With more guests visiting Mbuna Bay and therefore more money flowing in as well as thanks to more generous donations by friends the lodge in April 2009 established the private “Nkholongue Development Initiative” (NDI), which since then has been run on a voluntary basis by two senior volunteers. Since their arrival they have realized the following projects:
- The training of local HIV activists in collaboration with “Estamos”, Lichinga
- The establishment of village school and health commissions
- The “Happy Widows Group” consisting of old widows, who are being taught different types of handicraft
- The transformation of an old village house into a community center, which serves as a meeting place, library, learning space, tools rental and course center for alphabetization, English and Portuguese
- The introduction of new vegetables and the plantation of village trees
- The construction of a health post for the population of Nkholongue and five neighboring villages, with the aid of a grant by the US embassy
- The training of local health activists (APEs), who will run the health post after its inauguration in early 2011
- A computer introduction course for the local teachers.
