Poor people in Malawi are struggling for sustainable livelihood

By Zex Chikwiya
Poor people in rural and urban Malawi are struggling to sustain their livelihoods according to a study by Center for Social Concern, a faith-based organization in the country.
The study on ‘Coping Mechanisms of the Poor’ presented at the on-going Southern Africa Social Forum in Lilongwe, has revealed the widening gap between the cost of basic needs and their incomes, a thing that is forcing them to adopt strategies that are anti-developmental in nature.
The study focused on sectors of health, food security, housing, energy sources and water supply.
Chrissie Kafundu, research officer for Center for Social Concern said during the proceedings that poor people are adopting strategies of realignment and familiarization of resources at household level in order to maintain the existing livelihood levels and standards.
She said people have resorted to sinking their own wells and drinking unsafe water in urban and rural areas due to high costs of accessing piped.
The study indicates that high costs for water bills have restricted access to only a small population.
She added that most average people who survive on less than US$ 1 per day cannot afford adequate health services offered by private hospitals hence are crowded in public hospitals which have insufficient drugs to cater for them.
On coping mechanisms-responses to declining food availability and entitlements in abnormal times, she cited dietary changes, rationing system, decreasing number of people fed as some of the strategies used by different households during times of hardship.
The study presentation also revealed socio-economic, ecological and moral impacts the adjustments and coping strategies have on people’s daily lives. She attributed massive deforestation, poor productivity, increase in HIV/AIDS, massive crime rates as having roots in them and need for urgent address to them.
SASF particpants applauded the research presentation but called situation ‘shocking’ saying that it was a reflection of the entire region and demanded for joint efforts to address the problems.
Mkhululi Zulu of Landless People Movement described the situation as a sub-regional crisis citing scavenging cases in Zambia and South Africa as some coping strategies for the poor in the region.
However, the debate at the SASF recommended that the governments in the region should consider the social security aspect like subsidizing water and electricity including providing grants as in the case in South African.