Concerned Youth Organization (CYO) a local nonโprofit organization whose mission is to empower the youth towards sustainable development has embarked on a project called Promoting Citizen Participation and Implementation of the Service Charter.
Harvey Chimaliro, Executive Director for the organization says that the purpose of the project is to promote citizen awareness about the Service Charter so that they are able to participate and engage with the duty bearers towards improved service delivery on health issues at community level.
โWe want to make sure that communities have access to information about the Service Charter and improved capacity of youth and women in demanding services from duty bearers,โ he said.
Chimaliro also said they decided to come up with the project when they noted that people were not aware of the Service Charter further, communities were not understanding better about their rights as well as engaging with duty bearers.
He further said since that since they started the project there is improved collaboration among communities, health committees and duty bearers.
โThe project has also brought unity among community members like women, the youth and Traditional Leaders because they are now coming together towards improving their social needs. We have also learnt that communities have information and they are empowered such that they are able to take their role effectively and responsibly,โ he said.
The project is being implemented in the area of Group Village Heads Andrew, Kachere and Likoswe Village in TA Machinjiri in Blantyre.
CYO Executive Director said in future they intend to extend to other areas depending on the availability of resources adding that they will continue since the issues of governance are ongoing thing.
The project started in October 2014 and will phase out towards the end of year 2015. The project is being funded by Tilitonse Fund to a tune of about MK12, 100,000.00
CYO was established in September 2002, its vision is a transformed society that actively participates on issues affecting their lives with improved social status.
