PMI Provides $2.5 Million to Improve Farm Life

Source from:  Tobacco Reporter 09/28/2010

Total LandCare (TLC), a Malawian registered NGO announced on Friday that it had received a $2.5 million grant from Philip Morris International to continue a program aimed at improving living conditions in tobacco farming communities in Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania, according to a note posted on PMI's website. The announcement was made by TLC during an on-campus event celebrating TLC's partnership with Washington State University (WSU). TLC's program for Southeast Africa, known as Enhancing Rural Livelihoods (ENRL), was launched in 1999. The ENRL program was created with the aim of addressing and alleviating the most pressing issues facing Malawi: poverty, deforestation, sustainable agriculture, clean water, sanitation and education, with a focus on community-based approaches to increase agricultural production, food security and incomes, while ensuring sound management of natural resources. In 2008, with additional funding from PMI, the ENRL program was extended to Mozambique and Tanzania. In speaking about the ENRL program, Zwide Jere, of TLC said, "The collaborative partnership with WSU is focusing on some of the most crucial problems in the region, such as water shortage, deforestation and energy sources availability, child labor and access to education." Since 2001, PMI has provided more than $14 million in funding to support WSU/TLC ENRL programs in Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. To-date, these programs have directly impacted more than 760,000 people in 6,660 villages. More than 280 shallow wells have been installed in 300 villages and are now supplying fresh water to over 62,000 people; more than 75 million trees have been planted and 6,700 ha of forest regenerated. Additionally, beginning last year, a five year project to construct 100 fully-equipped new schools was initiated, and to-date 36 schools have been constructed, benefiting 3,600 children. "We have been supporting TLC's efforts since 2001 because they are making a measurable difference in improving the living conditions of farmers and their families in Southeast Africa," said Andrew White, vice president contributions for PMI. "This year's grant will allow TLC to expand their programs to help an additional 50,000 farm families in Malawi and 6,000 farm families in each [of] Mozambique and Tanzania," added White. Enditem