Scottish Government Small Grants Programme results

The Scottish Government have released information about the projects funded in the fourth Small Grants Programme funding round.

The Scotland Malawi Partnership very much supports this innovative programme which looks to support work undertaken by smaller Scottish organisations, as well as helping these organisations develop their capacity and assess the feasibility of future work. We think smaller NGOs have a unique role to play and we applaud the diversity of organisations engaged in the Scottish Government’s Malawi Development Programme.

We have no doubt that these ten projects will transform a great many lives in Malawi, Zambia, Rwanda and India.

Almost £480,000 of funding has been announced today, including to three projects in Malawi managed by SMP Members:

Balmore Trust:

The project aims to combat the adverse effects of climate change on rice farming by providing farmers with increased access to and better management of water resources in the Karonga area of Malawi. The plan is to install wells and pumps (solar and diesel) and supply water to 4,500 farmers who will be trained in the integrated use of ground and surface water and the maintenance of wells and pumps. The work will be carried out in conjunction with Strathclyde and Mzuzu Universities, as well as in partnership with the Kaporo Smallholder Farmers’ Association.

£59,750 awardedfor the “Developing improved Management of water resources in Karonga” project in Malawi. This award is conditional upon satisfactory clarification of costings.

Cerebral Palsy Africa:

Children born with cerebral palsy and other disabilities can often manage in school, but many in Malawi are excluded from school because of the lack of early support. Fit for School is an early intervention programme designed to provide essential early support to young children with complex physical and learning disabilities (such as cerebral palsy) to enable them to be fit for school at 6 years of age and give them the best chance of remaining in school.

£59,551 awarded for the “Fit for School” project to support young children with disabilities

Malawi Fruits:

The “Inspiring Youth in Agriculture” project will provide training and support for young people to enable them to grow a variety of low input/high value crops; take the crops to local processing facilities; receive processed crops and then sell them both locally and outside their communities through contract markets.

£44,800 awarded forthe “Inspiring Youth in Agriculture” project to promote farming business among young people in Malawi.

Other grants awarded today include:

• Youth for Economic Justice (India, Madhya Pradesh): £60,000 for the “Business Women” project -building a roadmap for economic empowerment with marginalised young women residing in slum communities in Madhya Pradesh.

• Big First Aid Project (Tanzania): £58,259 for the “First Aid for Everyone” project – a motorbike ambulance service for Northern Tanzania.

• Lake Victoria Disabled Centre (Tanzania): £57,670 for the “3D Printing of Prosthetics and Orthotics” project in Tanzania.

• Twende Pamoja (Tanzania): £59,140 for the “ICTfor Better Futures 2” project, working with 23 schools in Tanzania.

• Friends of Chitambo (Zambia): £59,999 for the project focused on communication and decision support systems for emergency medical care in Chitambo District, Zambia.

• Zambia Therapeutic Art (Zambia): £10,000 Feasibility Grant to conduct a feasibilitystudy to explore ‘Therapeutic Art’ as an alternative psychological intervention for those experience mental health issues in Zambia.

• Yes! Tanzania (Tanzania): £9,988 Capacity Building Grant To carry out capacity building focused on Operational Management Systems & Income Generation and Fundraising

We understand the Scottish Government will be releasing a full call for applications in its Malawi Development Programme, as well as another call for the Small Grants Programme, later in 2017.