields that were visited indicate a high yield despite drought conditions experienced between January and March 2026.

Beneficiaries attributed their success to the use of resilient seed varieties such as sorghum (Pilira 1) and orange sweet potato (Chipika), as well as adherence to climate-smart agriculture practices guided by extension workers. Farmers noted that these crops withstood harsh weather conditions better than traditional varieties.

Local leaders commended the initiative for its potential to reduce hunger and encouraged farmers to share seeds and best practices within the community.

“As a community, we are truly grateful for this initiative, which is already showing great potential to reduce hunger among our people” explained Francis Kauma – one of the beneficiaries.

21/03/2026

Eid Mubarak from YONECO!

YONECO warmly extends heartfelt wishes to all Muslims as we celebrate this blessed Eid. May this special occasion bring peace and joy to you.

As we mark this day of faith, let us continue promoting the rights and welfare of the youth, women and children as we are building a better and inclusive society for all.

Eid Mubarak!

20/03/2026

YONECO Engages Chitipa Youth on Health and Economic Empowerment

YONECO conducted an outreach session with members of Kenya Youth Club in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Kameme in Chitipa district, focusing on s*xual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR), mental health, and economic empowerment.

The session aimed to promote positive behaviour change and empower young people with essential life skills.

During the session, participants were introduced to the concept of village savings and loan groups, with facilitators encouraging young people to form savings groups as a pathway to financial independence and resilience.

Mental health discussions highlighted the importance of sharing personal stress with trusted peers. Facilitators emphasised the need for open communication to ensure wellbeing, improve academic performance, and strengthen social and emotional health among young people.

Regarding SRHR, participants were reminded of the importance of HIV prevention, stressing the need to avoid unprotected s*x. The youth were further encouraged to act as agents of change within their communities by promoting safe behaviours, peer counselling, and consistent condom use.

19/03/2026