Bicycles distributed to help protect vulnerable communities in Mzimba District. By Ephraim Mkali Banda

The M'mbelwa District Council's social welfare office has started handing out 105 bicycles to local Community Victim Support Unit (CVSU) officers. 

The bicycles, donated by UNICEF, will make it easier for these officers to reach remote areas and respond quickly to issues like gender-based violence (GBV) and child protection.

A CVSU officer, Bernard Nkhata from Kapopomhlanga, shared how this will help their work. “We often struggled to reach certain places due to lack of transportation. Now, we can reach more people to help protect children and advocate for women’s rights,” he said.

Bernard Nangwale, the District Social Welfare Officer, reminded officers to use the bicycles carefully and only for work purposes, saying misuse wouldn’t be tolerated.

The bicycles are part of UNICEF’s three-year “Social Protection for Gender Equality and Resilience” project, funded by the European Union, which is active in nine districts across Malawi. 

The project supports community organizations that respond to cases of violence.

The bicycles, worth 30 million Kwacha, were divided across the district, with 47 for the northern area and 58 for the south. 

This effort shows UNICEF’s commitment to helping keep vulnerable communities safe in Mzimba.

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