MANAonline
910 children withdrawn from child labour in Ntchisi
By Maria Tembo
Ntchisi, November 22, Mana: CARE Malawi in collaboration with Eclt Foundation has withdrawn 910 children from child labour and taken them back to school in Ntchisi district.
CARE Malawi Education Program Lead, Limbani Chipembere, made the remarks during a ground breaking ceremony of a two classroom block at Chandawe Primary School in the area of Senior Chief Chilooko in the district.
Chipembere said through Protect the Future: Ending Child Labour in the Agriculture Industry in Malawi (PROCLAIM) project, being implemented in Mchinji and Ntchisi, the organization has also managed to protect 30,000 children from child labour in the two districts.
He said it is encouraging to see that Community Child Labour Committees (CCLC) continue to help the organization by withdrawing children from child labour and reporting the perpetrators of the malpractice to relevant authorities.
He said: “We will continue withdrawing children from child labour and sending them to school because we want to see them becoming reliable citizens of the country. We also support their families in different ways because we want them to avoid sending their children to work in tobacco and coffee fields.”
Head Teacher for Chandawe Primary School, Andrew Banda, thanked the organization for the school block project and said once completed it will help ease insufficient school blocks the school is currently facing.
“The classroom block project will act as a motivation to our learners as some of them, specifically standard 3 and 4 learners, learn in churches. We believe that performance among learners will also increase.
“The enrollment rate has increased through PROCLAIM project. We believe that, going forward, we will see a lot of children being enrolled at the school,” he said.
Eclt Foundation Programme Officer, Vincent Raad, said four school blocks and two teacher’s houses will be constructed in Mchinji and Ntchisi districts and more than 400 million will be used for both projects.
Dedza declared town council
By Zenak Matekenya
Dedza, November 22, Mana: Leader of the House in Parliament, who is also Minister of Local Government, Unity and Culture, Richard Chimwendo Banda, Thursday announced reinstatement of Dedza as a town assembly after the district was stripped off the status in 2010.
He made the announcement during the first ever out of chamber parliamentary sitting at Dedza Stadium.
Chimwendo Band said the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) led government then removed town council status for Dedza, Salima and Karonga districts.
The announcement followed a question by Member of Parliament (MP) for Dedza South, Ishumael Onani, who wanted to know if Dedza District Council will revert to town council status.
Onani stated that with the status of a town council, people of Dedza feel they will have more advantages including benefiting from many development programs unlike being a district council.
Responding to the question, Chimwendo Banda said Dedza has a big population befitting a town and has a booming economy with many people doing trade.
Dedza was declared as a town council by the first President of Malawi Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda in 1978.
“I am pleased Madam Speaker that it has pleased President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to declare Dedza and Salima as town councils,” he said attracting applause from the government side.
He added that the declaration will be gazetted from Tuesday next week and changes in terms of funding for Salima, Dedza and Karonga will be reflected in the 2025/2026 national budget.
MP for Mangochi South West, Shadric Namalomba, asked government to expedite completion of Dedza Loop Road adding trenches dug on it remain uncovered for long.
Speaking after the Parliament sitting, Senior Chief Chauma hailed Parliament for bringing the August house to Dedza.
He, however, asked Parliament to consider using vernacular languages during such gatherings to enable more people f ollow deliberations and further meet the intended purpose of bringing parliament to the people.
District Commissioner for Dedza, Thomas Chigwenembe, hailed Parliament for the initiative.
He called on the Parliament to also take the initiative to other districts.
WECF commends Malawi’s women involvement in climate change
By Gift Chiponde
Lilongwe, November 22, Mana: Women Engage for a Common Future (WECF), an official partner of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), has commended Malawi for being exemplary in putting women in critical and decision making positions especially those impacting climate change.
The remarks were made at one of the sideline events at the Conference of Parties (COP) 29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, where WECF invited Malawi to a prize presentation ceremony aimed at supporting gender and climate justice initiatives.
In her remarks Deputy Secretary to the President and Cabinet, Janet Banda, commended the organisation for recognising Malawi Government efforts in uplifting women.
"In a bid to empower women in climate action, President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera launched Women in Climate Action Network in 2021 to ensure that women take charge of issues that affect them most. This is a sign of seriousness," she said.
Executive Director for WESF, Sascha Gabizon, said sustainable development and climate action cannot succeed without integrating gender equity.
She added that the way female delegates represented Malawi at COP29 reflects how they are valued as critical agents of resilience and innovation.
"The organisation trained the first five female swim teachers and lifeguards in Mozambique, as well as certified the first female scuba divers in the region.
“The project has a great impact on sustainable entrepreneurship via innovative women-led mussels’ aquaculture cooperative which ensures economic autonomy and creates jobs,” she said.
COP is an annual meeting of the United Nations member states aimed at addressing climate change. It is based on the international treaty called the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
This year's meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan brought together countries to negotiate and advance solutions for climate change mitigation, adaptation and financing.
Reaping from CS-EPWP; Enhancing yields, building resilience
By: Steve Chirombo
Dedza, November 21, Mana: Monica Mtambalika, a 45-year-old from Chimombo Village under Traditional Authority Kachere, has been a lifelong farmer specializing in maize cultivation. However, her harvests were often insufficient, falling short of meeting her family's needs for the entire year.
This was deeply traumatizing for her and her family, as year in and year out they were plagued in acute hunger.
Nevertheless, she diligently adhered to all recommended farming techniques, including planting high-yield crops, planting on time, and applying fertilizer.
However, according to Mtambalika, run-off water was affecting the crops as they were heavily washed away.
"We were following all the farming procedures, planting on good time, applying fertilizer and planting high yield varieties of crops but still we were failing to harvest enough for our families. This was so because the rains would wash away our crops, as a result every year we were experiencing hunger in our families,” she explained.
However, since the introduction of Climate Smart Enhancement Public Works Program (CS-EPWP) in her community, the situation has improved.
She says the program has helped her and fellow farmers to find solutions that have played a critical role in addressing challenges that were affecting their farming.
Mtambalika mentions swale construction, ridge realignment, stone bands and natural tree regeneration as some of the initiatives they are undertaking to minimize damages of soil erosion, low crop production as well as deforestation among others.
“Since we began working together to construct swales, we have successfully prevented rainwater from running down the hills and washing away our crops. The program has enhanced the collaborative efforts among us and it is our plea to see it continuing,” she said.
Another participant, Alinafe Gumbo, under Group Village Head Sefasi spoke highly of the program.
“The initiative is paying dividends, for example, last harvesting season, for the first time, we have realized bumper harvests because we were not affected by soil erosions, as previously experienced, the trees that have been restored also ensured that we receive good rains," she says.
Gumbo added that their families are now free from hunger and that the surplus is sold, and that the money is used to improve their family livelihoods.
Lute Yohane, a participant under Namasenga catchment, also narrated her from lags to riches story, as she now uses the money they are paid after working to join Village Saving and Loans (VSLs) groups and also buy food as well as buying farm inputs.
“I am one of those participants whose life has changed for the better, currently, I have managed to buy some livestocks like chicken and pigs,” she said.
Senior Chief Chauma in the district applauds the construction of swales saying they are helping to reduce soil erosion and that participants use the money they are receiving per month to buy their basic needs.
"The construction of swales, stone bands and planting trees among others has helped in reducing soil erosion in the area. Previously, our crops were being washed away and this was negatively affecting our harvests and as a result people were facing acute hunger every year," he said.
According to the Senior Chief, the program has also played a critical role in environmental conservation.
"My subjects for a long time depended on charcoal burning business but they are now into other businesses that do not harm the environment," he explained.
Franklin Gomani, the Land Resources Conservation Officer for Dedza District Council, says that in addition to restoring forests, reclaiming land, and combating soil erosion through swale construction and natural tree regeneration, the program provides participants with around K48,000 after completing 30 full working days which helps them meet basic needs.
“The impact has been good and I am impressed. Through this money, people are able to buy food items, purchase farm inputs and also school materials for their children and more importantly, they are able to participate in Village Savings and Loans (VSLs) that are in their villages to make sure the money increases in value,” Gomani says.
District Commissioner for Dedza, Thomas Chigwenembe, urges communities, especially where the CS-EPWP is being implemented to own it.
He says being a project with a time factor, there was need for communities to fully regard it as their own so that once it phases out; they will be able to continue implementing it.
“We thank government for bringing in this intervention. It is covering a lot of people who are benefitting.
He, however, urged other capable NGOs to follow suit, noting that the CS-EPWP operates in only a few selected areas of the district. He emphasized that Dedza is vast, hilly, and has many other regions in need of similar interventions.
“In continued efforts, this will go a long way in conserving our land, water and the air we breathe. Willingness of the people is something that can’t go without being recognized. Thanks to all local leaders where CS-EPWP is being implemented in the district for cooperation because mobilizing people is not easy,” Chigwenembe says.
The program is a component of the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Program which is being implemented through the National Local Government Finance Committee with support from the World Bank and the Social Protection Multi-Donor Trust Fund.
YODEP trains DRRMCs on search and rescue
By Solister Mogha
Zomba, November 21, Mana: Youth for Development Productivity (YODEP), a local youth organisation based in Zomba on Thursday trained community and district disaster risk management committees on search and rescue, one of the important aspects in disaster response.
Speaking during the opening of the two days training, YODEP Programmes Manager, Joy Mwandama said considering reports of heavy rains that the country is expected to experience this year, the organisation felt it necessary to empower both district and community disaster structures with search and rescue skills.
Mwandama said it is only when the district and community structures have been empowered with the necessary knowledge and skills that they can take the required steps during search and rescue missions.
"Obviously we expect floods and other forms of disasters in Zomba and it is therefore important that our teams are fully equipped with the necessary knowledge and skills," he said.
Mwandama said it is the expectation of YODEP that the training will be of great impact to communities of Zomba.
Among those participating in the training are members of the District Disaster Risk Management Committee, Area Disaster Risk Management Committee and Village Risk Management Committee.
Zomba District Disaster Risk Management Officer, Violet Jimu described the training as crucial, especially now that the district was preparing for various disasters.
Jimu said capacity building on disaster is crucial and hailed YODEP for the orientation, saying it will enhance the capacity of disaster structures.
During the training, participants were taking through topics like fire-fighting, survival skills, search and rescue techniques.
The training also involved disaster structures from Neno District who are also beneficiaries of the localised project with support from the Save the Children.
Minister calls Ethanol Malawi to scale up production
By Damiano Thengo
Nkhotakota, November 21, Mana: Minister of Trade, Sosten Gwengwe has asked Ethanol Malawi Company to scale up production in order to meet the high demand of its products at both local and global markets.
Gwengwe made the call in Dwangwa on Wednesday when he visited Ethanol Company to appreciate their work and the progress of the Fertilizer factory construction project in Nkhotakota district.
The minister said was impressed with the rapid expansion of Ethanol Malawi Company saying the production company is able to satisfy the global ethanol market.
Gwengwe further said the company is producing products of good quality and high value that can assist the country in sourcing foreign currency through export.
" So, basically the Ethanol Company is doing quite a lot in terms of venturing into various kinds of products, what I can advise them is simply scaling up what they are doing right now,” said Gwengwe.
Chief Executive Officer For Ethanol Malawi in Dwangwa, Lusubilo Chakaniza said the company is planning to construct another production unit in Salima district in order to scale up production.
Government to enhance access to information
By Patience Longwe
Lilongwe, November 21, Mana; The Vice President of the Republic of Malawi Dr. Micheal Usi has highlighted the importance of access to information saying it’s a fundamental right to Malawians.
Speaking during the launch of MBC2 On the Go, at MBC Area 4 studios in Lilongwe, Usi said televisions provide the basics of information, education and entertainment.
“Broadcasting images and sounds becomes an integral part of how people imagine, understand, and form judgments. Therefore, the responsibility that accompanies this power is immense.
“No one can doubt that the mass media, the field of broadcasting have a very important place in contemporary society. The broadcasters form an important and influential bridge, a crucial channel, between government and people,” he said.
Usi also added that the development plans of the government for all parts of the country will not succeed without adequate provision for channels of information, that is both for information to the people and information from the people.
The Minister of Information and Digitalization, Moses Kunkuyu, noted that the use of television creates lasting impression in human memory and it is critical in influencing perceptions and attitudes.
“I would therefore urge program producers to use the power of the media to transform the image of Malawi and the continent in general by sharing Malawi’s inspiring and motivational stories and technology innovations with the world,” said Kunkuyu.
Meanwhile, Board Chairperson of Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) Rev. Vasco Kachipapa said their goal is to be relevant and engage Malawians intensely while modernising ways of working and ensuring long-term financial sustainability.
“With the imminent migration to Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), MBC’s aim is to create a sustainable platform for broadcasting and content distribution in the digital age,” he said.
Be of positive impact to the country’s economic development-Chakwera
By Prisca Promise Mashushu
Lilongwe, November, 21 Mana: President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera who is also the Chancellor of Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) has urged fresh graduates to bring a positive impact in the economic development of the country through agriculture and science in line with the Malawi 2063 agenda.
The President made the sentiments on Thursday, during the eighth Luanar congregation that took place at LUANAR Bunda campus in Lilongwe.
He said the fresh graduates have been honoured to make long lasting impacts in the economic development of the country due to their perseverance, dedication and determination to achieve their goals.
He emphasized that LUANAR is no ordinary institution and does not produce ordinary graduates due to its high quality and excellent education that is offered each and every year to students in various faculties.
“As the chancellor of the university, I would like to encourage the graduates to refuse to participate in any activities that can destroy the economic sector of the nation but rather encourage them to show their full potential that can help to boost the economic sector through agriculture.
“LUANAR is known for its commitment in creation of knowledge, skills and innovations hence the outgoing students should build systems that can help to promote different sectors of the government through agriculture,” Chakwera said.
Vice Chancellor for LUANAR, Professor Emmanuel Kaunda said the newly graduated individuals have been equipped to conquer challenges of Malawi by offering long lasting solutions towards the country’s development.
He also said the 8th congregation represent a significant investment in human capital resources with endless possibilities in transforming Malawi in agriculture and other economic growth.
“As newly graduates, you must know that you carry not only knowledge but also potential impact to transform Malawi into a self-reliant nation in line with achieving Malawi 2063 values.
As you step out into the world, don't underestimate yourself; instead, keep pushing forward until you achieve your goals," Kaunda encouraged.
Concurring with Kaunda’s sentiments, Professor Zachary Kasomekera, who is LUANAR Council Chairperson explained that LUANAR saves as a ground platform for innovative ideas to be actualised with high quality resources and support to its students.
“Graduates are encouraged to focus on investing in agriculture natural resources for human capital development.
“The outgoing students should act as a bridge between government and the university in guiding Malawi to fulfil its Malawi 2063 values,” he explained.
He has however advised the graduates to work hard and transform others by knowing their values in order to help in achieving the MW 2063 Pillar of agricultural productivity.
Upon arrival the President was welcomed by Minister of Agriculture Sam Dalitso Kawale, LUANAR Council Chair Prof. Zachary Kasomekera, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Emmanuel Kaunda, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Dr. Agnes Mwangwela, University Registrar Dr. Phillip Kaonda, and other senior government officials.
The graduation is celebrated under the theme “Investment in Agricultural and Natural Resource Human Capital Development: Paving the Way for Malawi’s Social and Economic Transformation
Ministry impressed with Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) in Nkhata Bay
By Chisomo Kambandanga
Nkhata Bay, November 20, Mana: The Principal Secretary of Finance and Administration in the Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Nwazi Mnthambala, has commended Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) for transforming lives of the programme beneficiaries.
Mnthambala made the remarks on Wednesday at Nkhwali, in the area of Senior Chief Timbiri in Nkhata Bay, during a visit to households benefiting from the Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) alongside officials from her ministry.
“It’s impressive to see beneficiaries having achieved financial stability in various forms including asserts. This development fits the goals of the programme,” said Mnthambala.
She then advised the beneficiaries against using the assets which they have accumulated as a tool for propelling gender based violence.
One of the beneficiaries, Timothy Mlauzi aged 58 testified that he is ready to graduate from the programme to pave way to others so that they also benefit from the initiative.
“I developed my exit strategy immediately I was enrolled into the programme in 2022 and I can say proudly that the strategy is working.
I now have five goats, 24 chickens besides purchasing 15 iron sheets and I am expecting to receive money from village savings and loans (VSLs) group bank which I will invest in farming,” said Mlauzi.
According to District Social Welfare Officer for Nkhata Bay, Martha Mphopo, beneficiaries will continue being encouraged to be investing their stipends money in VSLs so that they develop a sustainable economic base.
SCTP is being implemented by Malawi Government through the National Local Government Finance Committee with funding from Multi Donor Trust Fund and World Bank and currently is benefiting 6,475 households in Nkhata Bay.
Ripple Africa takes Fisheries Conservation Management Act to people
By Chisomo Kambandanga
Nkhata Bay, November 21, Mana: Ripple Africa through its Fish for Tomorrow’s Project has oriented officials from the judiciary and police in Nkhata Bay on Fisheries Conservation Management Act for them to be familiar with it as they are key when it comes to law enforcement.
Speaking on Wednesday after a two-day orientation exercise, Country Director for Ripple Africa, Force Ngwira said their expectation was that the law enforcers would better understand the Act for them to effectively handle fisheries related cases.
“We are trying to fill the knowledge gap that we identified and we expect to collaboratively move forward together as we manage and conserve fish on our beautiful lake,” he said.
Ngwira singled out poor mind-set of fishermen and transfer of well-trained law enforcers on Fisheries Management Act as major challenges fuelling illegal fishing in Malawi.
In his remarks, District Commissioner for Nkhata Bay Rodgers Newa urged the trained law enforcers to pass on the knowledge they gained to the local communities.
“There is need for cascading such trainings to trainer of trainers at grass root level for its sustainability as transfers of government officials are inevitable,” he added.
He therefore commended Ripple Africa for always taking a leading role in complementing government’s efforts in conserving the environment
