CDPPM: Community Development and Peace Promotion Movement

Core Activities:

"Building the nation is our priority, community service is our responsibility."

CDPPM works to empower people with knowledge and skills. They organise comprehensive empowerment programs, broken down by three different groups:

Taking Responsibility Back Home!

Panels will be established in schools as a platform for Parents to discuss issues with children. Five members coordinate with the school to communicate with the community. Other coordinators, one per village in school’s catchment area, will be responsible for discovering reasons students drop out in their village.

Students are taught life skills, psycho-social support activities, HIV and AIDS discussions, and sexual health.

Teachers are training to help students in these areas.

Pilot schools:
In Mafeteng:
Tsoana-Mantata Secondary
Kolo Secondary
Mantoetse Secondary
Malepetsane Secondary

In Berea:
Mohatlane Secondary

In Semonkong:
Motenalapi Combined School

Men’s Program: MACWALE (Men Against Child and Women Abuse in Lesotho). This program currently runs only in Mohale’s Hoek, but will expand to other districts in the future. MACWALE works with men in the community, educating them many interwoven topics including HIV/AIDS, culture, community, family, and work. They provide training on quality agriculture and business skills for improved nutrition and livelihoods, which has a positive impact on the family and community. They discuss Basotho culture, highlighting the positive aspects and debating practices that may be abusive or unhealthy. They participate in sport activities as a means of communicating and to improve physical and mental health.

Women’s Program: The women’s empowerment program builds self esteem and provides job skills for women to earn a living and therefore to be less dependent on men to bring in the family income. This encourages women and also has a positive impact on the relationship between husband and wife and on the family. If women can earn a living, they are not only more confident but it reinforces their value within the family. Specific job skills taught include sewing, dress-making, and backyard gardening for vegetables. The womens program also includes an education component on HIV/AIDS.

Youth Program: This program works with children in the community, including herd-boys, orphans, and vulnerable children. The program includes handiwork and skills training for herd-boys who may not be able to read or write. They are encouraged to sell their crafts for added income and are also offered access to education. They are provided with agriculture training through the Ministry of Agriculture to improve crop output and livelihoods. Services for OVCs include education and advocacy. CDPPM investigates assets left behind for orphans and helps protect them. They also work with guardians of OVCs to ensure they have access to bursary funds and other eligible services. The youth component also includes HIV/AIDS awareness training.

CDPPM believes that it is vital that all programs integrate an HIV/AIDS education component.

Activities in Lesotho:

Thematic Areas:

a) Disbursement of school fees.
b) Establishment of projects and their developemnt.
c) Education and HIV/AIDS Campaigns
d) Child Protection and Development.
e) Schools development and special events.

Future Plans:

In the future CDPPM will continue to empower people by providing them with knowledge and skills to improve their lives. CDPPM plans to expand their youth program to reach up to 1,000 OVCs in 2008 (from 500+ in 2007). They would also like to expand MACWALE, the mens program to more districts beyond Mohale’s Hoek.

Needs of Organisation:

This organisation’s info updated on: July 23, 2009. Please ignore date below.

Funding:

CDPPM receives no private or public funding at the moment. All of its programs are run using membership fees from CDPPM district members. All staff, including President works on voluntary basis.

All funding comes from membership fees of M. 350 per person, per year and one-time registration fees of M. 50 per person.

This organisation’s info updated on: Thu, Jul 23, 2009. Please disregard the date below.