A major milestone has been reached in the European Union (EU) funded Malawi Democratic Governance Programme (Boma Lathu). Our team at GOPA Worldwide Consultants, in close partnership with the Malawi Directorate of Civic Education (DoCE) has successfully piloted the establishment of the first Civic Education Hub (CEH) in Chikwawa District.

This foundational initiative is a cornerstone of the Boma Lathu programme's strategy to institutionalise grassroots civic structures, promote mindset change, and enhance citizen participation in governance.

Key Achievements 

• District-Level Buy-In: We successfully convened the Chikwawa District Executive Committee (DEC), securing formal endorsement for the CEH model.
• Two Functional Hubs Established: We constituted and trained both a District Civic Education Hub (15 members from government, CSOs & traditional leadership) and an Area Civic Education Hub in T/A Ngabu (18 community representatives).
• Localised Capacity Building: We conducted an intensive 3-day (District) and 4-day (Area) foundational trainings using a tailored Civic Education Manual. A unique co-facilitation model empowered District Hub members to help train the Area Hub, fostering sustainability.
• Inclusive & Action-Oriented: The hub membership boasts inclusive membership (40% women at District level) and have already developed a concrete 6-month workplan to drive civic education in their communities on topics from mindset change to social accountability.
• Proven Knowledge Gain: Pre- and post-training assessments showed a significant jump in civic knowledge, with average scores rising from 86% to 96% for Area Hub members.

This pilot isn't just about setting up structures; it's about building a scalable, sustainable model for citizen empowerment. The lessons learned in Chikwawa are directly informing the national scale-up of Civic Education Hubs across Malawi, strengthening the social contract and contributing to the goals of the Malawi 2063 vision.

We thank our dedicated team, the leadership of the Department of Civic Education, the Chikwawa District Council, NICE Trust, and all community stakeholders for their unwavering commitment and collaboration.