MANAonline
Feeding programme keeps learners in school
By Richard Kagunda
Kasungu, September 19, Mana: Quality Assurance Officer for Chankhanga Education Zone in Kasungu District, Kelvin Chima says school feeding programmes are crucial in ensuring high school enrollment and class attendance in the face of food insecurity amongst some households in rural communities.
Chima said this on Wednesday when Mary's Meals launched a school feeding programme at Kadula Primary School in the area of Senior Chief Mwase in Kasungu.
"I am glad that the feeding programme in Chankhanga Zone has been extended to Kadula and four other primary schools. This initiative is vital to schools like this one in that, some of the learners here come from poor families that cannot provide food for their children.
"We are aware that most learners prefer going far away schools that have feeding programme leaving behind schools that are close to them but do not have the programme," Chima said.
He appealed to the community members in the area to show ownership of the initiative by taking good care of the stuff that Mary's Meals brought and participating in the programme activities.
Group Village Head Chinkhobwe expressed excitement with the commencement of the programme at the school, describing it as a step towards achieving good education outcomes on the part of learners.
"We have been looking for a programme like this one at our school. We expect learners to perform to their best now that they will no longer complain about being hungry while in class," he said.
School Feeding Manager for Mary's Meals (Malawi), Jacob Khumalo said his organization is expanding the programme by adopting more schools to reach out to more learners.
"Currently in Malawi, we are reaching out to over 1 million learners but our aim for the expansion is to reach out to 1.4 million.
"In Kasungu we had 16 schools but now we have added six more. We aim to end hunger and promote education, especially in lower classes in primary schools," Khumalo said.
The school feeding programme by Mary's Meals in Malawi started in 2002 with 200 learners.
Minister impressed with progress of Lilongwe-Salima Water Project
By Fostina Mkandawire
Salima, September 19, Mana: Minister of Water and Sanitation, Abida Mia, on Wednesday, expressed satisfaction with the progress made so far on Salima-Lilongwe Water project.
Mia made the remarks after touring Khato Civils Water Treatment Plant in Lifuwu in Salima, along with the project sites, to inspect and appreciate the commencement and progress of the project.
She said the project has started on a high note and soon, the public will witness significant progress.
Mia however acknowledged that the project has faced challenges, particularly supply chain disruptions that contributed to the delays over the years.
"The project will improve water supply to the people of Salima, Dowa and Lilongwe. It is a huge milestone in solving water challenges." She said.
Mia pointed out that fast tracking the project will ensure that beneficiaries should start enjoying the fruits of the project without further delays.
Chief Executive Officer for Salima-Lilongwe Water Project Valentine Kaupa echoed Mia sentiments saying the project is making headway because all the machinery needed for the smooth execution is on site.
"Specialized machinery designed specifically for the water project is being used this shows our commitment to the level of precision and innovation being employed to ensure efficient delivery of the work," he said.
Member of Parliament for Salima Central Constituency, Gerald Kapiseni Phiri said he is happy that the project has commenced, saying it has a huge economic impact on local communities.
"The start of this project will bring various employment opportunities to the people, and I urge Khato Civils to prioritize hiring locals to ensure they are among the first to benefit from this development," Phiri said.
The project is being implemented by Khato Civils and has been pegged at over 500 billion Malawi Kwacha (USD 315,000,000).
30 percent of the amount will be funded by the government of Malawi and 70 percent by private institutions.
MV Chambo to resume services on Lake Malawi
By Ireen Mseteka
Likoma, September 19, Mana: Public Relations Officer for Ministry of Transport Watson Maingo says MV Chambo will soon resume its services on Lake Malawi.
In an interview Wednesday, Maingo said MV Chambo which is a Mozambican registered vessel is expected to resume its services on September 26, 2024, to reduce water transport challenges being encountered on the Lake.
"The resumption of this service will ease passenger congestion on the Likoma Island - Nkhata Bay stretch. Malawi stand to benefit as most of the traffic is from the Malawi side but we do not have enough fleet to service the traffic," said Maingo.
He said MV Chambo used to provide passenger service sailing on the lake but stopped in 2019 due to Covid 19 when the country borders were closed adding that since its launch in 2013, the vessel was being operated by Malawi Shipping Company.
Area Development Committee Chairperson for Likoma North, Frank Mkali said the coming in of MV Chambo will be a relief to the passengers as it will reduce congestion and other problems being faced on the lake.
“It is pathetic that other people are unable to walk properly because they were injured in the process of boarding the ship due to congestion and others have been losing their goods,” said Mkali.
He added that some people have been rejecting offers to work in Likoma due to the challenges encountered on the water, the situation he said has been affecting the workforce on the island.
Recently there have been an outcry from various stakeholders asking government to intervene by adding additional vessels on Lake Malawi hence reducing water transport challenges.
Mchinji gears up for continuous public works programme
By Vincent Khonje
Mchinji, September 19, Mana: As the Climate Smart Public Works Programme (CSEPWP) transitions into a continuous mode of implementation, participants have geared up for the implementation by doing community contribution activities.
Initially, CSEPWP was implemented in a partially planned three cycles of 24 days with breaks in between but now councils will continuously implement four phases of 30 days adding to 120 days.
A visit to some of the 25 catchments in the district, on Wednesday, revealed that participants have done community contribution activities which is a requirement in the programme before they work on the 30 paid days.
According to the designated Desk Officer for Katchato Catchment, Kephas Chakhumbula, people were enthusiastic to do the self-development works for free before starting paid activities under the programme.
“There are several activities under community contribution like road maintenance and rehabilitation and tree nursery establishment that they are doing here,” said Chakhumbula.
As part of community contribution, the participants can do road maintenance and rehabilitation, establish nurseries for tree or vetiver grass, and also make manure.
Mchinji CSEPWP Desk Officer Rhoda Njikho said CSEPWP has progressed well in the district with the catchments’ community contribution works being implemented.
“The participants worked for 10 days as community contribution and this will be preceded by paid 30 days.
“Participants will prioritise on construction of soil, water harvesting structures and tree planting during the continuous implementation of CSEPWP,” Njikho said.
CSEPWP is a component of the Social Support for Resilient Livelihood Programme (SSRLP Tidzidalire) a government programme implemented through NLGFC and supported by the World Bank and the Social Protection Multi-Donor Trust Fund.
Local musician inspires and entertains Karonga prison inmates
By Felix Katemula
Karonga, September 19, Mana: Youths in Karonga led by Matthews Munyangu Banda, a musician known by the stage name Mtemi Blue Nyt on Wednesday brought entertainment, joy, counselling and inspirational messages to inmates at Karonga Prison.
Mtemi Blue Nyt, who is one of the upcoming musicians based in the district said that inmates should not be deprived of entertainment and psychological counselling considering the place they live in.
“We have brought the message of togetherness, hope and inspiration to our brothers here in prison, they don’t have time to celebrate life the way people out there do. As a musician I am happy to have come here and be with them in this special way today,” said Nyt.
Counselling Psychologist at Karonga District Hospital, Joy Mkandawire who was part of the team that took part in the activity said most times inmates suffer from psychological disorders due to many factors that they go through while in prison.
“Most inmates think the world is collapsing on them and they become hopeless. Our coming here has brought an opportunity to our brothers who cannot access psychological counselling in most cases,” he said.
Station Public Relations Officer for Karonga Prison, Samson Chavunguma commended the youth saying most people just bring items to the prison.
“You have bought items for them and you have also brought the aspect of psychological counselling which we believe will go a long way in preparing our inmates emotionally as they prepare to integrate with the communities they were coming from,” he said.
The function was spiced up by musical performances by Mtemi Blue Nyt and other artists including motivation speeches.
SEC hails Dedza Police on crime prevention
By Zenak Matekenya
Dedza, September 19, Mana: Dedza Station Executive Committee (SEC) Chairperson Peter Msukwa has hailed Dedza Police for reducing crime rates by 12 percent in 2024 saying its sharing boundaries with Mozambique comes with complications of cross-border crimes.
He said this on Wednesday following a SEC meeting which brought together police officers, community policing members as well as traditional and faith leaders to intensify crime prevention measures in the district.
Msukwa observed attributes such as strategic planning, coordination and community engagement among those that have helped the police to counter theft, child trafficking and other crimes.
"A bigger portion of the district shares boundaries with Mozambique. Police deal with crimes that can be influenced and delicate because of these boundaries. News of reduced crime is therefore worth celebrating,” he said.
Officer-In-Charge for Dedza Police Station Dr. Gift Chiundira said effective crime prevention, trust and public safety are possible because of a good working relationship between police and communities.
He hailed Senior Chief Chilikumwedo who mobilized money through a football bonanza in consultation with the District Commissioner’s office to buy two motorbikes to assist mobility in crime prevention.
In his remarks, Senior Chief Chilikumwendo said leaders have a task to identify problems faced by communities and find solutions.
Meanwhile, people in the district have commended increased police visibility at the Boma and enforcement of the speed limit along the M1 Road using speed traps.
SEC is composed of district police station officer in charge, chiefs, faith leaders and local people to ensure quality provision of security in a district.
NPC launches MW2063 Comic book
By Andrew Mkonda
Dowa, September 19, Mana: Ministry of Education has hailed the National Planning Commission (NPC) for introducing MW2063 comic book in primary school which will assist in changing the mindset of learners at a tender age.
Secretary for Education Dr. Mangani Katundu made the remarks Wednesday at Mponela II primary school in Dowa during the launch of the MW2063 Comic book for primary school learners.
“As educators, we know that there are different ways you can reach out to different groups in a community. For children, the use of comic books is one of the best ways in which you can influence, attract interest and maintain the interest of the children.
“So as the country, we thought that this journey of MW2063 is not just for us, but also for the generation that is still in primary school,” he said.
Katundu then urged development partners to join hands with the government in reaching out to different groups of people so that the country attains its vision.
NPC Director General Dr Thomas Munthali said they thought of coming up with a comic book in different languages so that young ones can start understanding and embracing the MW2063 vision at a tender age.
Munthali then asked parents and teachers to take a leading role in making children understand the translation of MW2063 as illustrated in the comic book.
“Let me take this opportunity to request our development partners to assist us in producing more copies so that we reach out to all 6,000 primary schools across the country.
“We plan to give out 100 copies to each school, but we have only produced 10, 000 copies, which is not enough at all,” he said.
UNICEF Country Representative Shadreck Omol said UNICEF is committed to partner with government in making sure that learners in primary school understand and get involved in the development aspirations of the country.
“I am so happy to see young children citing some of the enablers in the MW2063 blueprint through their poems, songs and drama, that’s what we want,” he said.
Omol further said UNICEF will continue working hand in hand with NPC and Ministry of Education in making sure that the books reach out to every school across the country.
Speaking in a separate interview, Head-girl for Mponela II primary school Evelyn Liyisoni thanked NPC for the initiative saying it will go a long way in changing the mindset of young ones after reading the book.
NPC and the Ministry of Education developed the MW2063 comic book for primary school learners in 2022.
PAM committed to revamp poetry
By Pempho Nkhoma
Blantyre, September 19, Mana: Poetry Association of Malawi (PAM) has reaffirmed its commitment to revamp the poetry industry in the country and help poets benefit from their art.
PAM President, Robert Chiwamba told Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Thursday that currently, the poetry industry is not in a stable state.
“Poetry is in bad shape, this is because of the economic environment as people are struggling to make ends meet and artists concentrate on earning a living through economic activities,” he said.
Chiwamba said PAM will continue promoting the art by connecting its members to opportunities and speaking on artists’ behalf in forums.
“The greatest work of the association is to network poets so that they should work jointly in improving their crafts, collaborate with organizations to run competitions, connect young poets with established ones and work with writer clubs in universities to improve poetry,” he said.
He admitted that it is hard for poets to make a living out of their art citing that technology has brought change on the market.
“Since Compact Disks (CD) phased out due to technology, poets have not found a way of packaging and selling their art. As a result, most of them have not seen the benefits of their skills,” he added.
He therefore urged government to intervene and come up with policies that would enable poets to capitalize on the high number of followers and subscribers that they have online to make money.
“This can partly be solved if and when the Malawi government discusses with platforms such as YouTube for monetization guidelines,” he said.
One of the renowned poets, Hardson Chamasowa said the poetry industry in Malawi is not where it is supposed to be due to lack of a platform to expose talent.
“To revive our industry we need popular poetry events such as Chitsinda Cha Ndakatulo and the Land of Poets Festival and ensure that they are held regularly and grow in scale,” he said.
However, Chamasowa expressed optimism that there is an opportunity for poets to make money from their art by utilizing the Internet.
“We can still make money through the internet. We need to develop an official PAM website, which can serve as a platform for poets to showcase and monetize their work. This should have secure payment systems like bank transfers and mobile wallets, ensuring poets are compensated whenever their poems are downloaded,” Chamasowa explained.
A fan who used to patronize poetry shows, Andrew Jonas from Machinjiri in Blantyre said in an interview that poetry has become unpopular since they do not organize shows regularly.
PAM brings together people or groups involved in promoting poetry in Malawi to preserve Malawian culture, educate, and entertain through poetry.
TRADE project lauded for improving livelihoods of rural farmers
By Dalitso Kampira
Thyolo, September 19, Mana: Agriculture officials and dairy farmers in Thyolo District have lauded the Transforming Agriculture Through Diversification and Entrepreneurship (TRADE)" project for significantly improving livelihoods.
In an interview on Wednesday after touring Dwale and Thyolo Centre Extension Planning Areas (EPAs), Thyolo TRADE Desk Officer Kingsley Masinga said the project focuses on empowering farmers to treat farming as a business through supporting Milk Bulking Groups (MBGs).
"It is encouraging to see farmers not only focusing on production but also on selling their produce," Masinga said.
He said the project has made good progress particularly in moving from community-level engagement and planning to a more personalized, family-level approach, this, he said, has resulted in better outcomes at the household level.
Masinga said on a larger scale, the TRADE project also includes infrastructure development, with renovations of MBGs, roads, and bridges currently underway.
An Extension Worker for Mtambanyama MBGs in Thyolo Centre EPA, Dyton Kafulama said dairy farming has greatly benefited farmers, enabling them to meet their basic needs, such as food, shelter, and school fees.
"The TRADE project is an eye-opener for farmers, helping them diversify their farming. They are now growing various crops such as soyabeans, tomatoes, cabbages, and maize, in addition to selling milk," said Kafulama.
A beneficiary from Mpeni MBG, Titani Banda, expressed gratitude to the TRADE project for promoting gender balance in her household.
The six-year project, implemented by the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, is being carried out in 10 districts including Thyolo, Blantyre, Dedza, Lilongwe, Kasungu, Mchinji, Nkhata Bay, Chitipa, and Karonga.
It is funded by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Open Fund for International Development.
President Chakwera to hold Malawi Partners Conference
By Arkangel Tembo, New York, USA
New York, September 18, Mana: President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera will engage several stakeholders and donors during the Malawi Partners Conference on the sidelines of the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States of America to discuss issues to do with agriculture for sustainable food security.
The theme for the partner's conference will be: Securing Our Future, Enhancing Investment in Agriculture for Sustainable Food Security.
Ambassador Agnes Mary Chimbiri-Molande, who is also Permanent Representative of the Republic of Malawi to the United Nations told Malawi News Agency in an interview on Wednesday that during the Malawi Partners Conference, several investors and donors will come together to discuss what they can invest in Malawi to ensure sustainable food and nutritional security.
"With El Nino which led to so many disasters in terms of agricultural produce, Malawi has low produce particularly low food production where most households face food insecurity. The President declared a national disaster and many partners did respond including the UN which assisted us with millions of dollars," Molande said.
She said President Chakwera is scheduled to hold the Malawi Partners Conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly.
"In 2023 he also held one conference with all the partners that were available who committed to help on how Malawi can build economic and climate resilience following the shocks that we experienced with cyclones Freddy, Anna and Gombe and many disasters including drought " added Molande.
She said apart from the Malawi Partners Conference, the President will be joining all other heads of state in a high-level debate and meetings that the UN has planned for the 79th Assembly.
The ambassador described the 79th meeting as an important forum for the member states of the UN to discuss and reflect on lessons learnt and look into the world's future.
Before the UN General Assembly, Molande said the president would also be engaged in high-level discussion starting on September 24 with the member states.
She disclosed that the summit has five segments, namely; peace and security, sustainable development, governance, digital compact and future generation.
