Theme for the Term: Plant & Raise More Trees
The Children in the Wilderness (CITW) Eco-Club programme, in addition to weekly after-school learning sessions, carries out several micro-projects throughout each school term. These include waste-paper recycling, reforestation, educational trips, and inter-club exchange visits.
Two weeks after schools open each term, zonal joint meetings are held, with five Eco-Clubs coming together to share progress, evaluate activities from the previous period, and plan for the term ahead. The most recent joint meetings, marking the start of the 2025/26 school year, took place throughout October across the three zones where CITW Malawi operates.
Objectives of the Joint Meetings
The main objectives of the Term 1 joint meetings were to:
- Evaluate Eco-Club activities conducted during the July–September period
- Update Eco-Club membership lists
- Conduct joint Eco-Club activities
- Encourage fun, collaboration, and inter-club competitions
- Update the Eco-Clubs’ general plan of activities for the current school term
Activities Festival
The joint meetings incorporated an activities festival, featuring:
- Storytelling and poetry
- Indoor games such as Ludo and Snakes & Ladders
- Sports, including football, netball, and volleyball
- Tree-planting
- Litter pick-ups and raising awareness on proper waste management, particularly concerning plastic waste
Market Clean-Up and Environmental Awareness
One of the major areas of environmental concern identified by Eco-Club members was poor waste management at local markets. After consultation between CITW and market officials in Chintheche, the children were granted permission to conduct a clean-up exercise.
The market provided wheelbarrows and shovels, while CITW supplied gloves, rubbish bags, and hand sanitiser. By the end of the activity, 115 kg of plastic waste had been collected and transported to the appropriate disposal site.
After the clean-up, children delivered their message – through poems, stories, and direct dialogue – encouraging traders and community members to keep the market clean and free of plastic litter. Market officials expressed their appreciation, and committed to improving waste management practices.
Cultural Communication Approach
In many Malawian communities, children do not traditionally speak directly to elders. To address this, the Eco-Club programme trains children to communicate effectively through creative expression such as poems, storytelling, drama, and posters.
This method has been widely accepted and has enabled meaningful engagement between children and their communities, generating positive feedback and strong local support.
Key Outcomes of the Joint Meetings
- Eco-Clubs updated their general activity plans for the term
- Dates for the CITW Open Day events in all three zones were set for Week 2–3 of December
- A collaborative plan was confirmed for the youth to work with Root to Fruit (a forestry-expert NGO) on distributing tree seedlings between December and February.
Joint Eco-Club Meetings
Each Eco-Club has up to 45 members. For joint meetings, the hosting school sends all members, while visiting schools send 25 representatives each.
Across the three zones, the recent joint meetings brought together 415 children and their mentors.
Conclusion
The joint meetings provided an energising and collaborative start to the 2025/26 school year. Through environmental clean-ups, creative communication, and inter-club activities, Eco-Club members strengthened their commitment to conservation and community engagement.
These gatherings continue to play a vital role in preparing young leaders to contribute to sustainable environmental stewardship in their communities.
Compiled by Symon Chibaka
National Programme Co-ordinator, Children in the Wilderness Malawi
Date: 15/11/2025
