Lupembe-Mlare's priorities for development include healthcare, economic development and education.
Healthcare
In Lupembe-Mlare, access to adequate health care is an ongoing issue. Currently, there are only two health centres in the community, both of which are understaffed and lack essential services and medicine. In fact, the area only has two qualified doctors and one nurse to support a population of almost 30,000 people. This results into a ratio of one medical officer to 12, 571 people and one nurse to 25,142 people. For some families, a high HIV rate of 12 per cent means children are at risk of losing one or both of their parents, which often forces children out of school to start working instead.
Additionally, malnutrition and poor feeding practices are also key issues affecting children under age five. A lack of awareness prevents parents from practicing good nutritional habits such as breastfeeding. On average, only 44 per cent of families reported having enough dietary diversity, defined as eating balanced meals with between 4 and 6 food groups. In this area alone, 47.5 per cent of children were found to be stunted or too short for their age, while 18.5 per cent were categorized as underweight. Malnutrition makes children more susceptible to illnesses like malaria and pneumonia, while diarrhea is common since clean drinking water, permanent washrooms and hand-washing facilities are a rarity for most families.
Economic Development
Roughly 80 per cent of families in Lupembe-Mlare make their living through agriculture and farming, however many have adopted unsustainable practices to earn an income. Some households rely heavily on cash crops such as rice or cotton, others overfish in Lake Malawi or oversell produce intended for their own consumption.
Many are accustomed to planting the same crop year after year, which not only reduces the diversity of plants and food available but increases the use of chemical fertilizers and ultimately, results in decreasing yields. As a result, roughly 89 per cent of families report experiencing food shortages in certain months of the year. Farmers also have difficulties developing plans to avert or prepare for natural disasters such as drought or earthquakes, which may drastically reduce crop yields and productivity.
Education
In this community, there are several challenges that prevent students from attending, excelling in or finishing primary school. A lack of qualified teachers and key learning resources prevents students from developing age-appropriate reading and writing skills. Most schools average one teacher per every 83 students. As a result of this poor learning environment, many students remain illiterate and some may even leave school altogether.
For girls in particular, deeply-rooted customs may prevent them from ever having the opportunity to pursue their academic goals. In fact, roughly 17.4 per cent of girls in Lupembe-Mlare are married before the age of 18, meaning many don't have the chance to pursue their own dreams or careers. In some homes, Kupimbira"a cultural custom where girls as young as five can be forced into relationships with older men"is still practiced. Other challenges such as a lack of latrines may prevent girls from continuing their education past primary school.
