By Elia Chibwe

Lilongwe, February 6, Mana: Germany and Malawi governments have signed a bilateral agreement for a EUR 16 million (about K30 billion) additional financing through KFW to implement reproductive health activities phase III under the N’zatonse Programme.

Speaking during the signing ceremony on Monday, German Ambassador to Malawi Ute Konig said Germany is committed to continue supporting Malawi to increase accessibility of contraceptives to women in rural areas following strides made by Malawi on contraceptive uptake.

“We noticed that women in Malawi are very good in uptake of contraceptives as compared to all Sub Saharan countries. So, we see success of our joint cooperation and that is why we have decided to continue this cooperation with additional funding of EUR 16 billion we are signing today,” Konig said.

She said access and use of contraception has helped Malawi improve women’s health and socio-economic wellbeing.

Minister of Health, Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda, hailed government of Germany for the financial support which, she said, is going to address challenges and issues in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) especially on women and adolescents.

“Let me express our sincere gratitude to the people and government of Germany for the support given to us towards the health sector mainly in SRHR among women and adolescents,” Chiponda said.

She said the funding is going to strengthen provision of services in rural areas where the Ministry is going to work with PSI and some other implementing partners.

Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs, Simplex Chithyola Banda, gave an assurance that government will utilize the resources for its intended purpose.

“There is the need for accountability and transparency in utilization of resources. From now, we want to regain donor confidence that any intervention will be used for the intended purpose.

“The programme will improve the health of young people because they will be able to access sexual reproductive health services and will also assist reduce overpopulation in the country,” said Chithyola Banda said.

Germany, through KFW, has been supporting N’zatonse program since 2013 whose target group includes women and men of reproductive age in hard to reach areas, with a special focus on youth.

Cumulatively, between 2013 until this new phase III, Germany has committed EUR70.5 million towards the N’zatonse programme.

By Joel Phiri

Mzimba, February 5, Mana: Public Relations Manager for Northern Region Water Board (NRWB), Edward Nyirenda says vandalism of water infrastructure in Mzimba south poses great danger to sustainable provision of potable water to communities.

Nyirenda’s remarks are coming in the wake of reports that some unknown criminals are tampering with water transmission line in the district.

According to the Board’s Scheme Manager for Mzimba, Gregory Mwale, vandals have been targeting water transmission line, particularly the main water line which transmit water from the Machecheta Treatment Plant along the M1 Road to the primary tank located near National Food Reserve Agency office in the district.

‘‘The vandals are tampering with the infrastructure by removing bolts, nuts and metallic clamping strips designed to secure the pipes to concrete pillars, particularly at vulnerable points such as river crossings and gullies,’’ said Mwale.

Speaking in an interview on Monday, Nyirenda said the unscrupulous people behind the vandalism risk putting hundreds of community members in Mzimba at risk of dry taps.

Nyirenda said the Board has taken swift and decisive action together with the police to apprehend the suspects.

‘‘We are also embarking on sensitization of the communities along the pipeline to jealously guard the infrastructure and report anyone vandalising it,’’ he said.

Mzimba district Water Officer Jacob Mkandawire noted that water is life and tampering with water infrastructure is the same as killing people.

‘‘This tendency is uncalled for. Let people learn to take care of infrastructure. The destruction of water infrastructure will negatively affect the sustainable provision of water to people. This is regrettable,’’ Mkandawire said.

Public Relations Officer for Mzimba Police, Peter Botha said as police they are willing to embark on investigations to get to the bottom of the issues.

By Brian Wasili

Mwanza, February 5, Mana: Female participants from Khudze Catchment in Mwanza district that area under Climate Smart – Enhanced Public Works (CS – EPWP) have formed a Village Savings and Loans (VSL) group aimed at investing wages they receive as one way of multiplying it thereby addressing financial challenges at household level.

In an interview during a media tour on Saturday, Chairperson of M’bawa VSL group, Lucy Alfred said the group was formed in January 2023 in order to bring their money together because they wanted it to grow and be able to meet their needs.

“We agreed not to spend it but invest in the VSL intervention so that when multiplied we could buy what we would not afford before and we will continue doing so with the subsequent wages,” said Alfred.

After working for 24 days, each of the 17 members receives K28,800 as wages for participating in various tasks such as construction of check dams, gully reclamation, making swalleys, afforestation and natural tree regeneration management when the programme first rolled out last year.

The media visit which was supported by National Local Government Finance Committee through Mwanza District council was aimed at appreciating the impact the programme was making.

 One of the VSL members, Jeany Mpapa said she got K114,000 after investing and used it to pay school fees for her child and bought timber for her house which is under construction.

“I also bought four chickens which have now multiplied to twenty. I find it important to invest in the VSL because it can look small but when multiplied you can do big things,” said Mpapa.

Meanwhile the group which is supported by Community Savings and Investment Promotion (COMSIP) has got over K1 million in its bank account.

In his remarks, Director of Planning and Development (DPD), Emmanuel Sohaya said one of the objectives of the programme is to ensure that the environment is conserved and at the same time livelihood of the communities is also transformed.

“The communities should not only look at how much they are given as wages at the end of the work but also the significance of the assets created in their areas under this programme” said Sohaya.

He commended the participants of Khudze catchment for investing what they got in the first cycle of the programme.

By Lyte Ali

Mangochi, February 5, Mana: Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DODMA) has distributed maize to over 4, 000 households under the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Nankumba in Mangochi as a way of easing hunger situation in the area.

This is in response to an assessment conducted by Mangochi District Council which revealed that over five group village headmen in the area were food insecure.

The assessment followed a recent video clip which was trending on social media about food insecurity in the area and showed hunger stricken people threshing grains from grass for food.

Speaking during the distribution exercise on Saturday, Commissioner for DoDMA, Charles Kalemba said his department is committed to reach out to all hunger stricken households in the country.

"I would like to thank those who publicized the clip which depicted some communities under T/A Nankumba threshing grains from grass which they were processing in order to make a meal.

"When we saw the clip, we asked Mangochi district council to do an assessment on food situation in the area, and they found out that communities are indeed food insecure, hence our coming to rescue them’’ he said.

Kalemba assured communities in Mangochi of continued support through the on-going Lean Season Response Programme where needy people in the district are currently receiving a 50-kilogramme bag of maize per household.

He therefore advised duty bearers and citizens in the district to ensure that the relief items are going to the intended beneficiaries.

According to the Disaster Risk Management Officer for Mangochi, Maria Joseph, so far over 70,000 households in Mangochi have been reached with the lean season response programme.

One of the beneficiaries, Patricia Yohane expressed gratitude towards the initiative saying it is a timely rescue from the unbearable conditions that people have been experiencing.

"I would like to thank government for coming to our rescue barely few days after it was reported that we are facing food shortage. From here, my family will no longer rely on grains from grasses as food’’ she said.

By George Mponda

Karonga, February 4, Mana: Northern Region Water Board (NRWB), through Karonga Town Water Supply Project, is expected to install 10,000 free water connections to enhance accessibility to potable water for Karonga residents and surrounding areas.

NRWB Board Chairperson, Frank Mwenifumbo, made the revelation Saturday on the sidelines of an inspection tour of the project’s sites by NRWB and Ministry of Water and Sanitation officials.

Mwenifumbo said the project, which is at 85 percent completion rate, has 10,000 water connection materials which are going to be used for free to bring water to those who applied.

"At the moment, we have more than 9,500 applications and in line with government’s policy on free water connection and enhancement of accessibility to safe water, we are going to bring water to over 189,000 people in Karonga and surrounding areas,” said Mwenifumbo.

The project, which is expected to be finished by March, is aimed at rahabilitating, upgrading and expanding the old water supply system and will be pumping over 1.3 million litres of water per hour.

The Board has since installed a new 30 million litre treatment plant.

“This is a tremendous improvement over the current facility’s maximum output of 12 million litres per day," said Mwenifumbo.

Paramount Chief Kyungu of Karonga and Chitipa commended government and NRWB for committing to bring safe water to the people of Karonga.

"This will give us access to potable water unlike in the past where we had persistent water shortages. I would like to appeal to communities, especially where the new infrastructure has been built, to jealously guard it against vandalism," Kyungu said.

Director for Water Supply Services in the Ministry of Water and Sanitation, Prince Mleta, said the ministry, directed by government policies, is committed to ensuring universal access to potable water by 2030, hence the project.

“We will soon be embarking on Rumphi Water Supply Project and another one at Chintheche to ensure that Malawians across the country have access to clean and safe water by 2030,"said Kamlete.

The project, worth US$ 26.7 million, is financed by Malawi Government, who pumped in US$ 1.7 million, OPEC Fund with US$ 15 million and the Arab Bank for Economic Development in Africa which has provided US$ 10 million.

By Rose Cross Mahorya

Mzuzu, February 4, Mana: Mother Care Groups (MCGs) in Mzuzu City and Mzimba North have been applauded for demystifying immunizations.

The care groups are supported by Health Systems Strengthening Program (HSSP) which is run by Ministry of Health with Support from GAVI and the Vaccine Alliance.

Speaking Saturday after visiting Chikundula MCG in Mzuzu City, District Health Environmental Officer for Mzimba North, Kennedy Kaonga, said the groups are playing a vital role in providing vaccine and health related talks within their areas.

“Our office used to face challenges in promoting high rate of vaccine uptake because of misconceptions and myths surrounding vaccines.

“There was a lot of resistance against vaccines, including Covid-19 vaccine. However, with the establishment of the MCGs, percentage of children getting vaccinated has increased,” said Kaonga.

He added that MCGs, in other areas, have also advocated for refrigerators for storage of vaccines, constructed houses for health surveillance assistants and under five clinic structures.

Chairperson for Chikundula MCG, Christina Chiumia, commended Ministry of Health and Malawi Health Equity Network, the project’s implementing partner, for the group’s capacity building in advocating for communities’ adherence to vaccines.

“We are grateful for the knowledge imparted in us because, even if the project period expires, we will continue sharing the knowledge with others for the sustainability of these gains,” said Chiumia.

The HSSP aims at empowering communities to monitor community health care service delivery and advocate for health related resources and services.

By Chisomo Kambandanga

Nkhata Bay, February 4, Mana: Government, through the Department of Disaster and Management Affairs (DoDMA), has embarked on distribution of relief maize to hunger stricken households in Nkhata Bay District.

Speaking Saturday at Makumbo during a maize distribution exercise, District Commissioner for Nkhata Bay, Rodgers Newa, said about 10,222 households in the district are expected to receive the assistance for two months.

“A few months ago, government pledged to provide relief maize to hunger stricken, vulnerable and needy households. We are here today witnessing the fulfilment of that promise.

“Each targeted household is expected to receive two 50 kilogramme bags of maize from January to February, 2024. We were expected to start the exercise early January but we delayed due to some challenges,” said Newa.

He said, to ensure that all targeted households are reached, the exercise will first target all hard to reach areas such as Usisya, Thoto and Makumbo.

Group Village Head Mbalambala under Traditional Authority (TA) Zilakoma said the maize will go a long way in promoting good health among people in the area.

One of the beneficiaries, Maria Banda, of Mtaza Village commended government for the timely support and fulfilment of its promise.

The food distribution exercise is a response to the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) report which estimated that about 4.4 million people across the country will likely not meet their annual food requirement during the 2023/2024 consumption period.