Chinsapo Community Hall
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This project, which began in 2011, involves the construction of a community hall in Chinsapo, the largest slum settlement in Lilongwe. Funds were sourced from the Mchenga Urban Poor Fund to construct the hall. The Mchenga Fund is Malawi's urban poor fund. Construction took place in the largest market in Chinsapo and land was given by the former chairman of the market. The Lilongwe District Council also offered the Federation land.
Location: Chinsapo, Lilongwe, MalawiOne community hall in the Chinsapo informal settlement in Lilongwe. The hall has been completed but there are still some water and electricity connection challenges.
Community capacity:The initiative was implemented by SDI’s Southern African hub, which means that construction and use of the community hall provides learning opportunities for other countries.
Scale:There is a high demand for meeting spaces in other cities, thus, the project has the potential to be scaled up.
Impact:The hall is a space in which the Federation can congregate and hold meetings. The hall is being managed by the Federation in Lilongwe, who are also hiring it out to other organisations. The hall is therefore of use to not only the Federation but to other organisations and the broader community at large. Its strategic location in the largest market in the largest settlement in Lilongwe is key.
Finance: SDI Contributions:SDI contributed US$19,243.00
Resources Leveraged:The Federation was able to source funds from the Mchenga Fud to construct the hall. The Federation was also able to leverage land from the Chinsapo community and the Lilongwe District Council.
Costs recovered from community:Costs will be recovered to the community in the form of rental fees for use of the hall. These fees will be utilised for operating and maintenance costs as well as to repay the loan to the fund.
| Contact | Telephone | Website | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patrick Chikoti | patrickchikoti@gmail.com | (+265) 1 756 781 | View Website |
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Project information updated: 09 February 2016
Project in depth
Detailed Information
The intention was to build a community hall which will enable the work of the Federation sustainable as the resources realized through hiring out the hall are being ploughed back into the work being undertaken by the Federation as well as into the operation and maintenance of the facility. The hall is in operation and open to the general public for hiring. At present, there is an agreement with a Pentecostal church which has been using the facility for over a year. The hall is hired out for other events such as weddings, community meetings, political parties. The hall is also used by Federation members in their various endeavors in pursuit of changing the lives of poor people.
Community capacity:The Federation, through its management committee, is responsible for the running of the facility. Their capacity is continually improved as they acquire new skills that help them to manage the facility better and bring in higher returns.
Scale:The ability to scale the project nationally will be, in part, determined by the Federation's ability to resolve some challenges they face in relation to revolving the initial capital from the Mchenga Fund, especially since the Fund has been negatively affected by the devaluation of the Malawi Kwacha in recent years.
Impact:The availability of a hall for the use by the community and the Federation for events including meetings has had a positive impact on the community. This is particularly true for the Federation, who no longer have to struggle or pay to secure places in which to hold their meetings.
Finance: SDI Contributions:SDI contributed US$19,243.00 towards capital expenditure.
Resources Leveraged:Land was leveraged from the Lilongwe District Council and the Chinsapo community.
Market Generated Returns:The leasing of the facility for various community events gives rise to a rental income of approximately US$130.00 per month. This amount varies though each month as the lack of reliable water and electricity connections to the hall has become a major deterrent to most potential clients.
Costs recovered from community:The Federation contributed part of the construction costs of the hall through Malawi’s urban poor fund, the Mchenga fund. Maintenance costs for the hall will be covered by renting it out to community members for functions, ensuring sustainability of the project. Recycling of funds has not yet began. It is expected that once the Federation begins to hire out the hall part of the revenues will be used to repay the loan.
Manda, M. A. Z. (2007). Mchenga - Urban Poor Housing Fund in Malawi. [Online]. Available: http://sdinet.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/EU2007192Manda2.pdf.
Urban LandMark. (2013). Operation of the Market Study: How the Poor Access, Hold and Trade Land. Findings from Research in Two Settlements in Lilongwe, Malawi. [Online]. Available: http://www.urbanlandmark.org.za/downloads/malawi_2013.pdf.
Funding Information
Raised: | $19,243.00 |
Funding type: | Grant funding |
Implementing Partners
