Resources / Global Sanitation Fund in Malawi embarks on second tranche of funding

The Global Sanitation Fund (GSF) programme in Malawi marks the end of its initial capacity building activities in Phalombe, Balaka and Ntchisi - three of the six districts, in southern Malawi where its programme is currently being implemented through a strong collaborative effort by key national, district and community partners.

Executed by Plan Malawi, the GSF programme has been operating in its target districts in Malawi for six months. The USD 5 million programme aims to reduce open defecation, increase access to improved sanitation, and promote the adoption of safe hygiene practices in Malawi.  Plan Malawi whose role is to manage the GSF Grant Funds, will focus on delivering the results set out in the Country Programme Proposal through providing technical support to sub-grantees and monitoring the programme outcomes.  Following the initial sub-grantees moving ahead with activities supported through the first tranche of funding, the selection of sub-grantees through the second funding round is now underway.

The GSF’s capacity building activities in Malawi are targeted at local government officials, community leaders and organizations, and the private sector, which is underpinned by a cascading approach.  Much of the focus thus far has been on district-level training for local government officials and NGOs, with a special focus on excluded and marginalized people.  Through developing the knowledge and skills of government health workers, for example - they have been supported to work, as part of teams undertaking community “triggering” activities within Traditional Authorities across GSF’s target districts, thereby instigating communities to seek concrete ways to change their sanitation and hygiene practices. 

“The capacity building phase of the programme is critical as the work undertaken by health workers acts as a catalyst for scaling up, and moving from village to village,” said Ulemu Chiluzi, Programme Manager at Plan Malawi. So far, 90 communities have been triggered with a target of 130 to achieve by end of December.

The programme in Malawi targets six districts across the three regions and includes a focus on Community-Led Total Sanitation (CLTS), as well as sanitation marketing and mobilization of micro-finance for sanitation.