HEAL Project: Skills Development and Livelihood Empowerment for Caregivers – Phalombe

The HEAL Project is an intervention designed to support caregivers participating in the HIV intervention under the Phalombe Anglican Child Development Centre (CDC). The project complements HIV-related support by addressing the economic vulnerability of caregivers through skills development and sustainable livelihood opportunities.

Currently, 86 caregivers are participating in the HIV intervention. The HEAL Project is providing these caregivers with opportunities to develop practical skills and engage in income-generating activities aimed at strengthening self-reliance, household income and living conditions.

Tailoring Skills Development

As part of the intervention, 15 caregivers have been selected for tailoring training. The training is currently underway and provides participants with practical vocational skills that can enable them to establish tailoring businesses and generate income.

Training materials and other required items are being provided to support participants throughout the training period, increasing their ability to apply the skills acquired beyond the training.

Pig Production

The project has also generated strong interest in livestock-based livelihoods, with 71 caregivers expressing interest in pig production.

Because of the large number of participating caregivers, pigs will initially be maintained at a central holding piggery managed by the church. As the pigs reproduce, piglets will progressively be distributed to participating caregivers, who will rear them at household level.

This model is designed to create a sustainable livelihood cycle in which caregivers receive productive assets, rear the animals, benefit economically, and continue breeding to expand their own herds while enabling other caregivers to participate in the programme.

Holding Piggery Construction

To facilitate the pig production component, a central holding piggery has been constructed and completed. The facility is ready to receive the pigs and will provide the initial infrastructure for the livestock component before animals are gradually transferred to participating households.

The HEAL Project adds an important dimension to ANGSOMA’s achievements in HIV programming, caregiver empowerment, vocational skills development and sustainable livelihoods. It demonstrates the Commission’s capacity to:

• Integrate livelihood support with HIV interventions.
• Reach and empower caregivers affected by HIV-related vulnerabilities.
• Provide practical vocational training that can lead to income generation.
• Develop community-based livestock enterprises.
• Create mechanisms for transferring productive assets to vulnerable households.
• Promote household-level ownership and self-reliance.
• Strengthen the economic capacity of caregivers to meet household needs.
• Invest in infrastructure that supports sustainable livelihood programming.

With 86 caregivers participating, 15 receiving tailoring training and 71 expressing interest in pig production, the HEAL Project demonstrates ANGSOMA’s integrated approach to addressing the social and economic dimensions of vulnerability.