IM Swedish Development Partner Secretary General, Gabriella Fredriksson, has advised women and young people from the traditional authority of Kachere in the Dedza district to always stand up for their rights, with a plea for them to work hard in initiatives that improve their livelihoods.

Fredriksson made this plea on Wednesday during her visit to Group Village Kachere, which is one of the three Group Village Heads where the Youth Initiative for Community Development (YICOD) is implementing interventions aimed at promoting resilience, enhancing nutrition, and economically empowering rights holders through core support from IM Swedish Development Partner.

Rightsholders from the three Group Village Heads (GVH) of Fosa, Kachere, and Mkomawathu 2 in the area of Senior Chief Kachere, Dedza district, have been equipped with knowledge and skills in mini-drip irrigation, maintenance, and plot layout, all conducted in their respective communities. 

Sixty young people and women from the area of Senior Chief Kachere in Dedza district have been trained in tree nursery and woodlot management through core support from IM Swedish Development Partner.

The trained rights holders are from three respective Group Village Heads (GVH): Fosa, Kachere, and Mkomawathu 2. Each GVH is expected to establish two tree nurseries, making a total of six nurseries that are expected to have over 12,000 trees of different species sown.

Youth Initiative for Community Development (YICOD) is a local organisation established in response to the growing need for community-driven solutions to challenges facing children, young people, and women in Malawi.