ACHIEVEMENTS

"We started with the materials that were already available. With the competent and servant Leadership of Pastor Dickson people were so influenced that they were able to maximize their potentials into action"( Francis Member of community department committee)

Since Pihecod started a lot of development programs have been achieved. In the areas of education, students from this institution have been actively involved in educating and counseling their peers. Some students are running their own business instead of waiting to be employed. Many students have testified to changing their lives in various ways as a result of the programs, such as overcoming drug and alcohol problems, leaving criminal activities, maintaining more healthy sexual lifestyles, having increased hope and personal direction, and overcoming hurts and wounds from the past. Pihecod has build Muloza Community Centre Hall (MCCH) which is used as an income generating activity for the aim of aiding some community development programs.

The hall is also used to raise money and assist some students who fail to pay their school fees. In partnership with Institute of International Education (IIE), Pihecod has opened a program called Elderly Literature Education (ELE) primarily targeting on aged people who don’t’ know how to read and write the vernacular language. Twice a week the evening classes are conducted at the community center hall where elderly people from different villages are taught how to read and write for themselves.

CURRENT CHALLENGES AND SUGGESTED SOLUTIONS

Current Challenges

Despite having small income generating activities e.g. Hall, running some programs, lending school facilities e.g. chairs, getting donation from Institute of International Education still there are challenges that Pihecod is facing.

• Pihecod is facing financial challenges. Since Pihecod runs a number of programs, there is a need to have a sound financial base. Some students especially at the high school fail to pay the school fees. This slows the effectiveness of Pihecod.

• Some other communities are still resisting adopting development programs because of some tradition or cultural reasons. For instance some communities ignore to give out a piece of land for community development project because of some beliefs in relating to the piece of land.

• HIV/AIDS affect both supply and quality of education and community development. The death of on teacher and other trainers deprives a whole class of children.

• Death and illness are also affecting education sector administrators, financer, Workers, parents who contribute positively to Pihecod.

• In addition, the epidemic also reduces girl access to education. “ Girls than boys are retained at home for domestic work when household income drops due to HIV/AIDS death or to care for the sick relatives . These are the challenges that slow the effectiveness of Pihecod.

Suggested solutions

There is no challenge that can not be solved or minimized. The following are the solutions that the researcher has suggested as the solutions for the challenges faced by Pihecod.

There is a need for Pihecod to maximize the means of generating finances e.g. asking donation either from foreign donors or government.

There is need for Pihecod to have strong committee that will plan and direct the projects in both sites i.e. education and community development to give it the best chances of success.

The committee will also be involved in evaluating all the programs to make sure that there is direction as well as progress.

The Director should be involved in enhancement or attainment of diplomatic, managerial and political skills which are essential to get the project succeed even under difficult constraints.

There is a need to cut down some other costs that are unnecessary, for instance, organizing education trip every two weeks. The money can then be used in marketing the school or covering other expenses.

MAJOR PROGRAMS OF PIHECOD

Pihecod is currently engaged in two major programs- providing Holistic Education as well as community development Programs.

As an institution Pihecod has programs that are currently taking place. As the name suggests this is an institution that is engaged in programs that primarily focus on education as well as community development

Holistic education

Pihecod Mainly provides primary and high school education to students in the rural areas. Students are challenged to develop and nurture their inward life, so that they can find personal success and ultimately be able to impact their families, communities, social institutions, and ultimately the world around them.

As one way of providing holistic education, Pihecod has embarked in so many academic programs and clubs to make sure that the whole life of student is well rounded with education. In collaborating with the Unima (University of Malawi), Pihecod provide pre-university programs and scholarship to the students who are willing to pursue further studies. Spiritually the student of Pihecod are challenged by biblical teachings and preaching by well know preachers and biblical scholars from local and outside the country. Students are also involved in education trips to manufacturing industries and other business enterprises where students practically expand their knowledge and skills.

Pihecod is committed to helping all children in the district to fulfill their basic right to the education that will help them build a bright future. It seeks to learn the specific needs of the children who are in danger of not being able to reach their educational goals because of their social situations and to find ways to assist them to overcome those barriers. Pihecod works with the government schools to help organize programs to generate enthusiasm for school, and encourage students to become real potential citizens.

Community Development

Pihecod voluntarily embark on supporting new and existing community development programs through the provision of material resources e.g. donating food, equipments and non material resources e.g. research programs, educating the community, providing human development assistance, business counseling and planning. In partnership with CONGOMA (Council for Non Organization in Malawi) and Environmental conversation Trust (ECT), we sanctions a wide range of initiatives aimed at strengthening the rural development capacities and awareness . Through its department of community development, Pihecod has experts who are involved in sensitizing and educating the community about sustainable development through community mobilization.

To make sure that there is sustainable development; Pihecod has developed a unique model of rising up young leaders form surrounding communities to empower people in their communities. This model has been developed and continues to run successfully among its main target group, unemployed young adults between 18-35 years old. First, Pihecod runs skills and leadership courses for four weeks (3 days per week, 3:30-5:00pm) in various communities, which are free and open to all who want to join development courses. Then, Pihecod staff selects best and potential students at the end of the courses to attend other community development programs conducted by Development Organization within the country or across the boarder. This enables them to "give back" to their community and to mature by helping others to learn what they have recently learned themselves.

The challenges of the communities

From August to December in 2002 Dickson and the team of seven undergraduate students conducted several interviews in surrounding communities. Different researches were conducted and the need of the communities was discovered. The major challenges were;

 Lack of nearby education center, students had to travel the long distance to reach government schools.  
A lot of young men who failed to go to school were ending up in immoral behavior. 
The community development programs were so slow to be accomplished because the majorities were uneducated.
Issues of crimes were regularly reported because of high rate of unemployment.  
The rate of people who were failing to maintain the minimal standard of living was high.     
Some social customs deny education to girls, and children who are orphaned are almost always placed in situations that reduce their chances for education.
Poverty forces families to put children to work or into other situations because they could not afford to keep them at home and in schools.