16 Jun 2009

JB partners with Thyolo District Agricultural Office

As part of the JB work plan to to improve rural livelihoods and food security in the villages around Satemwa, the JB have agreed a pilot project alongside the local District Agricultural Office.

Under the agreement, the DAO officers will be conducting workshops in each village to find out what their priorities are and to put together village-specific proposals that the JB could assist with using premium money and the assistance of the DAO experts.

Initial meetings have identified a project in Chizinja and Maonga village areas to pipe water from the mountain for drinking and irrigation.  The villagers and village headwoman (Chizinja) have volunteered to dig the trenches, fetch river sand and provide other labour if the premium fund assists with cement, transport and water pipes.

Other projects so far include training in new compost-making techniques in three villages.

 

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Village Headman addresses Mulenga village

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DAO officer discusses ideas for projects with Mulenga village

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15 Jun 2009

Fairtrade Auditor visits Satemwa

Satemwa Tea Estate, Satemwa Workers Joint Body and Msuwadzi Smallholder Tea Growers Association have all been audited by the Fairtrade Association during the first week of June.

FLO-CERT, the auditing division of Fairtrade, visited all the fields and divisions of the smallholder farmers and the estate. They also reviewed all of the paperwork and interviewed workers.

In the final meeting FLO-CERT auditor Kennedy Chakanyuka congratulated the JB on all their projects. He said they showed genuine development and the positive impact that Fairtrade premium, through the JB, has made to the area. He highlighted the 6 new local bridges, clean water and the adult education classes as ‘very encouraging. Quite moving, really'.

But he reminded everybody that things must still improve, pointing out problems with the Smallholders record keeping and business planning, overtime issues in the security division, and that the newly elected JB members need to understand more about how it works.

Msuwadzi Chairman, Wilfred Custom, observed “it was the first time most of our members have met these people from Fairtrade. We didn’t believe we would get this far. Many of the growers were afraid and did not speak out in our meeting. They always say they don’t know anything about this and that, when they do. Most of us, you see, we are illiterate. We need help with our business planning. We face so many problems”

A VSO volunteer, Michael Shaw, helping Msuwadzi comments “This is just the first step. They will need training and support to keep up with Fairtrade Standards, otherwise they are made ‘non-compliant’ and risk suspension. The problem is that these global standards are tougher year-on-year, including requirements for complicated business strategies and planning documents. It will take years to reach the ‘year 1’ standards for most Malawian members, especially those who are illiterate, so we are trying to talk to FLO about making these more appropriate. Fairtrade is very new to Malawi and people here are at different development stages to those in South America, for example. This is why the most disadvantaged farmers in Malawi are failing to benefit from Fairtrade. They produce good crops, but they are illiterate.”

11 Jun 2009

Solar brings music, light and money to Satemwa workers and communities

Satemwa JB have entered into a partnership with Kadzuwa, based in Mzuzu, Malawi, to supply 2000 micro solar panels, batteries and energy saving bulbs to help provide light and electricity to the workers and villages.  Kadzuwa are supported and established by SolarAid, a UK based charity.

So far Kadzuwa, through their village assembly groups in the North, have supplied 550 panels.  They are sending 200 more each month.

The JB buy the kits (MK5000 each) using workers fairtrade premium funds and then sell these at a subsidised price of MK1000 ($7) to the workers.

Next month, SolarAid are visiting to discuss setting up solar panel assembly groups in the local villages around Satemwa so local people can benefit from making small solar businesses in assembly, sales, spares bulbs and repairs.

The Solars are very popular.  With one panel, workers can charge their mobile phones, light their houses every night and listen to their radios, for free.

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using solar power to listen to the radio

Takondwa Banda, a part-time working mother from Chawani division, commented “I don’t pay for paraffin or batteries any more.  It was MK1000 a month.  I have more money. You see?”

Other workers are less sure.  Smart Stimme from Factory division says “some are still waiting for their Solar.  We are crying whether we can get them in time.  We don’t know if they are coming?”

JB Chairman, Rabson Kalowa, responds “we are getting good price because they are being made by Malawians.  But it means they take a longer time to come.  These members [JB] and the General Assembly must explain to the workers that they should stop complaining.  It will come.  But we are many. They cannot understand.”

1300 workers are still due delivery.  The JB estimate 3 more months to go.     

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Robert Muthete, JB member, demonstrating the low energy bulbs.