By Fostina Mkandawire

Salima, March 2, Mana: A mega farm under Greenbelt Authority (GBA) in Salima has transformed lives of community members who are benefiting from the initiative through employment.

Speaking during a media tour of the 100 hectare Chikwawa Irrigation Scheme located in the area of Senior Chief Khombedza, one of the beneficiaries, Owen Mwase, described his experience at the scheme as life changing.

He said before being employed at the farm he used to struggle to make ends meet especially feeding his family.

He said after being employed at the farm as a casual labourer he now affords a decent life.

"I have managed to buy twenty chickens and two goats and buying food for my household is not as difficult as it used to be. Our area is marred by food insufficiency since our crops did not do well the last farming season," he said.

Mwase is happy that he now affords to send his children to school saying he pays school development fund and buys notebooks for his primary school going children using wages realized from the farm.

Another beneficiary, Kerita Lyson, commended the initiative saying she is now independent and no longer depends on her relatives to take care of her four children as she receives K16,100 in wages every Friday.

Lyson said, through the wages, she has managed to rent one hectare of land where she has planted maize and is assured of food sufficiency.

Group Village Headman Mwazawala under Senior Chief Khombedza, in whose area the mega farm is located, is highly appreciative that most of his community members are employed at the farm.

"Government would have singled out any area in Salima but they chose this area. I do not take this for granted. Many people in this area were struggling financially and were food insufficient. Therefore, the timing for establishing this farm is good.

"One notable thing I have observed is that people working at the farm are organized and are jealously guarding it from ill intended people. The maize is doing well and we are anticipating bumper harvest,” he said.

BGA Chief Executive Officer, Eric Chidzungu, revealed that the Authority plans to expand the mega farms to scale up more job opportunities and ensure food security in the country.

"We believe in collaborating with communities to give them ownership hence solely depending on local workers for the success of the farm,” he said.

He expressed satisfaction that despite Salima having experienced dry spells in the past two weeks, Chikwawa Scheme is estimated to produce more than 280 metric tonnes of maize this season.

Chikwawa Irrigation Scheme has, currently, employed 140 locals manning the 100-hectare farm in the district.

By Sellah Singini

Lilongwe, March 2, Mana: Minister of Labour, Agnes NyaLonje, has described the National Skills Competition as an incentive for Technical Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training (TEVET) trainees to demonstrate their skills and help raise skills levels across Malawi.

Speaking at Lilongwe Technical College on Friday during the closing of the first ever National Skills Competition, NyaLonje said the competition gives the trainees an opportunity to be creative, innovative and develop abilities to work under pressure.

She said Malawi’s socio-economic development agenda requires competitive skills to enable the country produce products and services that can compete on both local and international markets.

"It is worth noting that, currently, the TEVET system, through TEVET Authority, is striving to produce more artisans with skills that can match up to the acceptable national and international standards," NyaLonje said.

She said this, in turn, will result in improved quality of Malawi's national infrastructure and increased national employment, including in major projects, rather than relying on imported labour.

"It will facilitate a culture of innovation, which lies at the heart of economic growth," she added.

NyaLonje said, the competition environment also encouraged trainees to produce quality work well beyond their qualification levels which demonstrates to industries that the trainees can meet labour market standards.

She, therefore, urged all students to take competition as a springboard from which they must push and aspire to participate in international skills competitions.

TEVETA Board Chairperson, Pyoka Tembo, said 117 contestants participated in the regional competitions in April last year from seven technical colleges from the Northern Region, eight from the Southern Region and nine from the Central Region.

32 of the 117 contestants, who proceeded to the national round, received awards for doing well in their various disciplines such as automobile mechanics, tailoring and design, bricklaying, fabrication and welding, ICT as well as plumbing.

The competition has helped trainees develop key employability skills in areas such as problem solving, time management, effective team work and communication.

By Moses Nyirenda

Lilongwe, March 1, Mana: Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Liana Kakhobwe Chapota, has urged the public and stakeholders in the water sector to take an active part in planting trees in the country in order to conserve and sustain water sources.

She made the plea in Lilongwe on Friday when she presided over the tree planting exercise organized by Lilongwe Water Board (LWB) in partnership with Malawi Housing Corporation (MHC) at Lilongwe River catchment area at Malingunde.

Chapota said trees play a greater role in conserving water sources such as rivers and dams hence the need for more trees to be planted if water sources are to be conserved and sustained.  

“It is an undeniable relationship between trees and water sources because trees give a good vegetative cover which helps to conserve water resources hence the need to plant more trees to sustain water sources,” Chapota said.

She applauded LWB and MHC for initiating planting of over 6,000 trees at Malingunde saying, once they grow, the trees would assist protect Lilongwe River catchment area while at the same time sustaining availability of water in the river.

She, therefore, urged the two institutions to continue planting trees in order for the country to have more trees that would assist in water conservation.

“My advice to LWB and MHC is that planting of trees should be an ongoing exercise not only in the rainy season but also off season,” she said.

LWB Board Member, Lingalireni Mihowa, said the exercise was organized to plant trees that would protect Lilongwe River catchment where the Board sources its water.

“We thought of planting trees to conserve Lilongwe River which supports our ability to supply quality water to the people of Lilongwe,” Mihowa said.

MHC Board Chairperson, Reverend Jaleck Kachipanda, said they partnered with LWB in tree planting after noting the role that LWB plays in supplying water to the people of Lilongwe including those living in MHC houses.

By Ireen Mseteka

Likoma, March 1, Mana: Likoma District Education Manager’s (DEM) office has awarded outstanding Standard Eight teachers for good performance of their learners in the 2022/2023 Primary School Leaving Certificate Examinations (PSLCE).  

Speaking during the award ceremony on Thursday, Chief Education Officer for Likoma, Zimulange Mhango, said the gesture was aimed at motivating outstanding teachers to continue working hard. 

“As a district we get good PLSCE results but not good enough. That is why we decided to organize these awards to encourage teachers to work harder and send more learners to secondary schools,” Mhango said.

Member of Parliament (MP) for Likoma, Ashems Songwe, said he launched a primary school quiz competition to improve education standards on the island district.

“We want to ensure the district’s performance improves effective this year. Our primary schools should start sending learners to national secondary schools.

“At the moment, we want to buy a multifunctioning printer so that printing services should be within reach. On top of that, government is constructing school blocks and libraries in the district,” Songwe said.

One of the outstanding teachers, Peter Chigoo, who is also Deputy Headteacher for Ulisa Primary School, said he always works hard and gives lessons to learners from 6am to 7am even during holidays and weekends.

By Tikondane Vega

Blantyre, March 1, Mana: First Lady Madame Monica Chakwera has called upon women in the country to continue playing a support system role for the country to move forward, saying women are a beacon of love and solutions to societal problems.

Madame Chakwera was speaking at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre on Friday during the 2024 Women’s World Day of Prayer.

She encouraged women to continue praying for the country and bring solutions to several challenges the country is facing.

“The change that we need in our families or country requires prayer warriors as such women should avail themselves in every difficult situation. We have several problems that need prayers. Let us all be saviours in such situations,” she said.

The First Lady said Malawi has gone through tough situations like natural disasters which need prayers for things to return normal.

Madame Chakwera read scriptures from Ephesians 4 verses 1 to 7.

National Chairperson for Women’s World Day of Prayer, Esther Grant, advised women to continue exercising love and support in all situations as this is the only solution to deal with unforeseen circumstances.

“You can also pray for those in Palestine who are dying every day and require support from well-wishers like us who are enjoying peace,” said Grant.

In her sermon, Pastor Towera Masiku of Word Alive Ministries appealed to Malawians to love one another and learn to live in peace and harmony.

Masiku encouraged women to support their husbands in all situations as they are support systems in society.

“Always be humble, gentle, patient and tolerant with one another in love,” she said.

Minister of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare, Jean Sendeza and Mama Cecilia Tamanda Kadzamira were among notable figures who graced the event.

The prayers were inspired by choirs, worshiping, lighting of candles symbolizing a bright future, love for the country and reading of scriptures among others.

Women World Day of Prayer is an annual event held on the first Friday of March. This year the day was held under the theme: “I Beg you… Bear with One Another in Love.”

By Levison Lester & Patience Longwe

Lilongwe, February 29, Mana: Executive Director for Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC), Lloyds Vincent Nkhoma, has asked the Parliamentary Cluster Committee on Industry, Trade and Tourism, Media, Information and Communication to lobby government for extra funding amounting to K400 million if the Commission is to serve Malawians better and effective.

Nkhoma made the remarks in Lilongwe on Thursday when he appeared before the cluster committee.

He justified the adjustment saying funds allocated are not enough to cushion the price of fuel and mobility challenges the Commission faces in undertaking its duties.

"Indeed we appeared before the cluster committee. Basically, this is a standard process where we annually come to present our budget and showcase to Parliament what we have achieved the previous year. We also lobby for additional funding if needed by showcasing the programme base focus of what we want to achieve as a Commission.

"Treasury has given us a budget of about K1.51 billion but looking at the programmes, and issues of currency alignment which has happened, and for us to be effective and deliver our mandate, we are proposing for additional K400 million to cushion some of the issues on our work," he said.

Nkhoma said, apart from easing mobility challenges, the request for extra funding to the current budget allocated by Treasury is justifiable as it will help in staff recruitment.

Co-Chairperson for the Parliamentary Cluster Committee on Industry, Trade and Tourism, Media Information and Communication, Susan Dossi, said the lobby for extra funding will happen only if CFTC clearly indicates how the proposed funding will be utilized.

"As a cluster committee, we were informed by CFTC that the budget announced last week is not enough and have asked us to lobby government for extra funding.

“Unfortunately, they have not indicated what they want to do with the extra funds. So, we have agreed for another meeting next week where they will indicate how the extra money will be used," she said.

By Tawonga Moyo

Mzuzu, February 29, Mana: Project Manager for DEC Construction Limited, which is constructing Mzuzu Youth Centre, Ellard Malonda, has revealed that the project, currently at 40 percent advancement stage, is expected to be completed in July this year.

Confirming the development in an interview on Wednesday, Malonda said they have been working on the foundation which was a massive task.

“We are expecting to finish this project by July 8, 2024. This project has been running in phases as the structure consists of several rooms. Currently, the foundation stage which consists of a library and an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) centre is done.

“The remaining sections will be easy for us to pull them up because, currently, we are above the ground floor and works above the ground are easily done than inside the ground,” said Malonda.

Malonda added that there have been some changes in the structural plan in that the volleyball, netball, basketball and tennis courts which were initially designed to be at the right side of the building have been moved to the left.

Director of Planning and Development for Mzuzu City Council (MCC), Monica Malota, said the Council understands the outcry by the youth in the city regarding the delay in completion of the project.

“We understand that the youth in Mzuzu expect the project to be completed as soon as possible, but we have experienced a few delays in its implementation with forex shortages and rains being contributing factors,” said Malota.

YPlus Mzuzu Coordinator, an association of young people living with HIV, Innocent Mbezuma, thanked government for the facility, saying youth in the city will finally have a place to call their own.

“Whenever we have activities, we are required to book a place. This facility will have everything we need such as an ICT centre and sports courts.

“These are no mean developments as they will help in boosting sports and technology in Mzuzu,” said Mbezuma.