MANAonline
Malawi makes significant strides against HIV and AIDS
By Mwai Kumanda
Lilongwe November 7, Mana: Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr. Samson Mdolo, says it is encouraging to see Malawi making strides in the fight of HIV and AIDS.
Speaking on Wednesday, in Lilongwe, during a three-day Joint Annual Review (JAR) meeting, Mdolo said, there is much progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS in the country.
“We have made a good progress as a country as far as the fight against HIV and AIDS is concerned. Although there are some difficulties, in the country in fighting the pandemic, but we are making so much progress and our goal is to reduce new infection incidences by 2030.
“As a country we have managed to achieve the new UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, though when we dig deep we still have some sections, we are not doing so well. That is the reason why we have organized this annual review meeting, in order to still assess the progress,” he said.
Mdolo also commended the government of Malawi for showing commitment to the fight by increasing 2024/2025 financial budget for the health sector, saying it is only health people who can positively contribute to the development of the country.
Chairperson of Health Donor Group, Susanne Meltl, congratulated Ministry of Health for doing well in fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic and pledged that the donor community will continue to support the ministry in its operations.
“As a donor community, we just want to congratulate the Ministry of Health and National Aids Commission (NAC) for conducting a joint review meeting for the first time.
“And we are delighted to see that there has been a progress towards achieving the 95-95-95 targets and we would like to encourage the ministry to further put efforts, and they will have our support,” she said.
In 2022/23, the prevalence of HIV among adults in Malawi was 8.9 percent, which corresponds to approximately 946,000 adults living with HIV. HIV prevalence was higher among women (10.5%) than among men (7.1%).
Tobacco farmers urged to embrace new tobacco practices
By Paul Madise
Lilongwe, November 7, MANA: Director of Crop Development in the Ministry of Agriculture, Elida Kazira has appealed to all tobacco industry stakeholders to embrace the implementation of new tobacco practices, saying it is critical in transforming the tobacco industry and the country`s economy.
Kazira was speaking during the official opening of the 2024 Tobacco Industry Conference in Lilongwe on Thursday, which is being held under the theme “Learning from our success and challenges to improve the future” emphasizing that tobacco industry plays a vital role to ensure the sustainability of forex in the country.
In her address, Kazira highlighted the need to reflect on labour practices in tobacco industry stating the implementation of the Agriculture Labour Practice Code which was launched recently in an effort to eliminate child labour in the tobacco industry.
The Director also stressed the need for proper management and interest in tobacco production acknowledging the increased tobacco production in 2023/2024 growing season.
She noted that as of 31st October 2024, the Tobacco Commission had licensed 230 million kilogrammes compared to the 133 million kilogrammes licensed during the last season for the benefit of the country.
“It is sobering to note that the conference in not just looking at lessons from success but from challenges as well” she said. “There is an opportunity to learn from the delayed payment of proceeds to tobacco growers in the 2023/2024 selling season.
Commissioner for Tobacco Commission Dr. Godfrey Chapola appealed for collective efforts and collaboration among tobacco stakeholders to ensure there is a platform for tobacco players in the industry to learn, share knowledge and experience as well as address challenges faced in the tobacco industry
“This gathering here is to share experience and to share knowledge so that we can map and forge forward as an industry.,” he added.
Chairperson for Tobacco Processers Association(TPA) Moffat Hamilton Gama, who is also the Managing Director for Japan Tobacco International(JTI) advised tobacco growers in the country to consider optimal production to ensure they offer global market a quality product.
Among other stakeholders, the Tobacco Industry Conference has attracted key players from Tobacco Growers Association(TGA), Banker's Association of Malawi(BAM), Auction Holdings Limited(AHL), Agriculture Research Extension Trust(ARET) and Japan Tobac
Committees impressed with CAS Project
By Memory Kutengule Chatonda
Blantyre, November 7, Mana: Parliamentary Committees for Education and Media, Information, and Communication have expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the construction of the state-of-the-art computer laboratory at Ndirande Hills Secondary, courtesy of the Connect A School (CAS) project.
Speaking in Blantyre on Thursday after inspecting the project, Education Committee Vice Chairperson, Ephraim Nayeja, said the committees are impressed with the quality of work and the progress made against the project completion timeline.
"The quality of the infrastructure is of high standard and as a committee we will continue to monitor the project to ensure that the quality is maintained up to the finishing," he said.
Vice Chair for Media, Information and Communication in Parliament, Ishmael Grant, said based on the progress made in the construction, he is optimistic that the laboratory will be ready by next month.
He hailed Malawi Communication Regulatory Authority (MACRA) for implementing CAS project, saying it aligns perfectly with government's vision of providing students with the essential tools and skills needed to thrive in the digital era.
"This initiative does not only bridge the digital divide but also fosters an inclusive and forward-thinking environment, thereby laying a robust foundation for Malawi's socioeconomic growth and ensuring that no child is left behind in the digital era," he said.
Ndirande Hills Secondary School Head Teacher, Wyson Phiri, said the laboratory will ease challenges faced by the students in accessing modern tools, resources and opportunities for studies and career development.
He pledged to take care of the facility to ensure that it benefits students now and years to come.
About 75 schools across the country are expected to benefit from the CAS project through Universal Service Fund in its first phase of implementation, which will end by December this year.
Each laboratory built in the schools will be provided with 20 computers and each school will be connected to the internet for three years.
QECH hails MYU feeding programme
By Agatha Kadzinje
Blantyre, November 7, Mana: Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH) has praised the Muslim Youth United (MYU) weekly feeding programme, which provides meals and hygiene supplies to 1,200 patients every Wednesday.
The programme, which was established in 2019, provides packets of Chiponde (RUTF), Likuni Phala, cooking oil, milk, maize flour, soya pieces and eggs and has proved essential in meeting critical nutritional needs for patients and alleviating some of the hospital’s resource challenges.
QECH Hospital Administrator, Sipho Nyasulu, told Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Wednesday that the collaboration with MYU has been vital since the programme began.
“This initiative bridges the nutrition gap for our patients. We work hand-in-hand with MYU to identify beneficiaries and ensure resources are distributed effectively,” Nyasulu said.
He said their role in the project is more than just receiving donation but also overseeing that these resources truly reach those in need.
According to Nyasulu, the programme initially targeted only two wards; pediatrics and orthopedics, but now covers most of the wards.
"When the programme was launched, it was limited in scope, but it has since expanded, helping us support a broader range of patients,” he said.
He said the hospital still struggles to meet the dietary requirements of patients with specific illnesses that call for high-protein or therapeutic meals.
"Certain patients require special meals tailored to their illnesses, which are costly. We rely on feeding programmes like these to bridge the gap as the demand far exceeds our capacity to supply," he said.
Nyasulu called on stakeholders and well-wishers to step in and support specialized nutritional needs programmes saying while government supports them, demand is still high for them to meet it alone.
In a separate interview, MYU Feeding Programme Coordinator Wadson Banda said the programme has been impactful, aligning with Islamic values of helping the needy and the sick.
"Our Prophet Muhammad encourages us to always assist those in need, especially the sick. This feeding programme helps us fulfill that duty," Banda said.
He explained that since its launch in 2019, the programme has evolved to address immediate needs.
In addition to food, MYU provides hygiene supplies to improve hospital conditions and prevent illnesses.
He said the initiative has also fostered personal and spiritual growth among MYU youth volunteers who engage directly with patients during their visits.
Banda encouraged Muslims across Malawi to establish similar feeding programmes at hospitals nationwide.
QECH receives support amounting to K3 million every six months and K25 million per year from the initiative.
Advancing E-payment in Social Protection Programmes
By Memory Kutengule Chatonda
Blantyre, November 7, Mana: 44 year-old Mercy Sontho had already planned how she would meaningfully use that month’s Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) stipend.
To the contrary, unknown assailants, three in total, attacked her on her way home, foiling all her expectations.
This left her with many thoughts on how she would recover from the ruthless incident that occurred on March 6, 2021.
“I vividly recall that they threatened me with sharp knives for the money I got from the pay point or risk losing my life.
“Since I was engulfed with fear, I surrendered the money amounting to K42, 000. Immediately I complied, they disappeared into the nearby bush," recalls the soft-spoken Sontho, who lost her husband years back.
Today, apart from piecework, Sontho relies on SCTP monthly stipends to feed her five-member family.
Popularly known as Mtukula Pakhomo, SCTP is a Malawi Government initiative under the Social Protection Programme targeting the bottom 10 percent of the poverty strata who are ultra-poor and labor constrained according to the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, the government arm implementing the programme.
A native of Traditional Authority (TA) Chigaru in Blantyre, Sontho values the monthly stipend, knowing how transformative it is.
Seemingly, little, considering the current economic landscape, at that time, Sontho says she could use the money to buy necessities for her five-member family.
“It was sad because the situation left me in a dilemma. I had planned to use the money to beef up the income generated from vegetable sales to buy foodstuffs,” she laments.
Desperate, Sontho took solace in some foodstuffs that sympathetic community members brought in support of her household.
Her experience reflects the risks posed by the cash payment system used in some social protection programmes like Mtukula Pakhomo. Beneficiaries may lose money that they could have used to alleviate their plight.
Springing from such risks, government introduced the electronic payment system (e-payment) to replace traditional cash payments to protect people like Sontho, with Blantyre being one of the 21 beneficiary districts.
The e-payment system is a digital infrastructure that enables the electronic transfer of funds between individuals or entities.
Sontho today receives her monthly stipends via a mobile wallet on her phone. With this, she feels safe.
“At first, I was hesitant to register for a mobile wallet through Telekom Network Malawi (TNM) Mpamba, but after being sensitized about its benefits, one of which is the security of my money, I accepted,” she says.
Principal Social Welfare Officer responsible for SCTP, Kumbukeni Kauwa, says in Blantyre close to 7,804 beneficiaries under the programme graduated from manual (cash) payments to electronic payments in 2022.
Apart from the e-payment system being used in SCTP, it is also being utilized in processing payments for the participants of the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP), another component under the Social Support for Resilience Livelihood Project (SSRLP), funded by the World Bank and other multi-donor trust funds in the district.
District Project Facilitator for Blantyre, Aubrey Jazza, says CS-EPWP, which was introduced in 2022, focuses on creating visible, durable, and quality assets within micro-catchments that will assist in improving household resilience to shocks among others.
He says to date, the programme has close to 17,000 participants who work in 15 catchment areas of Chilambalare, Mgawa, Lirangwi 2, Mlombozi, Mikundi, Somba, Milare, Mabala, Kamwendo, Likhubula, Masinde, Linjemesi, Nazombe and Zemba.
“The participants receive pay through an E-payment system after working for 30 days. The payment service provider is TNM,” says Jazza.
Shadreck Batamosi, one of the CS-EPWP participants from Linjemesi catchment area, hails the e-payment system, saying it reduces the challenges people face with cash payments.
He cites: “E-payment has reduced the time of waiting at pay points for beneficiaries after walking long distances, and also one is assured of maximum security of his/her money because when they receive the money, it's only them who know."
Overall, electronic transaction has simplified the payment process under the social protection programmes such as SCTP and CS-EPWP being implemented by Blantyre District Council.
Principal Information, Communication Technology Officer for Blantyre, Bengula Mhone, attests to the fact that payment of transfers is done in bulk and everyone receives the money at the same time.
In addition, he says the inclusion of ghost households is easily detected, and only eligible and deserving households are taken on board through the Know Your Customer registration process.
Project Manager for TNM Mpamba, Tsimikizo Chikoya, hails the collaboration that exists between Blantyre District Council and the telecom company in the implementation of social protection programs, particularly on the e-payment system.
He advises beneficiaries to make sure that they don't disclose password of their mobile wallet to other people to avoid being duped.
E-payment aims to prepare the country's economy for the adoption of Digital Financial Services (DFS).
Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) first quarter 2024 report issued on September 4 regarding the national payment system, states that DFS remain the most widely used payment method compared to cash withdrawals and cheques.
Non-bank mobile payments (mobile money services) continue to help millions of Malawians like Sontho, Batamasi and others to receive social cash transfers and CS-EPWP payments from government and other development partners.
The RBM report says: "As of the end of March 2024, the number of non-bank mobile money service subscribers stood at 13.0 million, representing a 2.7 percent increase compared to the fourth quarter of 2023.
This shows that Malawi is making good strides in using mobile money services, which are key drivers of financial inclusion and catalysts for economic growth and development."
Committee confiscates gear from illegal fishermen in Karonga
By George Mponda
Karonga, November 7, Mana: Mandala Beach Village Commitee (BVC) in Karonga, led by Group Village Head (GVH) Malema, has confiscated gear from fishermen who were catching fish without permits at Mandala Beach.
Speaking with Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Wednesday, GVH Malema said the Department of Fisheries empowered chiefs to formulate and enforce by-laws which will help conserve fish through the BVCs.
"All fishrmen are supposed to pay K40,000 annually for a fishing permit but most do not. That is why we embarked on this operation to seize fishing gears from those who do not have permits.
"With the help of officials from the district’s fisheries department and police we managed to confiscate gear from seven fishermen which was taken to the fisheries office," he said.
GVH Malema was amused that most of the fishermen who had their gears confiscated for failing to pay K40,000 have already paid a fine of K140,000 to reclaim their fishing gear.
Assistant Fisheries Officer for Karonga District Council, Patrick Moyo, said BVCs are empowered to help conserve fish stocks on Lake Malawi.
"At the moment we are in the closed season which started from November 1 to December 31. This is the breeding time for many fish on Lake Malawi. During this period, some fishing gears and methods are prohibited for example beach seine nets which are mostly used by these illegal fishers," said Moyo.
Dedza teaching students demonstrate over allowances
By Nandie Magomelo
Dedza, November 7, Mana: Students from St Joseph Teachers Training College in Dedza district on Wednesday afternoon staged a protest as a way of expressing anger over delayed monthly upkeep allowances.
Vice President for the student’s union, Adrina Chingoka, said in an interview after presenting their petition to Dedza District Council that four months have elapsed without getting their monthly upkeep allowances.
“Surprisingly, only 181 students out of 575 received their allowances in the past four months. The situation is hard for most of us especially female students as we are failing to purchase basic necessities,” she said.
Chingoka stated that inadequate kitchen utensils at the school also delay their class attendance.
The institution also faces scarcity of firewood forcing cooks to fetch firewood on their own.
She, therefore, called upon authorities to intervene and bring sanity at the institution.
Dedza District Council Director of Administration, Dr Chris Salaniponi, confirmed receiving the petition.
He assured the students that their concerns will be addressed as soon as possible.
“We will engage authorities at the college in a fact finding mission to address the current situation and come up with a suitable resolution,” he said.
Mastering environmental work on the go
By Fostina Mkandawire
Salima, November 6, Mana: After seating for the Malawi School Certificate of Education (MSCE) many are hopeful to find an opportunity to be selected into public universities or technical colleges, for some the latter seems like a far-fetched dream and unattainable.
Communities in Salima District are speaking highly of the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme for opening doors of job opportunities through employment such as forepersons and digitizers, informal employments that do not need higher qualifications such as a university paper.
In Salima district, under the CSEPWP about 136 forepersons have been employed who are custodians of catchments and provide technical guidance to participants of the project.
One of the forepersons, Elise Standwell from Mtende Village Traditional Authority Khombedza who is working under Mchepa catchment, describes her work under the CS-EPWP as elevating because after she wrote her Malawi School Certificate of Education in 2012 she has been employed.
"Being employed as a foreperson has given me an opportunity to gain experience on how to manage people, how to manage tree nurseries and environmental restoration activities and putting documents in order such as registering participants everyday after working at project sites," she says.
She echoes how beneficial the employment has been to her after remembering how unskillful she was when she was being employed 2 years ago.
Standwell reveals that her confidence has been boosted, after undergoing various capacity building trainings, such as tree and nursery management, social safeguards modalities, catchment and management trainings, citing the vitality of the skill set she has gained so far.
Another Foreperson from Lilongwe catchment Enita Alfred, in the area of Senior Chief Kalonga agrees with her colleague stating that being employed under the CSEPWP has been a morale booster for her, because she had been jobless and hopeless after writing her MSCE, a situation which has changed at the moment.
"My daily responsibility under the CSEPWP include supervising participants, ensuring that they are following stipulated standards and not delivering substandard work, my livelihood has improved because the wages that I receive help me to sustain my family's day to day needs," she says.
Limbani Nthala, Foreperson from Mchepa catchment underscores that despite lacking formal certifications, he has honed his leadership skills through hands on experience and on-the-job training, earning him the respect from the participants in the environmental public works program.
"I have natural ability to communicate effectively, paired with my keen problem-solving skills, enables me to manage my team and navigate complex project challenges. I believe in collaboration because it fosters a positive work environment," he says.
He says it is encouraging to note that valuable skills can be cultivated through experience and dedication, rather than solely through formal education.
District Labour Officer for Salima, Lanwell Mkisi confirms that Salima District Council through the CSEPWP has employed about 136 forepersons and 52 digitizers and this has reduced unemployment rate in the district.
"Individuals who happen to get a chance of employment, in an informal way, if well executed, after completion of all circles, they will have gained experience, in leadership, and practical or hands on type of working," he explains.
Mkisi says it is expected that the gained experience will be used when applying for formal jobs or transitioning to formal jobs. These forepersons lead a very large groups of participants, that require someone to have some attributes like how to manage people, so the skills will help them greatly.
"Such employment arrangements help to alleviate poverty in the sense that these forepersons will now have a buying power, the money earned will first of all help them as individuals to meet some basic needs like food, clothes, paying school fees and some do invest as well," he says.
On this point he says another advantage of the CSEPWP set up is that the forepersons are scattered across the district which means that there is well distribution of resources across the district.
According to the International Labour Organization the informal employment provides employment opportunities, especially within developing countries, to those who do not have employment security, work security and social security.
CS-EPWP is a component under the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project (SSRLP). The SSRLP is a Malawi Government project, funded by the Multi Donor Trust Fund facilitated by the National Local Government Finance Committee in all the 28 district councils.
Salima Chiefs hails environmental restorative programme
By Fostina Mkandawire
Salima, November 7, Mana: Chiefs in Salima have hailed environmental interventions in the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme, for assisting them restore their degraded landscapes.
Speaking to Malawi News Agency on Wednesday, Traditional Authority (TA) Maganga, highlighted tangible impacts witnessed in her area through the programme, citing that the geographical terrain of her area makes it prone to floods and water run offs.
She said before introduction of the programme the area was experiencing dwindling farm produce caused by water run offs.
She said most crops were swept away and even soil had lost fertility.
Maganga, therefore, said the tides are now changing since the inception of the programme in 2022 as community members are now practicing climate smart agriculture upon realizing how hazardous some of their farming practices were to the environment.
“Most farmers were not following recommended ridge alignment, they could plough their ridges in the opposite direction whereby, after rains, everything in their farms was washed away.
"Unnecessary cutting down of trees was worrisome, despite putting in place bylaws; people could still carelessly cut down trees. Charcoal production had taken a centre stage in my community.
“However, introduction of the programme has helped keeping the land covered, thereby improving soil fertility,” said Maganga.
Senior Chief Kambwiri expressed satisfaction with the programme saying his area has benefited from the work and people's livelihood have improved through the wages they receive.
"This programme is transformative because many households are benefiting. And after being paid, some are buying livestock’s, paying their children's school fees and buying food. We don’t take this for grante," he said.
He said, as a community leader, it pleases him to see his people benefiting from such programmes, which integrates community contribution and public works, because it instils a sense of responsibility in the beneficiaries.
"This is not a programme that distributes free things, but people have to show their responsibility by contributing towards environmental protection which will benefit everyone even those that are not participating in the programme directly," he said.
Senior Chief Kalonga described the programme’s system of beneficiary selection as good.
The programme uses the Unified Beneficiary Registry which assures everyone that the names of participants were not tampered with.
"We are satisfied with how names were selected into the programme and what is more pleasing is that participants work on fields of community members who are not in the programme, meaning that the benefits are shared evenly," he said.
The programme, which is a component of the Social Support for Resilient Livelihood Programme (SSRLP Tidzidalire), is being implemented by the Malawi Government through the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) and is being supported by the World Bank and the Social Protection Multi-Donor Trust Fund.
Poppy Day preparations at advanced stage
By Solister Mogha
Zomba, November 7, Mana: Preparations for this year's Poppy Day are currently underway at the war memorial tower in Zomba.
The day is held in honour of soldiers that fought in two world wars under the British Colonial Auxiliary Forces, the Kings African Rifles (KAR).
Malawi will on Sunday join the rest of the world in remembering the soldiers in the two world wars with Malawi Defence Force (MDF) taking charge of the ceremony.
MDF is, currently, doing rehearsals while other sectors such as the Department of Building is erecting tents in readiness for the event at the cenotaph at Cobbe Barracks in Zomba.
Poppy Day which is also known as 11,11 is a great day as it appreciates major contributions that soldiers made during the first and second world wars.
The day is set aside to pay homage to fallen heroes who took part in the two major wars and other MDFs peacekeeping mission in recent years.
MDF Public Relations Officer, Major Kelvin Emanuel Mlelemba, said preparations for the day are progressing well.
Mlelemba said, apart from celebrating Poppy Day, the ceremony will also mark 100 years since the memorial pillar was constructed in Zomba.
Major activities of the day include laying of wreath, interdenominational prayers and sounding of maroons in honour of fallen heroes.
