Malawi Union of the Blind (MUB)
MUB which was established in 1984 with the assistance of African Union of the Blind, felt important to have an organization run by visually impaired people who could be the platform and voice to speak about the rights, views and needs of people with visual impairment to the general public and service providers, particularly regarding education, employment and sports and recreational needs for the visually impaired.
The vision of MUB is for persons with visual impairments to be recognized and accepted as full members of society to live normal lives without discrimination or marginalisation.
MUB which has its own office, paid staff and a vehicle has 1762 registered members with 13 branches in the 3 regions, MUB also has a women’s wing and a youth wing as well as their ongoing advocacy and mobilization work.
MUB is running several funded projects such as: rehabilitation of blind women in Mulanje training them in life skills and Income generation, this project is funded by the Norwegian Association of the Blind and Partially Sighted Persons.
Last year MUB won a competition organized by the World Bank “Country Development in the Market Place” This project works in collaboration with the Malawi Girl Guides Association training Blind girls in leadership and how to manage Girl Guide units. MUB are involved in the advocacy component of the inclusive education project funded by Sight Savers International in 10 districts of Malawi. MUB will soon start an HIV/AIDS Peer Education project coordinated by the African Union of the Blind and funded by CIDA.
MUB also participated in the organisational management and project-planning workshops organised by FEDOMA and they wrote a proposal on the enrolment of visually impaired children in schools and the FEDOMA funded it.
The MUB women who benefited from the FEDOMA/CIDA GESP HIV/Aids Project were given an opportunity during the AGM meetings to talk about HIV and AIDS in Ntcheu district she spoke to around 50 members and in Mzuzu around 70 members. |
