On 29 April 2026, as part of the 2026 POP Initiative, the Friends of Lake Chilwa Initiative by Happy Mbewe brought together 12 traditional community chiefs, including 9 men and 3 women, for a climate and environmental dialogue at GVH Lulanga, Senior Chief Mlomba, Machinga, Malawi.

The two-hour conversation provided a platform for traditional leaders to reflect on the changing environmental and climate conditions affecting their communities and explore how local knowledge, leadership and collective action could contribute to addressing these challenges. With the Lake Chilwa basin located just two kilometres from the village, the discussion placed particular emphasis on the need to revive and protect the area’s natural environment.

The leaders also recognised the important role of young people in driving community transformation, agreeing on the need to empower youth to take forward climate and environmental initiatives. The discussion further highlighted that women often carry a greater burden from climate-related challenges, leading the chiefs to commit to involving women more closely in the upcoming project activities.

The dialogue concluded with a proposal for a broader community discussion involving villagers, youth and women, helping lay the foundation for collective, locally led climate action across the community.