By Memory Khutuliwa

Mangochi, July 15, Mana: Women Heart Foundation on Monday organized a summit called women in business with the aim of creating, connecting and conquering ladies through business at Sunbird Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi.

Founder of Women in Business Organization, Faith Banda thanked all the people who came and supported the event and for those who supported the event by buying a ticket but did not show up.

“I’m very happy because the event we had been waiting for has happened and the event was more than I expected.  We have been equipped with different skills from our guest speakers,” she said.

One of the guest speakers, Esther Chabuka urged women to connect themselves into business and that they should sponsor each other when doing business.

“When doing business choose good friends who can sponsor your business not those who can take your things without paying back the money. Cultivate friends who can give you business ideas,” Chabuka who is known as Ida Chicker Chabs among her peers said.

She added that women should look for businesses which match with their start-up capital and avoid investing in business or incurring loans that they will not be able to service.

Another guest speaker, Clara Kamlomo said women could start a business with the material they have at home, citing availability of cookers, fridges and others which would help them to support their family.

“When doing business, learn to respect the customer because they are our bosses and learn to produce good products because it attracts customers, let’s go for whatever we want in life,” she added.

Kamlomo encouraged women to invest by buying land or a house that would help them in future and they have to ignore lifestyles that destroy money.

In her remarks, Dorothy Kingston popularly known as Cash Madam who was the guest speaker applauded Women in Business Heart Foundation for the summit, noting that it indeed had the potential of connecting women, creating and conquering through business interactions.

She said the platform would help the women to build, thrive and grow entrepreneurial skills in their daily lives.

“As we know that when we are supported by men, we become victims in society because people believe that success is predominantly by men which is a lie,” Kingston challenged.

She asked women not to look down on themselves but to work hard regardless of prevailing culture and norms.

By Memory Khutuliwa

Blantyre, July 15, Mana: Fountain of Life of God Ministries International on Sunday welcomed and celebrated newly consecrated Archbishop, Martha Maliro, Founder and President of the Church.

During the celebrations, Resident Pastor, Austin Waliyala Samuel said they are thanking God for what he did to his church by exalting the Archbishop into another dimension.

He thanked the entire Bishops who consecrated Bishop Maliro to Archbishop.

“As a Resident Pastor, I thank all for the effort and support which has made the event colorful,” Samuel said.

He added that all the Pastors including himself will work according to God’s will, noting that where God is involved victory was always assured.

“God does not look at our weaknesses when sending us, in our weaknesses God will be our strength,” Pastor added.

Samuel has since urged all the members of the church and non-members to honour and respect the ministry of the archbishop.

One of the administrators, Arnold Muonja thanked the church for the support they gave to the event.

He particularly recognized all the Pastors and Intercessors for the prayers they had during day and night for the success of the event.

“As an administrator, I asked the church to work dedicatedly so that as our archbishop is taken into another dimension, we also ask God to take us into a new level,” Muonja said.

Fountain of Life of God Ministries International started in 2010 and has eight District Chapters with 15 pastors and prophets.

By Fostina Mkandawire

Salima, July 15, Mana: Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) has warned the public against using unregistered courier companies when sending and receiving goods saying this was one way of safeguarding them from theft.

Speaking in Salima district on Sunday, during an awareness campaign on consumer rights, obligations and the phasing out of physical scratch cards, Consumer Affairs Manager at MACRA, Hudson Mkwapatira warned that once parcels get lost, it would be difficult to trace such courier companies.

He expressed worry over the increase of unregistered courier companies playing their businesses across the country, which he described as illegal.

"As a regulator, it is our role to legally register every courier company that wants to be conducting courier businesses. This is the case because we want to protect consumers and their goods since entertaining such companies puts the customer at risk of losing their goods," Mkwapatira said.

He said it was MACRA's responsibility to safeguard consumer rights and obligations; therefore, they have intensified sensitization campaigns across the country to ensure that the public is aware of emerging issues in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) industry.

The Manager mentioned the phasing out of physical scratch cards on December 31, 2024 as one of the issues that consumers need to be aware of and that they would be using digital means for purchasing airtime or data bundles.

"Consumers need to know how they will continue purchasing airtime when the scratch cards phase out, we are therefore working hand in hand with telecommunications service operators so that the transition should be smooth," he said.

One of the consumers plying his Airtel money business at Kamuzu Road in the district, Davison Amidu commended MACRA for the awareness saying it was important for customers to be educated on their rights and reporting channels when they meet challenges.

"It is good that they have provided us with means of reporting our grievances to them because we do face different challenges, therefore we are now aware of how to protect ourselves from scammers online and also in our everyday activities," he said.

Senior Chief Kalonga said bringing such campaigns to the people shows how seriously MACRA takes the welfare of the public and requested if the campaign could be extended to remote areas so that there could be a wider reach of the audience.

MACRA is conducting a nationwide mass campaign on ICT consumer rights and obligations as well as the phasing out of physical scratch cards.

By Lekereni Chinkhota

Salima, July 15, Mana: Malawi Defence Force (MDF) has stressed its commitment to equip its new junior officers with disaster management skills, as a way of helping the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) on disaster management and response.

The remarks were made by College Commandant, Col. Enoch Ntonya on Monday, at the Command and Staff College in Salima during the official opening ceremony of Junior Command and Staff Course 5 of 2024.

He said MDF has integrated disaster management education as a way to help people when disasters hit the country as well as to work hand in hand with the civilians on what to do during chaotic times.

“We want our officers to start understanding disaster management at the tactic level so that as they grow they already have a grasp of whatever they are supposed to do and how they are supposed to do in supporting government during disaster,” Ntonya said.

The College Commandant added that, “As Staff College, we believe that disaster management is not the responsibility of the military or DoDMA alone, it is a whole government approach so what is required of us is the integration of military efforts and civilian efforts."

MDF Commander Land Forces, Major General Chikunkha Soko noted that the staff college was doing a commendable job in training junior officers.

“After four years of opening this institution, we have managed to maintain good standards to the extent that most of the countries in the SADC region want to send their students here because of the reputation we have built and the services we deliver,” he said.

Soko has urged the newly registered students to adhere military values as a way of maintaining good reputation of the college.

He emphasized discipline, planning, sacrifice, teamwork and unwavering dedication from the students for them to sail through their training.

The Junior Command and Staff Course 5 of 2024 have registered 30 students with 23 local students and seven international students from Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Tanzania and Zambia.

By Martha Simchimba

Lilongwe, July 15, Mana: Ministry of Education has said through Malawi Education Reform Programme (MERP), it would recruit 4,200 Auxiliary Teachers on a one-year academic contract.

According to the Press release dated July 15, 2024, signed by Secretary for Education Dr. Mangani Katundu, which Malawi News Agency (Mana) has seen, the Auxiliary Teachers would be drawn from the Initial Primary Teacher Education (IPTE) Cohorts of 14, 15 and 16.

Confirming the development, Ministry of Education, Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mphatso Nkuonera said IPTE 14, 15 and 16 teachers who are willing to take up the temporary teaching positions are expected to report in respective workstations on September 1, 2024 for 2024-25 academic calendar.

"The Ministry has adjusted the honoraria for auxiliary teacher posts by 50 percent from K80, 000 to K120, 000 per month. A list of eligible schools for auxiliary teachers has been sent to all district education offices," he stated.

Nkuonera said the engagement of Auxiliary Teachers forms part of the efforts by the government to reduce the pupil-qualified-teacher ratio across the country.

An Education expert from Mzuzu University, Douglas Nyirenda applauded the government for the initiative saying it would reduce the teacher-pupil ratio, which was very high in the Southern Africa Development Committee (SADC) countries including Malawi.

He said it was sad that the teacher-pupil ratio was currently at about 120 pupils per teacher, which was not favorable and conducive to effective learning.

"The initiative by the government to recruit additional teachers will help teachers to have a sizeable number of pupils and have more attention that a teacher can give to learners. It will increase more time for remedial support that a teacher can give to learners," Nyirenda noted.

He added that the increase in the honorarium by 50 percent would motivate auxiliary teachers.

The engagement of Auxiliary Teachers is one of the components of MERP project is constructing 10,900 classrooms and 1,000 sanitary blocks across the country, training school leadership for effective school management, engaging learner mentors as well as disbursing School Improvement Grants for day-to-day school operations.

Malawi Government, World Bank As Well As Global Partnership Fund MERP for Education.

By Evance Chisiano

Blantyre, July 15, Mana: Minister of Information and Digitalization, Moses Kunkuyu opened Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) Open Week with the first open day being held at Mount Soche Hotel in Blantyre.

During the open day, the regulatory authority interacted with ministry officials, current licensees, prospective licensees, consumers and other players in the digital and telecommunication industry to highlight MACRA’s mandate and key development projects.

Speaking on Monday, Kunkuyu said MACRA’s Open Week was dedicated to the players in the digital and telecommunication sector to create interactive space and share ideas that should contribute to development of the industry.

Within the Open Week, MACRA will hold similar open days in Lilongwe and Mzuzu and pledged to roll it down to communities to get feedback from the consumers who use digital and communication services from other providers, which are regulated by MACRA.

Kunkuyu, therefore, said the open week was crucial, as it will help in fostering vibrant ICT to drive Malawi socio-economic development.

He encouraged those that patronized the open day to share with MACRA areas requiring improvement for the sake of effective collaboration in the telecommunication sector.

“In line with Malawi 2063, MACRA is doing a lot in the rural areas such as the introduction of Connect-A-School Project in various public education institutions,” he said adding that a number of ICT labs are being constructed in community day secondary schools to promote use of ICT services and the provision of Wi-Fi internet connectivity.

“Under the Universal Service Fund, MACRA will enhance access to broadband and ICT in public education institutions and this will eventually address internet connectivity gaps,” he added. 

During the event, MACRA and players in the telecommunication sector discussed a number of areas including currier service in Malawi, Malawi Postal Service’s recent retrenchment and suspension of coach services, update in Connect-A-School Project, issues to do with Electronic Transaction and Cyber Security Act and Data Protection Act.

Kunkuyu disclosed that MACRA is also looking forward to the other Bill of which when it becomes a law will help to create stable legal framework in the digital and telecommunication sector observing that sanity in the digital and telecommunication sector will only come if there will be regulations.

MACRA Director General, Daudi Suleman said MACRA will continue with the open days to enhance interaction with players in the digital and telecommunication sector and consumers so that they should understand the regulator’s mandate and laws that govern MACRA.

“MACRA works within the laws. There are some pieces of legislation that also need a lot of awareness and knowledge. MACRA will continue to engage a wide range of stakeholders to sensitize them on a number of Acts so that they should understand better the regulatory authority,” Daudi said.

By Lekereni Chinkhota

Salima, July 15, Mana: Director of Agriculture Services for Salima District Council, Enford Kanyimbo, has urged farmers in the district to practice smart modern ways of agriculture in order to achieve resilience, as the country is experiencing climate change that is affecting crop production.

Kanyimbo made the remarks over the weekend after touring different sites with support from African Development Bank to appreciate the impact of El Nino, which has resulted in low crop production for most farmers in the district.

“El Nino affected all sectors of production in the district and farmers of all categories were affected. We urge these farmers to rely and improve their irrigation system so that they should build resilience," he said.

He said, through irrigation, farmers can be able to cultivate twice or three times a year which can greatly improve food security.

Kanyimbo hailed the support African Development Bank (ADB) is rendering to the citizens of the district and the fisheries service which has led to the construction of Chilambula landing site.

“The site will provide drying and cleaning environment for fish and storage rooms. It has created employment and achieved nutrition security through fish products that provide over 70 percent of body proteins we use in the country. This will help us, as a district, to export fisheries products and create employment for our people,” he said.

Director of Transition States Coordination Officer for ADB, Yero Baldeh, appreciated efforts farmers are taking to cope up with climate change.

“I appreciate the farmers’ steadfastness, eagerness and commitment to achieving resilience. Our services as ADB are for the people, we hear their point of view, challenges they are facing and what is happening in order to bring services needed to them,” he said.

ADB has assured citizens from Salima of its commitment to continue rendering support through Sustainable Fisheries, Aquaculture Development and Watershed Management (SFAD-WM) project being implemented in the district.

Esther Manja, a farmer at Mafuka Scheme, from Ngoma Village of Traditional Authority Kambalame in the district hailed the visit as encouraging because farmers were able to voice out their problems to both government and its partners.

“Rain fed agriculture did not benefit us much because we experienced dry spells before our crops started producing. The crops withered that left us with nothing in our homes. Irrigation is our only way of survival,” she said.

ADB entourage toured Malawi Mangoes Farm, Mafuka Irrigation Scheme and Chilambula landing site to appreciate various activities being undertaken to empower farmers to achieve resilience.