NSAs get a financial boost

As one way of building capacity of Non State Actors the Capacity Building Programme incorporated awarding of grants to eligible NSAs in its plans.

This is exactly what the CBPNSA did on 1^st July when it awarded a total grant of K360 million to 20 NSAs for the implementation of various programmes and projects aimed at achieving the five objectives of the Programme. This colorful grants awarding signing ceremony took place at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe and was graced by the presence of His Excellency Alessandro Mariani, Head of the EC Delegation in Malawi and Mr Peter Simbani, Chairperson of the Programme Steering Committee (PSC), Head of NAO Support Unit.

The process of awarding the grants started with a call for proposals that was publicized in order to give opportunity to interested NSAs who are the target beneficiaries to access funds for project implementation under the Programme.  The response to the call was overwhelming.In his remarks at the ceremony,  His Excellency Mariani said the European Commission in Malawi is always pleased to be associated with such  milestones in the operations of NSAs.

Taking his turn, Mr Simbani reminded the beneficiaries of the need of putting the grants disbursed into the intended use and account for the funds transparently for the sake of the local communities who are the ultimate and intended beneficiaries.  Some of the NSAs that received the grant include Total Land Care, CONGOMA, NAPHAM, NASFAM, MANASO, CURE, SEEED Malawi, Farmers Union of Malawi, COSPE, Swedish Cooperative Centre, YUNECO, Malawi Union of the Blind, Dan Church Aid and Mzuzu CCJP

As a way of crowning it all, the grant contract for each NSA was duly signed by Mr Simbani on behalf of Malawi Government, the Programme Manager on behalf of the PMU and the NSA representative present.  Besides the signing of the grant contracts the Grantees went through an orientation on grant contract management. The orientation focused on familiarizing the grantees with terminology, structure of grant contract, special and general conditions of the contract and procurement procedures among other things.