By Gift Chiponde

Mchinji, March 14, Mana: Director of Education and Sports for Mchinji District, Joyce Hamsin has commended the government for its investment in the education sector through the Malawi Education Reform Programme (MERP), saying the initiatives have the potential to improve the quality of education in the district.

Speaking in an interview with Malawi News Agency on Thursday, the director highlighted several key developments that have significantly impacted schools in Mchinji.

She said that government has constructed new classroom blocks, which have helped to reduce congestion and create a more conducive learning environment for students.

She also hailed the Auxiliary Teacher Program, which has helped address teacher shortages by deploying additional teachers to schools.

"This initiative has ensured that learners receive adequate attention, leading to improved academic performance," she said.

Furthermore, she commended the Mentor Teacher Initiative, which has eased the workload of teachers and enhanced the quality of education delivery.

Hamsin also commended government for implementing the Toilet and Washroom Project, which has significantly improved hygiene in schools.

She stated that proper sanitation facilities contribute to a healthier school environment, particularly benefiting female students.

She further expressed gratitude for the hardship allowance provided to teachers working in remote areas, saying it has motivated many educators to remain in rural schools and continue teaching.

School Management Committee Member, Jonas Kasina, has assured government that the community will safeguard these initiatives to ensure their sustainability.

“The committee will continue to sensitize the community on the importance of taking care of the new infrastructure and other initiatives being implemented.

“There is strong coordination between the District Council and the School Management Committee, which will help in maintaining these projects,” he said.

In her remarks, Mother Group Chairperson, Jessica Banda, said the construction of modern toilets and washrooms will be particularly beneficial for girls during menstruation.

“Most girls will now feel relaxed and safe due to the comfort of the newly constructed toilets and washrooms.

“This will help reduce absenteeism among female students and promote their education,” she said.

By George Mponda

Karonga, March 13, Mana: The Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) has installed a piped solar-powered water system worth K210 million at Ngara Trading Centre which will provide clean water to communities in the area of Senior Chief Mwirang'ombe in a bid to combat the spread of cholera.

Speaking during the handover ceremony of the project at Ngara Primary School, MRCS's Director of Health, Dan Banda, said through the Cholera Response project, they want to ensure a reliable and sustainable source of clean water for thousands of people in Karonga.

"The project, funded by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), aims to reduce the incidence of cholera and other water-borne diseases around Ngara Trade Centre an area plagued by recurring cholera outbreaks," said Banda.

"We have installed 16 water points around Ngara at schools, health facilities and in the villages to ensure that many people who relied on contaminated water sources, such as the lake and streams which posed a significant risk to their health are now safe," he added.

Banda said the new system uses solar power to pump clean water through two 10,000 litre tanks to a network of 16 taps, providing a safe and convenient source of water for drinking, cooking, and hygiene.

"It has a chlorine dosing chamber for water treatment which supplies water through a 3.2 kilometre pipeline to residential areas surrounding Ngara," he explained.

On his part, Group Village Head Muyereka who represented Senior Chief Mwirang'ombe praised MRCS for improving the overall health and well-being of residents, particularly children and vulnerable groups.

"For a long time, people around Ngara have been depending on water from Lake Malawi for drinking and washing. At the same time, this water was not safe because there are some individuals who use the lake as toilets a thing which causes frequent cholera cases in our area," said Muyereka.

One of the women from Chibwatiko Village, Sithembire Simwaba said the water system has also reduced distances women travelled to fetch water from Lake Malawi.

"We solely depended on the Lake to fetch water for use in our homes which made us travel long distances with buckets on our heads but now, water has come right to our doorsteps which is very commendable," Simwaba said.

By Sheminah Nkhoma

Lilongwe, March 14, Mana:  President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has urged fresh graduates to bring a positive impact in the economic development of the country.

The president was speaking on Friday during the 10^th graduation ceremony  of Daeyang University in Lilongwe .

He emphasised that Malawi’s future prosperity depends on consistent effort, sacrifice and strong partnerships.

“As graduates, it is essential for us to unite, as no one else will bring change to our country. We hold the power to develop our nation.

“Remember that now you have received an education here, you too have a responsibility to contribute to the productivity of our country,” he said.

The president  reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to strengthening Malawi’s partnership with South Korea, as it is playing crucial role in advancing education and national development.

The Malawi leader ,appreciated the institution’s founder, You-Keon Chung, for his vision and dedication over the past 21 years. He also commended the transition of leadership from Chung to Sooyuck Chung, describing it as a testament to the importance of succession in sustaining long-term progress.

Chakwera further lauded South Korea’s contribution to education in Malawi, noting that over 40 Malawian students have benefited from scholarships to study there.

Korean Ambassador to Malawi, resident in Zimbabwe, Jae-Kyung Park, applauded the strong ties between Malawi and Korea for the past 60 years of diplomatic relations.

Park commended the graduates for their achievements and encouraged them to embrace resilience as they step into society.

“The founder of this university is committed to improve education and healthcare in Malawi for that reason I urge all graduates to cultivate self confidence and persistence in all your activities,” said Park.

In his remarks , founder of Daeyeng University and Daeyang Luke hospital who is also the Chancellor of the University You-Keun Chung urged the graduates to use their minds, passionate hearts and hands to build a better country.

“When I came to Malawi over 21 years ago we faced countless trials but there have been no failures as we had a goal in our hearts as we hoped that dreams and visions will one day come to reality,” he said.

He further encouraged the graduates to unite and work for Malawi’s prosperity as they are youths who can bring change to the society.

One of the graduating student, Glory Jack, appreciated the support families, lecturers and administrators have provided to make sure the students graduated.

“To my fellow graduates I encourage you to remain steadfast despite challenges which are out there,” she said.

About 66 students have been awarded with Bachelors degree of Science in Nursing and Midwifery and Bachelors degree in Information Communication Technology.

President Chakwera  also toured  the Radiology and Dental Departments at the campus

By Prisca Promise Mashushu

Lilongwe, March 14, Mana: Vice president Dr. Michael Usi Friday distributed assorted items to different people at Kauma area in Lilongwe as one way of uplifting their day to day lives.

During the visit, Usi distributed assorted food items such as maize flour, sugar as well as some cash to the residents people as a show of empathy upon noticing the conditions some of them are living in.

During the visit, the vice president managed to distribute the assorted items to about ten households where only children were available, left behind by their parents and guardians to take care of the houses.

Usi in his interactions with the people, reiterated his stance that he would continue offering his services and assisting the people as one way of serving the nation.

Samuel Kalindi, a resident of Kauma was all praises for the Vice President’s visit and support to the residents.

“His visit simply shows his commitments and sympathy to support and uplift people living in low income areas of the country,” he said.

Kauma located between area 43 and 12 in Lilongwe whose residents are mostly low income earners.

Usis’s visit to Kauma, follows a similar undertaking to Senti and Mgona areas on Wednesday in the same district of Lilongwe where he also donated assorted items at Ng’oma Heritage Foundation under the Maseko Ngoni, an organisation dedicated to support the elderly, orphans, and critically ill patients.

By Augustus Nkhwazi

Mzuzu, March 14, Mana: The Malawi Red Cross on Thursday trained five Ward Civil Protection Committees on development of electronic contingency plans in Mzuzu to enhance community-based disaster preparedness.

Speaking during the training, Director of Planning and Development (DPD) at Mzuzu City Council, Philimon Maseko, commended Malawi Red Cross for the training which he said had come at the right time considering that times are changing technologically.

He said this innovation will help speedy communication among those involved in disaster risk management.

Maseko added that it will be easier for disaster committees to communicate at ease and speed with stakeholders in times of disasters.

“The Council is usually faced with inadequate resources to undertake such tasks as such when partners like Red Cross and Habitat for Humanities among others come in to support, it is worthy commending them,” he said.

He then urged the committees to raise awareness in the communities on how to assess disaster risks and develop mechanisms to avert the same.

The DPD said good drainage systems can help communities prevent accumulation of waste that may result in spread of diseases such as cholera, hence urging the committee members to facilitate this practice.

On her part, Project Coordinator for Disaster Risk Management at Malawi Red Cross, Cecilia Banda said working with disaster committees help communities plan and prepare for disasters.

She said previously, such committees were using papers to develop contingency plans which was rather proving to be slow in terms of their communication.

Banda said by using the new technology where the committees will be developing electronic contingency plans and use smartphones to transmit, it will enhance their communication capacity.

She added that disaster risk management committees help communities to understand their risks based on their geographical positions.

"We have provided them with this training in addition to giving them smartphones which will help not only in communication but also data storage", she said.

She added that Mzuzu City has its own communication channel for disasters, allowing everyone on the channel to access information about disasters as soon as they occur through the innovation.

Added Banda: "Electronic contingency plans will complement the plans that were already developed but in paper form."

The Malawi Red Cross runs the disaster risk management preparedness in Mzuzu and Zomba cities. The project started in January 2024 and will run through December 2025 at the cost of K98 million.

The training brought together Chiputula, Katawa, Chibavi East, Msongwe and Mzirawaingwe Wards, community volunteers, council officials and other stakeholders in disaster management

By Tikondane Vega

Lilongwe, March 14, Mana: One of the Malawian ladies based in the United States of America, Chawezi Banda popularly known as "Chacha", has offered to pay school fees to an 18-year-old girl, Thokozani Monjeza.

Banda said she has decided to bail out Thokozani as part of her 50th birthday celebration this year.

The young girl was on the verge of dropping out at Mwanza boarding Secondary School.

Recently, social media was awash with news about some students, including the girl, who is one of the outstanding students at Mwanza, that they are on the brink of dropping out of school.

After learning about the news in the media, Chacha has offered to pay school fees and other expenses for Thokozani Monjeza from form 1 to form 4.

In an interview, from Singapore, Chacha said,” I am committed towards improving the girl child education in Malawi, hence this gesture.

Chacha has promised that she will continue rendering support to the marginalized people in the country.

Recently, Chacha donated various food items to Queens and Kamuzu Central Hospital to celebrate her new age.

By Paul Madise

Lilongwe, March 14, Mana: World Vision Advocacy and Communications Director, Charles Gwengwe, has appealed to Government and the private sector to invest in early childhood development in order to enhance national productivity and economic growth thereby breaking the poverty circle.

Speaking during the Enough Campaign policy briefing in Lilongwe, Gwengwe emphasized the need for government and developmental partners to embark on deliberate attempts in addressing disparities and gaps prevailing in the country.

Gwengwe highlighted that the campaign remains crucial in addressing child hunger and malnutrition in over 100 countries globally focusing on root causes and building sustainable community centered framework for change.

“Enough Campaign believes that we have enough policies, enough resources, enough political will, enough Non-Governmental Organizations, enough companies that can enable us to make sure that at least every child in Malawi has food,” he said.

He expressed the organization’s commitment in investing more resources in early childhood education stating its scientific and economic authenticity of investing more money in childhood education whose economic returns remain huge.

“The programs we are implementing as World Vision are in 19 district, but we are now sharing experiences, encouraging stakeholders, more importantly government, to lead by example to say enough is enough,” he said.

According to Enough Campaign policy, Malawi faces a national crisis in child development rooted in early childhood malnutrition, health disparities and inequities in education access

By Paul Madise

Lilongwe, March 14, Mana: World Vision Advocacy and Communications Director, Charles Gwengwe, has appealed to Government and the private sector to invest in early childhood development in order to enhance national productivity and economic growth thereby breaking the poverty circle.

Speaking during the Enough Campaign policy briefing in Lilongwe, Gwengwe emphasized the need for government and developmental partners to embark on deliberate attempts in addressing disparities and gaps prevailing in the country.

Gwengwe highlighted that the campaign remains crucial in addressing child hunger and malnutrition in over 100 countries globally focusing on root causes and building sustainable community centered framework for change.

“Enough Campaign believes that we have enough policies, enough resources, enough political will, enough Non-Governmental Organizations, enough companies that can enable us to make sure that at least every child in Malawi has food,” he said.

He expressed the organization’s commitment in investing more resources in early childhood education stating its scientific and economic authenticity of investing more money in childhood education whose economic returns remain huge.

“The programs we are implementing as World Vision are in 19 district, but we are now sharing experiences, encouraging stakeholders, more importantly government, to lead by example to say enough is enough,” he said.

According to Enough Campaign policy, Malawi faces a national crisis in child development rooted in early childhood malnutrition, health disparities and inequities in education access.