To help celebrate youth-led transformational solutions towards a greener and cleaner Malawi, over 200 young men and women were recognized at a colorful ‘green’ graduation ceremony, that marked the completion of a 13-month training in Waste Management and Afforestation, – under the Malawi Green Corps (MGC) initiative, implemented by Catholic Relief Services (CRS), which funding from United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Through the MGC training, young people were equipped with skills in restoring degraded forests, generating income by becoming 'green' entrepreneurs, and many other skills to help unlock their transformative potential.  

One of the graduating youths, 22-year-old Deliah Makiyi was overjoyed for being a beneficiary of the initiative and excited to use her skills in waste management to help conserve the environment and uplift the lives of her community. 

“I have acquired skills in waste management which have helped me a lot. Through recycling of wastes we add value to garbage which in turn brings us money when sold,” said Deliah. 

Through the project, 2,000 young people in 10 districts of Malawi have restored over 5,000 hectares of land through natural regeneration and have also engaged in various waste management initiatives and green entrepreneurship through repurposing of wastes into valuable and usable materials.

Speaking during the graduation ceremony that took place at Dzonzi Mvai ground in Ntcheu District, Michael Makonombera, Deputy Director of Environmental Affairs, recognized the importance of healing the land, not just for the current generation but also for the generation to come.  

“We embarked on this endeavor with a shared goal to protect the lives, livelihood and protect the future. We understand that every action we take, every tree we plant, and every piece of land we restore, contributes to a brighter, cleaner, and more sustainable world,” he said. 

The MGC initiative was launched in 2021 as a way of supporting the Malawi Government’s Vision 2063 which sets a blueprint for transitioning to a greener economy and maximizing the potential of the youth as agents of economic development. 

The project is also aligned with the UN’s Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030) which aims to prevent, halt, and reverse the degradation of ecosystems.