By Ernest Mfunya

Mangochi, August 15, Mana. The UTM Party through its youth directorate has organized a two days’ youth parade dubbed "Flag Raising Parade" where various activities are expected to take place.

UTM Youth Director, Penjani Kalua told Malawi News Agency (Mana) that the parade which will start on Friday, 16 to Saturday, 17 August, 2024 has been organized to honour late Saulos Chilima who until his death was the party’s president and Vice President of the Republic of Malawi.

Kalua said the parade seeks to mobilize the youths to ensure they register their names once registration for the 2025 general elections begins,

“We want to encourage the youths especially those who are eligible to vote to register once the registration process begins. This is to make sure that they exercise their right to vote,” said Kalua.

According to Kalua the parade will start on Friday with football and netball games where teams based in Mangochi will compete in a K1 million football and netball trophies followed by a talent show on Saturday at Mangochi Stadium.

“We have lined up a number of activities to spice up our parade. for instance, there will be a football and netball competition on the first day and on the second, we want to give the youth an opportunity to showcase their talents,

“There will be music, poetry and other performances. We are planning to have Onesimus as a guest artist to entertain young people who will come on this day,” added Kalua.

One of the youths who is also a music artist in the district, Kris Taddy Nazombe described the parade as a golden opportunity for the youths to display talent.

He observed that youths in the district lack platforms to showcase and promote their talents and commended UTM youth directorate, saying the event will give them confidence to shape their music career.

Launched on July 21, 2018, UTM) is a political party founded by late Chilima.

By Priscilla Phiri

Ntchisi, August 14, Mana: Chairperson for the Parliamentary Committee on Social and Community Affairs, Savel Kafwafwa has pleaded with the government to increase the amount of income allocated to Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) beneficiaries to effectively alleviate poverty in the country.

He said this at an event organized by the Ministry of Gender, Social Welfare, and Community Development aimed at appreciating the progress of the SCTP in Ntchisi district on Wednesday at Gwangwa Primary School, TA Kalumo.

Kafwafwa said a number of beneficiaries graduating from the programme have been able to improve their livelihoods by managing the reasonable amount they received from the programme.

“We came here to look into the practical issues related to social cash transfer, and we have very good news. We have seen that the programme has helped transform a lot of people who were almost beggars, but now they have their own assets like goats, sheep, houses, and businesses, which is highly commendable,” he said.

The Chairperson noted that most of the beneficiaries of the programme managed to develop significantly after receiving a larger sum of money in arrears.

He observed some households, although they are graduating, have not been able to realize much from the programme due to extreme poverty among other challenges.

“We have observed that some households have not benefited much from the programme because of extreme poverty, which has raised questions on whether the money is really enough during our visit to the households. However, there are others that have just been careless with the money. For instance, we failed to meet one beneficiary because he went out drinking immediately after he received his money,” Kafwafwa added.

He pleaded with the government to consider increasing the amount given to the beneficiaries to meaningfully rescue them from the jaws of poverty.

“It’s high time that Malawi allocated enough funds for the programme. We commend this government, especially the President, for increasing the average monthly allocation for the beneficiaries from K10,000 to K18,000. We still plead for more so that others may benefit from the programme,”Kafwafwa said.

He appealed to the Ministry of Gender to review its database to manage to help those that are deserving.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Sofileti Soko, who was among the graduates of the program at Gwangwa, expressed her heartfelt gratitude to the government for giving her hope through the SCTP.

“I had no capital to start my business, but after I got selected to benefit from this programme, I managed to start a business and learn how to sustain it through the programme. A number of us are now financially capable of managing our households as well as the income by multiplying it through village banks, another strategy that we have learned from the programme,” she said.

Deputy Director responsible for SCTP in the Ministry of Gender, Social Welfare, and Community Development, Ben M’bwana, commended beneficiaries who utilized their funds well by starting businesses and farming, among other activities, saying they have set a good example for other beneficiaries to follow.

Social Cash Transfer Programme locally known as Mtukula Pakhomo is an unconditional cash transfer programme targeted to ultra-poor, labour-constrained households.

Robert Nayeja

Nsanje, August 14, Mana: Communities in Nsanje have asked non-governmental organizations to put much resources on disaster risk reduction in the district other than putting much focus on post disaster recovery when all is lost.

Chairperson of a group of volunteers in disaster risk management at Nthole Village, Charles Bishop told Malawi News Agency on Thursday in an interview that prioritizing disaster risk reduction will reduce impact of disasters on communities.

“A lot of organizations come with various interventions when a disaster occurs and as of now, few organizations are working on disaster-related activities. We therefore appeal to all non-governmental organizations to continue complimenting government efforts in reducing disaster risks” he said.

Group Village head Simenti said that communities were planting trees and bamboo as one way of reducing the speed of flooding water in their area.

“We need technical and material support so that we can achieve our desire of reducing the risk of floods that hit the district almost every year,” he added.

He therefore applauded Concern World for its continuously supporting disaster-related activities through Zurich Project.

“Through the Zurich Project, we have been oriented on Disaster Risk Management (DRM ACT 2023). Through the same Zurich Project, Concern Worldwide has also helped us to do participatory vulnerability and capacity assessment,” Group Village head Simenti added and called on more interventions from various players on disaster risk reduction.

He said community members only need support from various players in implementing activities that are meant to restore the environment through afforestation, adding that the community members took it upon themselves to plant trees, bamboos, and building houses that can withstand disasters

District Disaster Risk Management Officer in Nsanje, Dan Mandala also observed that most organization only respond to disasters as opposed to look into ways and means of reducing disaster risks.

"As disaster office, we advocate for risk reduction such that we work in collaboration with other NGO's to reduce disaster risks,” he added.

Nsanje Civil Society Organisation Network Chairperson, Mike Dansa said it was worrisome that organizations put much emphasis on recovery and distribution of relief items only.

“We need long-term projects that will change the lives of the community. Most of the NGOs come when disaster strikes. We have to admit this and as CSOOs, we will sit down to encourage each other to come up with interventions that will help to reduce disaster risks,” said Dansa.

He added that most of the organizations have short-term projects, which are characterized by low impacts on the lives of people.

“We have been hearing reports that Nsanje has a lot of organizations but people are still poor because short projects have less impact on the lives of people. People out there want capacity building on how they can build resilient houses, people want support to construct dykes,” Dansa added.

Nsanje is mostly prone to floods such that people are mostly affected by flood almost each and every rainy season.

By Linda Likomwa

Phalombe, August 14, Mana: Ministry of Lands on Tuesday issued 1 661 Certificate of Customary Estates to farmers at Wowo Irrigation Scheme in Traditional Authority Nkhulambe in Phalombe.

Speaking in an interview after presenting the certificates, Commissioner of Lands, Precious Tembo said this was the first time they were issuing certificates in Phalombe, but that they have been conducting similar exercises in Chikwawa, Nsanje and Zomba.

“Once we have issued the certificates, it means the land cannot be sold, but the owners would be renting it out to others who want to use the land productively and this will also help to reduce land wrangles among family members,” he said.

Tembo added that issuing of certificates is in accordance with the 2016 Land Laws, pointing out that most of the certificates were issued in Chikwawa and Nsanje under the Shire Valley Transformation Project (SVTP).

Phalombe District Council Chairperson, Lesten Kondwani thanked the Ministry of Lands for issuing certificates to farmers at the scheme, saying this would go a long way in addressing land disputes among family and community members who were storming the District Commissioner's Office for redress.

One of the beneficiaries, Dolifa Massa from Dekadeka Village said the certificate has guaranteed them full ownership of their land and that they would help them secure the pockets of land from perpetrators who would want to sell or take away their land.

Over 100 000 certificates have already been issued and over 200 000 certificates are being processed under the SVTP, Malawi Watershed Services Improvement Project in Zomba and Programme for Rural Irrigation Development in Phalombe.

By Ireen Mseteka

Likoma, August 13, Mana: Land Resource Conservation Officer (LRCO) for Likoma, Arthur Machila has urged Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Program (CS-EPWP) beneficiaries in the district to save their money in village savings and loans (VSL) groups.

Machila said this Tuesday in Chizumulu at the end of a pay parade exercise which was held in Likoma and Chizumulu Islands.

"The money received can be saved in VSL groups. They can also start small scale businesses to enhance economic security at household level," said Machila.

One of the beneficiaries, Alice Muzizimanga from Chiteko in Chizumulu said she has been investing her money into a fish business.

"Since I got enrolled in the project, I have been investing the money into a small business. I buy fish and sell it to my customers from the mainland. I use the profits to buy food stuffs for my family," said Muzizimanga.

She then urged her fellow beneficiaries to invest the money in any business, saying this will help them to be self-reliant when the program phases out.

Rose Mataka from Chioko in Likoma said she uses the money to pay school fees for her children who are in secondary school.

"I have also used part of the money to build boys quarters and every month I get rentals from these quarters. Before the project, I never had any business and life was not easy," said Mataka.

CS-EPWP is a government initiative under Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project being implemented by National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) with support from the Multi Donor Trust Fund and the World Bank.