DAPP Malawi

Overview

In recent years Malawi has experienced an increase in the incidence of devastating floods and cyclones which have led to people being displaced and schools being destroyed; deforestation across the country is contributing to these extreme weather conditions. Jimmy is part of an organisation called DAPP Malawi which is bringing about change in teacher training to make teachers agents of change within the communities they work in.

Theory of Change

The teacher training programme has been redesigned to enable teachers teaching in rural communities to carry out tree planting initiatives as well as empowering the teachers to disseminate the importance of the initiatives. The tree planing activities are well organised and are implemented with an education strategy which seeks to reduce deforestation and to spread an understanding of why it is important to cultivate trees. One major issue in rural areas is that trees are cut down to produce fuel for cooking. This observation led Jimmy and his team to introduce a new initiative to the teacher training programme which addresses this issue.

Approach and Actions

The new teacher training programme centres the idea that teachers can bring together community members to implement action against climate change. This is reinforced throughout the teacher training- the pre-service teachers take part in local community based projects within the college. Tree planting and reforestation are particularly highlighted as climate change mitigation strategies. During these college projects, the teachers take part in community education events every one or two weeks; this makes it natural for the teachers to continue these events when they move to their first schools.

During these community events community members are educated as to why tree planting and reforestation are important. From the lessons and presentations, schools and communities develop tree nurseries and agreements about how and where to plant the trees; and how the trees will be taken care of. Through this method students and communities are becoming eco-literate and ready to protect their environment.

The training programme teaches pre-service teachers how to collect seeds from the forests; how to produce and maintain tree nurseries; then, during the rainy season how to plant the seedlings in strategic places. The survival rates are monitored and conditions are varied to find ways of increasing their survival rate.

The teacher training also incorporates an initiative to decrease the dependence of communities on wood cutting. The initiative is taught by pre-service teachers instructing each other on how to make an alternative type of stove which uses less fuel than a conventional stove. This method of stove building is then passed on to local people in the community by the teachers.

Impact

Jimmy is currently working with 98 primary schools. He and the team have noticed that after receiving information from the teachers, community members have been motivated to carry out independent tree planting activities, this shows that the teachers are changing mindsets around reforestation. Also, most families in these communities were found to be continuing to use the alternative stoves.