MANGOCHI – The people of Ngatala and Stambuli villages, under Senior Chief Chimwala in Mangochi District, have been commended for their exemplary commitment and active participation in the implementation of development projects supported by the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF).
The commendation was made during a field visit by a SCIAF delegation led by the Rt. Rev. Brian McGee, Bishop of Argyll and the Isles and President of SCIAF.
Speaking after touring the project sites implemented by the Catholic Development Commission in Malawi – Mangochi Diocese (CADECOM), Bishop McGee expressed satisfaction with the progress registered.
“We are deeply impressed by the fantastic work being carried out here by CADECOM – Mangochi with the support of SCIAF. The dedication of the communities gives us great hope for the future of these interventions,” Bishop McGee said.
He further pledged SCIAF’s continued partnership with the people of Mangochi, adding that “our partnership is rooted in our shared call to serve the poor and most vulnerable as an expression of the Church’s mission of charity.”
In his remarks, the Local Ordinary of the Diocese of Mangochi, His Lordship Bishop Montfort Stima, expressed heartfelt gratitude to SCIAF for its consistent support to various pastoral and development interventions in the diocese.
“The Church, in fidelity to her mission, does not only attend to the spiritual needs of the human person but also to the integral development of the whole person; body, mind, and spirit,” Bishop Stima said.
He cited the Church’s Social Teaching, noting that “in line with Gaudium et Spes and Laudato Si’, we are called to promote human dignity, the common good, and care for our common home. In doing so, the Church makes no distinction based on religion or gender, for we believe that everyone is a child of God, created in His image and likeness.”
Through the support of SCIAF, the Diocese of Mangochi is currently implementing several integrated development programmes in the area. These include: Climate Change Adaptation through Irrigation Farming, Integrated Livelihoods, Natural Resource Management, Village Savings and Loans, and Youth Vocational Skills Training.
The visit reaffirmed the Church’s commitment to promoting integral human development as articulated in ‘Caritas in Veritate’, where the Church is called to be a sign of hope and a promoter of justice, solidarity, and sustainable development for all.
Communications Office
Diocese of Mangochi