Impact Plus Club Engages Youth in Environmental Restoration

Across Malawi, communities are increasingly feeling the effects of environmental degradation. Changing rainfall patterns, soil erosion, deforestation and declining land productivity have become part of everyday life. In rural areas, these challenges are not just environmental concerns but the indicators shaping how families live, farm and survive.

In Dindi, young people are growing up in the middle of these changes. Many have seen farmland becoming less productive, trees disappearing and household incomes shrinking as a result. For some families, this has meant struggling to produce enough food while for young people, it has meant limited opportunities and increased pressure to find alternative ways of supporting themselves.

It is within this reality that efforts to restore the environment are taking root.

One of these environmental restoration efforts is the work of the Mlambe Impact Plus Club in revamping degraded environments in the area. Through the club, young people are beginning to take active roles in reversing the damage around them. Supported by World Vision Malawi under Dindi Area Programme, the club brings together children and adolescents aged 12 to 18 and trains them in practical environmental restoration activities.

The club members are involved in tree planting, irrigation, farming, soil conservation activities and small-scale enterprises that promote both environmental recovery and household resilience.

The club’s leader Rachel Matemba says the change is visible in how young people now view their environment and future.

“The initiative is also helping young people understand protection issues and how to respond to challenges affecting their wellbeing. Through this club we have planted trees for soil conservation and fruit trees that we will not only consume but also sell as a business,” says Rachel

For Vanessa ,15, the club has become a place of learning responsibility and hope. She says her involvement has improved both her education journey and her understanding of how to care for the environment.

“The savings groups introduced through the club have also helped her learn how to manage resources and think about long term goals, “says Vanessa.

Currently, Mlambe Impact Plus Club in Dindi has 28 members,  including 17 girls who are restoring the environment while building skills that promote resilience responsibility and sustainable livelihoods.