TWESA in Community Development

TWESA is a local non-governmental and non-profit making organization based in Karonga, Malawi and registered with Karonga District Council under KA/CBS/67. Established on 1st December 2015, TWESA is becoming one of the premier local organizations which are positively impacting the societies of Karonga district to achieve a sustainable community development.

Our Mission and Vision

The mission of the TWESA is to create a conducive environment for a healthy, educated, gender balanced society which is actively taking part in the development of their areas.

The vision of the TWESA is to attain an admirable society that is free from social and climate change problems by the year 2030.

Our Values

TWESA has in place a strong system of internal organizational governance and a clear focus to its programs while following its core values:

Respect: We value treating everyone with dignity and respect.

Accountability: We are accountable to those we serve and work with.

Courage: We believe in boldness and inspiring in our actions and words.

Collaboration: In line with our name, we believe in working with others to maximize impact, respecting diversity and difference in pursuit of common goals.

Innovation: We believe in creativity in our interventions.

Integrity: We always act with honesty and conviction.

Thematic Areas

To achieve a sustainable community development in Karonga, Malawi, TWESA is working in five thematic areas:

Women and Youth Empowerment: Training in income generation activities and encouragement to take part in decision making processes.

Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture: Tree planting activities, promotion and construction of improved firewood cooking stoves, briquette fabrication from rice husks, promotion of organic farming techniques and raising awareness about environmental issues.

Water, Sanitation and Hygiene: Training of villagers in hygienic issues, waste collection activities, facilitation of the construction of public toilets and awareness raising about the importance of a clean and hygienic environment.

HIV/AIDS and nutrition: Training and awareness raising on HIV/AIDS prevention and the importance of healthy nutrition.

Good Governance and Education: Facilitation of access to schools for underprivileged girls and boys, managing pen-pal schemes to improve communication, cultural awareness and language skills. Also improving the transparency of governmental activities for the local communities.

Our Team

TWESA consists of a team of eight TWESA secretaries, many having a background of community development and project management studies, as well as 20 women organized in a women’s group and 17 youngsters organized in a youth group which was set up in mid 2019. All of them are working on volunteer basis. Since early 2018 TWESA has hosted 22 international volunteers that were supporting in the field and brought new ideas in from which nine volunteers are still assisting TWESA through advices, providing of networks and processing of ongoing projects.

“I founded TWESA in 2015. The goal is to positively impact the local communities of the Karonga district and beyond. Creating an environment that is conducive for a healthy, educated and gender balanced society which is actively taking part in the development of its area.”

Jimmy Mzilahowa, Executive Director: “I founded TWESA in 2015. The goal is to positively impact the local communities of the Karonga district and beyond. Creating an environment that is conducive for a healthy, educated and gender balanced society which is actively taking part in the development of its area.”

Titus Steven Chiumia, Information, Education and Communication Officer: “I joined TWESA because I want to help empower the youth on leadership, self-sustainability, entrepreneurship, marketing, application of mathematics and economics, finance management, global-mindedness with grass root actions.”

Wane Kayira, Women and Youth Empowerment Program Officer: “I take pleasure in coordinating programs and providing training in various income generating activities in the community. It also provides encouragement to take part in decision making processes.”

Eric Dimba, Women Empowerment Program Officer: “I joined TWESA because I believe that it is possible to help the society realize that women have equal potential to men. I thought it’s a way to help give the women with an opportunity to develop themselves.”

Mercy Chawelako, HIV / AIDS and Nutrition Program Officer: “I am proud to be part of a team of young men and women who have the passion to contribute towards the development of their communities and country at large.”

Leah Gondwe, Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture Program Officer: “The Climate Change and Sustainable Agriculture department does numerous activities to prevent climate change. Tree planting activities, promotion and construction of improved firewood cooking stoves and briquette fabrication from rice husks are a few examples of these activities.”

Racheal Simwaka, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Program Officer: “A clean and healthy living environment are essential to the development of communities. The Water, Sanitation and Hygiene department provides trainings about hygienic issues, organizes waste collection activities and awareness raising campaigns about the importance of a clean and hygienic environment.”

Nickson Gondwe, Finance and Administration Officer: “Over the period, I have witnessed the tremendous contribution that TWESA has been making in so many aspects of life in Karonga district and even beyond. We are really helping to stimulate the communities in taking a leading role in trans-forming the standard of life of their societies. Having worked with TWESA all this long, my accounting and project management skills are also no longer the same.”

Board of Trustees

TWESA has in place a highly competent Board of Members who posses both professional and personal understandings of the development contexts in which TWESA operates its program. The Board of Members convenes once the year which shall be increased to three times up from 2020. Members are the following:

• Mr. Sanderson Nyirenda, Chief Accountant at Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development
• Mr. Scotch Kondowe, Karonga District Education Manager,
• Mr. Moir Theu, Lecturer in Environmental Science at the University of Livingstonia
• Mr. Lewis Tukula, District Environmental Health Officer for Karonga
• Mr. Jimmy Mzilahowa, TWESA Executive Director