Green Impact Technologies (GIT) is one of the private sector institutions being supported with organisational capacity development activities under the USAID funded Milimo Local Capacity Building Activity in Malawi. Established in 2018 as a profit-making company, GIT whose headquarters is in Area 3, Lilongwe city, exists to accelerate innovations and solutions that improve the livelihoods of low-income communities by providing access to transformative technologies. These technologies are environment-friendly products and services including clean energy sources like solar panels, and gas stoves.
Despite being operational from 2018 to 2022, GIT never had a communications department to plan, design and implement communication and marketing activities to create demand for their products and services as well as to increase their public visibility. “We were relying on outsourcing marketing and communication services like designing of posters, advert flyers and banners… this was so costly because we never had our own communications office,” said GIT’s Programs Manager Wezzi Nkhoma during the development of the organisation’s communications strategy supported by Milimo in March, 2023.
The communication strategy development was an activity that Milimo conducted in response to the organisational capacity assessment at GIT which revealed that one of the areas which GIT needed capacity support was communications and external relations. At the time of the communications strategy development activity, GIT had just employed a new communications officer whom it was his first time to work in such a position. Milimo utilized the communication strategy development activity to also strengthen the capacity of the new GIT communications officer on designing of IEC materials.
According to the communications officer whose name is Peter Chilongo, the capacity strengthening support from Milimo has played a pivotal role in GIT’s ability to effectively engage stakeholders. “Thanks to your guidance, we've developed impactful marketing materials, transparent consent forms, attention-grabbing email headers, and a dynamic website. These efforts have not only enhanced our outreach but also improved relationships, strengthened ties with NGOs, and increased engagement with low-income communities,” said Peter, speaking to CRECCOM Communications Officer under the Milimo Activity. According to Peter, such a boost in their audience engagement as guided by the communications strategy helps GIT to achieve their mandate by increasing number of people who now know about their services hence increasing demand for the same. The USAID funded Milimo Activity aims at strengthening civil society organisations like GIT, through capacity building activities to enhance self-reliance and sustainability.
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