By Mwai Kumanda

Lilongwe, December 22, Mana: Shape Our Future Foundation (SOFF) has called on Community Leaders to take a leading role in fighting Gender Based Violence (GBV) and early marriages in their areas.

Education Programmes Coordinator for SOFF, Lawrence Kayesa made the call Friday during the Gender Sensitization meeting in Traditional Authority Masula and Chiseka in Lilongwe.

Kayesa said as SOFF they are committed to ending GBV adding there is a need for Community Leaders to work hand in hand with the government saying ending GBV is a responsibility of everyone.

“During our discussions in both areas, Community Leaders are saying that the problem of early child marriages and GBV is still rampant and there is a need for more interventions to curb the malpractice.

“Earlier this year, Lilongwe was one of the districts with a high rate of GBV and child marriage cases, come next year, we don’t want the same story. That is why we are here with all these people from different groups to discuss the way forward on what we can do to end GBV and child marriages,” he said.

Lilongwe District Health Officer Theresa Hunga said the early child pregnancy rate is a serious problem in the district as they record 30 to 40 cases per month; a situation she said is worrisome.

SOFF is also operating in three districts namely:  Lilongwe, Dowa and Nkhotakota.

SOFF is a non-governmental organization, which was registered in 2020, and the purpose of the organization is to reach out to village girls by giving them an opportunity for education.

By Wanangwa Tembo

Kasungu, December 22, Mana: When her marriage collapsed, Liness Phiri, 32, assumed a huge responsibility to raise her three children alone.

Poor and jobless, she had to face it as the husband left the home to an unknown destination where he got lost in obscurity, never to be traced again.

Telling her story from her base at Chilindira Village in the area of Senior Chief Kaomba, Phiri says it has never been easy to provide for the nutritional and educational needs of the children.

“The biggest challenge was lack of food. We couldn’t harvest any because we could not afford to buy fertilizer meaning we stayed the whole year with no food, surviving on piece works. It was difficult and unsustainable.

“Children could not consistently attend classes and their health status was getting poor because of a huge nutrition gap,” she says.

The high cost of living and skyrocketing prices for farm inputs including seed and fertilizer made Phiri’s home perennially food insecure, exacerbating the troubles of the already impoverished family.

Her story is a shared experience for most households in Kasungu District as 38-year-old James Kwenda from Traditional Authority Chilowamatambe testifies.

Kwenda says there have been high levels of poverty amongst households, manifested through lack of food, poor housing, malnourished children and high school dropout rates.

“With little or no capital to venture into businesses, we almost normalized poverty. We thought that is the way of life.

“However, we were concerned with the future of our children if they don’t attend classes. We were worried,” Kwenda says.

Like many of such households in the districts, Kwenda and Phiri’s families took a turn following their enrollment as beneficiaries under the Social Cash Transfer Programme, a component of the Social Support for Resilient Livelihood Project (SSRLP) being implemented by the Malawi Government through the National Local Government Finance Committee with support from the World Bank and Multi-Donor Trust Fund.

Through the programme, at least 16 585 poor and labour-constrained households in Kasungu alone have received over K10.3 billion over the past seven years in cash transfers as capital to build resilience.

Grouped under Chitenje Cluster and trained by Community Savings and Investment Promotion (Comsip), Phiri is now a successful tailor designing and creating custom clothing such as dresses and uniforms.

She says the business has transformed her household in that she can provide for the family with ease.

“Business is good. I sell more items during mobile markets and make a reasonable profit, enough to support the family.

“I have also diversified into rearing chickens, pigs and goats which I sell to raise money for farm inputs while also benefiting from manure, she says.

For Kwenda, the investment in butchery and agribusiness has helped him graduate from a peasant farmer to a successful businessperson. He buys and sells produce such as soybean and maize.

Kamuzu Cluster is another group of beneficiaries located near Chiwengo, the home of the country’s founding President Hastings Kamuzu Banda.

Lozani Banda, a secretary for the cluster says the group has opted to invest in Mbeya fertilizer production capitalizing on the available market for organic fertilizer owing to skyrocketing prices for chemical fertilizers.

“Since most people here cannot afford to buy chemical fertilizers, we saw it as an opportunity to invest in Mbeya fertilizer which despite its many benefits, is cheaper.

“Initially, we produced 55 bags which we sold at a minimum price of K45 000 per 50 kilogramme bag. Production is ongoing so that we meet the available demand.

Banda says the group envisions forming a cooperative specializing in farming and fertilizer production.

“We testify that we have been transformed following the trainings on mindset change, environmental conservation and business management which Comsip gave us.

“The fertilizer we make responds well to calls to adopt modern farming approaches that can deal with effects of climate change. Compost fertilizers not only retain moisture but also replenish the degraded soils resulting in bumper harvests,” she says.

Commenting on the fertilizer initiative, Principal Agriculture Officer at Kasungu District Council, Jonathan Baloyi encourages the group to sustain the venture saying the market for such products is available.

“There is great demand for inorganic fertilizers because of the effects of climate change and the rising prices for chemical fertilizers. So this initiative must be sustained.

“Climate change is a big problem and government encourages all such efforts that could help mitigate the impacts. As we replenish our soils with inorganic fertilizers, we are also fighting food insecurity,” Baloyi says. 

Business Development Manager for Comsip, Febron Mwiba, expresses excitement that the training has had a transformative impact amongst the beneficiary households.

“We encourage them to be in groups and then we give them practical training that can assist their households.

“Our training centres on how to run village savings and loans groups (VSLs), business management, environmental protection, actionable smart agriculture and soil improvement technologies like compost and Mbeya manure making,” Mwiba says.

He notes that compost manure is easy to make because the raw materials are easily found and in the end, households can harvest more for both food and commercial purposes.

“We have been to all the 28 districts with the training, reaching over 300,000 people.  

“The groups have various objectives for keeping money depending on training we gave them but the common denominator is that the funds must be invested into a business that can give them more returns,” Mwiba says.

The social cash transfer programme targets thousands of ultra-poor and labour-constrained households who receive varying amounts of monthly stipend depending on household size and the number of school-age children present in the household.

It began as a pilot in 2006 in Mchinji and has now spread to all districts aiming to create wealth, improve the nutritional status of households, increase school enrolment and, by implication, reduce school dropout rate in primary and secondary school.

By September 2017, the programme had benefitted over 777,000 people in over 174,500 households across 18 districts, including 430,000 child members before spreading to all 28 districts in 2020.

In Kasungu alone, at least 16 585 beneficiaries have received a total of K10.3 billion since the first transfer in August 2018.

Principal Social Welfare Officer for Kasungu, Victor Nyirenda, says the programme has had a positive impact in the district citing increased school enrolment as an example.

“We have seen tremendous change amongst households in the district. We have seen families now owning livestock and some producing various crops for both subsistence and commercial purposes. Still, some have ventured into businesses while others have formed loan groups.

“I would say we are in the direction as regards poverty reduction. Comsip has assisted a lot in ensuring that the money that the beneficiaries get is multiplied through village loan groups and businesses. In the end, the impact has been huge,” says Nyirenda.

He says it is encouraging that most of the beneficiaries use the money as capital and use the profits to meet their various family needs.

“In such an arrangement, the little they get turns out to be very valuable.

“The results of the programme show that unconditional cash transfer programmes to the ultra-poor can protect consumption and generate additional economic activity,” he says.

Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare Jean Sendeza thanks development partners for funding the social welfare initiative which she says has economically empowered vulnerable households.

“My appeal is that beneficiaries should use the money productively. We would like to see them graduate from their current status and then we can enrol new beneficiaries into the programme.

“And lastly, I appeal to traditional leaders to ensure that only deserving people are enrolled,” Sendeza says.

By Benedicto Maguda

Blantyre, December 21, Mana: As one-way of promoting children education in primary schools, a group of well-wishers on Friday donated school uniforms to 21 learners at Chanda Primary School in Group Village Head Kaselema T/A Chikowi in Zomba District.

Speaking with Malawi News Agency (Mana), leader of the group who is also Chairperson for the School Committee at Chanda Primary school, Ben Chipole said they came up with the initiative after observing that most learners at the school could not afford a school uniform.

“There are a lot of problems learners are facing at this school, but school uniform is a major one. That is why we have come to donate school uniforms to some of the learners. We are hoping that this will motivate those who have received the gift to continue going to school and boost their performance in class,” said Chipole.

He said in the past the well-wishers had also donated different items to poor families in different villages in the area such as food, sugar, salt, soap and sleeping mat.

Chipole asked different stakeholders such as non-governmental organizations, religious, political leaders and other well-wishers to join hands and help learners in different schools including Chanda Primary school.

“There are so many people who need help in different areas including children in our schools. Therefore, there is need to come together and donate a little we have so that we can promote education in the country,” he said.

Isaac Joseph, a beneficiary who is in Standard 5 at the school said he was happy that he was among those who received the uniform saying that it will help him to work hard in class.

“Most of the times I was not attending classes because I did not have a school uniform to wear to school but with this donation I will work hard in class for a brighter future,” he said.

By Andrew Gondwe

Chitipa, December 21, Mana: Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, has applauded Lusubilo Community Care Organization for training care-givers in promoting Early Childhood Development (ECD) in northern region.

The ministry’s Chief Child Affairs Officer, Martha Chiwanda, made the remarks Friday in Chitipa when she awarded certificates in early childhood development to 40 caregivers drawn from Chitipa, Karonga and Rumphi districts after completing a two-week training.

Chiwanda said the ministry is committed to ensuring that care-givers are well equipped with knowledge and skills on child stimulation so that children grow and develop holistically.

“The graduants have gone through a very critical training as they also, among others, acquired knowledge and skills on how to handle children, including those with disabilities, so that every child is supported according to their needs,” said Chiwanda.

She urged the care-givers to build good relationship among themselves, primary school teachers, community members, parents and guardians so that the targeted children for community based care centres (CBCCs) have adequate parental care, education and support.

"Such relationship among all involved players will ensure that children are well transitioned from CBCCs to primary schools where we expect them to perform much better than those who never went to CBCCs,” she said.

Lusubilo Community Care Organization Orphan and Vulnerable Children Officer, Wisdom Kayange, said the organization conducted the training to impart caregivers with knowledge on ECD principles.

Kayange said most caregivers have difficulties in handling children under ECD due to lack of knowledge of what is expected of them.

"We expect that these caregivers will share the knowledge gained with their colleagues and communities which they live in so that children's rights are protected and promoted," Kayange said.

One of the caregivers, Catherine Mshali, from Tichepetse CBCC in Rumphi District described the training as an eye opener in as far as child development is concerned.

"Now the knowledge and skills we have gained will make us improve our service delivery as we will follow all the principles based on ECD government recommendations," assured Mshali.

Among the 40 care-givers, 33 are female while seven are male.

By Benedicto Maguda

Blantyre, December 21, Mana: Choirs under Blantyre Deanery of the Archdiocese of Blantyre have organized a Christmas Choir Festival to be held on Thursday December 26 at St Montfort Catholic Institute (CI).

Technical Director for Blantyre Deanery Christmas Choir Festival Organizing Committee, Moses Iron, told Malawi News Agency (MANA) that preparations for the festival are at an advanced stage.

He said the festival, which will see choirs from the Blantyre Deanery come together to celebrate Christmas, will prove opportunity for choirs to share music experience thereby assessing the deanery choirs’ performance.

 “This will be a big day for Blantyre Deanery. Many choirs from the deanery will participate on the day.

“Best three choirs will compete at Archdiocese level. We have decided that the choir should perform two Christmas songs from Catholic hymn book; Hymn number 12, Anjero adika and Hymn number 19, Yesu wabadwa lero,” he said.

According to Iron, each choir will perform two songs at a maximum of 10 minutes to prove talent on stage.

He advised participating choirs to ensure adequate preparations and to abide by all the procedures of the festival as 23 choirs are expected to take part.

In 2023 more than 20 choirs participated in a similar festival when St. Martin Chirimba Catholic Choir emerged winner, St. Mary’s Chemusa were runners up while St. Vincent Mwangata Choir took position three.

In women category, St. Agnes Choir from Chirimba won the competition at position one, St. Clara from St. Mary’s Chemusa Parish came second as St. Cecelia Choir from St. Montfort CI won on third position.    

By Kondwani Magombo

Lilongwe, December 21, Mana: Vice President Dr Michael Usi says the welfare of all Malawians is the current government’s priority, adding that given the challenges that Malawians are going through, it is naive to prioritize politics at the expense of the people's welfare.

Usi said this Friday at Chileka Community Day Secondary School Ground in the area of Senior Chief Kalolo in Lilongwe, where he interacted with chiefs and people, outlining government's commitment in solving the challenges facing Malawians.

Usi said this is why he's going out, reaching out to Malawians who are in need of support to complement  government's efforts in uplifting the well being of Malawians.

"I'm not doing this to gain popularity, or to position myself for running mate candidacy: I'm doing it because it is the right thing to do, given what we are going through as a nation," said Usi.

He added that a leader with a sound mind ought to help people out at this moment, other than promising to do so when they take over government.

Usi told Malawians to be cautious, saying the forthcoming elections will be a make or break moment.

"I want you to listen to this very carefully: on September 16, 2025, you'll either curse yourselves, or bless yourselves," he cautioned.

The Vice President said there are no new challenges that the country is going through, adding that the current government is doing its best to solve the challenges and improve the welfare of all Malawians.

"We've had these problems all along and if there's a government that is ready to find solutions to these problems, then it's this current government," he said.

Usi further commended President Chakwera's fore-sightedness in implementing infrastructural developments that will benefit the current generation and generations to come.

The Vice President said Malawi has got a lot of developmental projects underway, and he warned Malawians "not to send a pregnant cow to the butchery".

Later, in his response to journalists' question on his political stand ahead of the September 2025 elections, Usi said what matters most to him, as Vice President, is to complement government's efforts in attending to the needs of Malawians now.

Earlier, Senior Chief Kalolo thanked government for a number of developments that are being implemented in his area, including construction of school blocks.

However, Kalolo asked government to open ADMARC depots to enable his subjects in the area access maize at a reasonable price compared to the price from vendors.

The chief also asked government to consider providing Namitete Police Station with, at least, an extra vehicle, saying the station has one vehicle only, despite the large area that the station commands. 

By Victor Amula

Mwanza, December 20, Mana: National Bank of Malawi, Mwanza Branch and National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) in the district jointly donated assorted working equipment and cleaning materials worth K550.000 to Mwanza District Council to be distributed to two major markets.

In an interview after receiving the donation on Thursday, Mwanza District Council, Chairperson Councilor Emmanuel Kapawe said National Bank of Malawi and NEEF contributed K300, 000 and K250, 000 respectively to purchase brooms, protective gloves, vim, gumboots and assorted types of soap among others to be distributed to a market at Mwanza Boma and Chipatala market.

“We are grateful to the two institutions for the donation that will help to improve sanitation and hygiene at the two marketplaces therefore reducing outbreak that may occur due to poor sanitation as we are in the rainy season when disease outbreaks are inevitable,” said Kapawe

In his remarks, Chifundo Mangazi who represented the National Bank Mwanza Branch Manager said that the institution considered the request by Mwanza District Council for support.

He added that the bank took the request into consideration, as issues of good sanitation and hygiene are crucial to human health.

“It is our corporate responsibility to ensure that our customers live in safer environment, free from poor sanitation and unhygienic related diseases,

“Toilets at the markets will be clean. Our customers that go to these two markets will be assured of good trading environment,” Mangazi added.

In his remarks, Mwanza Boma Market committee chairperson, Henderson Ganizani said cleaning the market was a challenge with no proper cleaning items in place.

He added that the donated items will improve sanitation and hygiene of the market place and commended working relationship between Mwanza District Council and its partners, National Bank and NEEF.

By Pickson Chipeso & Patience Longwe.

Lilongwe, December 20, Mana: Leader of Parliament, Hon. Richard Chimwendo Banda, has confirmed that the Cancer Center will open in the second week of January 2025.

Chimwendo made this announcement at Parliament in Lilongwe on Friday during the mid-year budget review.

He stated that the Cancer Center will be officially opened by President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera.

"This is good news, especially for patients who have been traveling abroad for cancer treatment or struggling to access medication," he said.

Chimwendo also highlighted the government's effort in prioritizing healthcare projects.  He said almost 135 health centers have been completed, and 40 new health centers will be constructed in the coming year.

In addition, Chimwendo mentioned the government's focus on agriculture, with over 400,000 Malawians benefiting from cooperatives and agriculture loans.

Chimwendo praised President Chakwera for increasing the welfare fund for students from K150,000 to K550,000. Adding that the number of students benefiting from loan boards has also increased from 9,000-10,000 to 30,000.

He emphasized that the prioritization of tertiary education is crucial, noting that no college—whether private or public—is now closing due to a lack of fees or resources.

Meanwhile, the Leader of Opposition, George Chiponda, commended Parliament for bringing its proceedings closer to the people through the session they held at Dedza Stadium.

"This initiative was commendable, however, it lacked certain elements that would have made it a truly inclusive and engaging activity for the people. I hope that next year we can build on this foundation and do even better," he highlighted.

"I also commend the adherence to resolutions made by the Business Committee. Unlike the previous sitting, I have been impressed by the progress made, including the response to the opposition’s call for President Chakwera to appear in Parliament to answer questions under Standing Order 70," he said.

Today, Parliament adjourned, marking the conclusion of its four-week mid-year budget review session, which began on November 25, 2024.