Teresian Sisters Empower Men and Women with Soap-Making Training to Combat Poverty and Gender-Based Violence

Residents of Sombe Village, Traditional Authority Khombeza in Salima district, have expressed their gratitude to the congregation of the Teresian Sisters in the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe for their efforts in improving the lives of families in the area.

This appreciation was voiced when the sisters conducted training on how to make laundry and dishwashing soap, as a way to help families start small businesses and become economically self-reliant.

In her remarks, Sister Teresa Mulenga, who conducted the training, mentioned that they decided to provide this training to both men and women in the area as a way to help reduce domestic gender-based violence, which often stems from poverty.

“Last time, our main focus was to empower women. However, we realized that when we are talking about gender-based violence, it is not only women who need empowerment. Our program this time is focusing on empowering both men and women, and we have started here in Traditional Authority Khombeza to train them in dishwashing and laundry soap making.”

Sylvia Zimpita, a resident of the area, thanked the sisters for the training, stating that it would significantly help families improve their economic status.

“The training that we have been offered by the Teresian Sisters will really help us in our families, as now we will be able to start our small businesses based on the soap-making process we have been trained in.”

One of the male participants, Micheal Micheck, also applauded the Teresian Sisters for involving men in the training, saying that it will help many men in the area improve their households and become financially efficient through the soap-making business.

In addition to providing various skills training, the Teresian Sisters in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe are also involved in other activities, such as promoting gender-based violence prevention and educating women on caregiving and environmental conservation.

By Titus Jata Phiri