A Malawian Social Enterprise, Awawo initiative which produces various products in furniture and interior products from bamboo and cane is on a mission to plant 1 million bamboo trees across the country.
The dominant objective of the initiative is to promote bamboo cultivation and usage due to its Eco-friendliness. Bamboo being a sustainable and renewable resource, continuously grow resulting in faster forest development compared to other trees.
Speaking in an interview with this publication, the Director of Awawo, Precious Phiri said the initiative is aiming at planting one million bamboo trees in most parts of the country.
“For the communities, it serves multiple purposes including energy, raw materials for artisanal furniture and functional household items,” he said.
Meanwhile, about 5,000 bamboo trees have already been planted in Salima and Kasungu districts and the execution of the entire project has been set to the next 3 years.
Awawo has engaged some stakeholders, including local communities in Mvera, Salima, and Wimbe in Kasungu, and has also partnered with Lviv Bamboo from India, offering value-added expertise.
“We are looking forward to more partnerships to meet our goals and ensure the initiative will be implemented by the year 2027,” said Phiri.
He added that by involving local communities, fostering exclusivity, and empowering them economically through training and the production of various products, Bamboo’s versatility extends to various uses from furniture, energy to infrastructure, making it a key driver of national development.
Phiri also indicated that after Planting one million bamboo trees numerous benefits follow for the country in terms of job creation and income generation.
