Government and donors have been urged to invest in institutional capacity building, especially focusing on boards for non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
Hifa Consulting Group managing director Themba Phiri made the call today during the opening of a four-day training for Chipembele Community Development Organisation board members in Liwonde. He emphasised that strong governance is critical to achieving the country’s Vision 2063 goals.
Phiri said most local organisations are struggling to operate at their full potential and contribute meaningfully to Malawi’s long-term aspirations owing to a lack of effective governance structures.
The training has been organised with funding from the Women’s Peace and Humanitarian Fund through UN Women.
Executive director for the NGO Dalitso Chiwayula said they organised the training to strengthen the capacity of their board.
“For our organisation to grow, it needs to have people and board members who understand their roles; familiarise themselves with policies, know how to fundraise for the organisation, do monitoring and evaluation, and manage finances among others,” he said.
One of the board members for the organisation, Jane Chimbwana said the training is an eye opener.