By Tawonga Moyo

Mzuzu, January 24, Mana: Houses belonging to about 35 people in Mzuzu City's Chibavi West Ward have been destroyed, following prolonged rainfall which the city has been experiencing for the past two weeks.

Chibavi West Ward’s councilor Gabriel Mwaungulu disclosed this on Wednesday and added that he is currently discussing with block leaders and members of the disaster ward protection committee, as the magnitude of the damage is being assessed.

“We are still assessing the situation on the ground to determine the exact number of the affected households, but, so far, I can confirm that close to seven houses have been destroyed,” said Mwaungulu.

Meanwhile, Mwaungulu has expressed worry on whether the affected households will receive help any time soon, claiming that the current system which Mzuzu City Council uses in responding disaster survivors is not favorable.  

“Each time there is a disaster, the disaster desk office at the council gives us conditions which are very questionable. For instance, they say that they can only come in when the affected households have reached a certain number.

“This is very unfortunate, because we expect assistance without attached conditions as such incidents affect lives of people,” said Mwaungulu.

He further said when last year’s floods occurred, those whose houses were built near riverbanks offered to relocate themselves if the council could provide them with land, a thing which he alleged was not fulfilled.

In his remarks, Disaster Desk Officer for the city's council, Precious Mandala, said his office has not yet received any disaster related report, and that if there will be any, the council won’t hesitate to offer assistance.

“The Department of Disaster Management Affairs supports any council with relief items once a report of damages is made and so far, we are yet to receive formal report of cases of flooding within our jurisdiction,” said Mandala.

Mandala then disputed Mwaungulu’s allegations that the council never provides land in times of disasters for the evacuation of survivors.

He said the council provides temporary housing units and that there have always been mixed reactions on the relocation subject.

“When the council gives safe land to the survivors, many are adamant and argue that they are poor and cannot afford to buy land from the council. Some also say that they cannot leave their custom parcels of land,” he said.

By Wongani Mkandawire & Innocent Chunga.

Nkhotakota, January 24, Mana: Nkhotakota District Council on Tuesday launched the 2023/2024 tree planting season at Dzikonilonse Primary School in area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Kalimanjira.

The launch came with call for the people of the district and various stakeholders to take part in the exercise of taking care of these trees to increase their survival chances.

Speaking in an interview, Principal District Forestry Officer George Zibophe said the district plans to plant 1.3 million trees in various areas in the district in order to bring back the district's lost vegetation and fight land degradation.

Zibophe said about 70 percent of tree seedlings that were planted last year have survived, adding his office has since encouraged various stakeholders to join hands in the exercise of planting and caring for these trees.

"Stakeholders should take part in addressing some gaps in the exercise, but our office will continue providing technical expertise for increased survival rate of the trees in the district." Said Zibophe.

Chairperson for Nkhotakota District Council, Councilor Charles Chimzukuzuku, said the council is committed to ensure the tree planting exercise taken at community level is in line with environmental conservation activities in the district.

T/A Kalimanjira commended the exercise, observing that this will create natural assets in his jurisdiction which will benefit his community now and generations to come.

Various stakeholders, including government of Iceland, African Parks, Ripple Africa, Umunthu Plus, Bathu Premium Water and Wildlife Environmental Society of Malawi (WESM), supported the tree planting activity in the district.

The country is expected to plant 34 million trees this season under the theme “Forest Innovation in Action: Reforestation for Sustainable Tomorrow" and the exercise is expected to end in April this year.

Glory Msowoya

Blantyre, January 24, Mana: First Lady Monica Chakwera has called on private sector, both local and international, to rally behind transformative initiatives aimed at promoting equality in education.

She was speaking on Wednesday during the Shaping our Future Foundation (SOFF) 2023 Top Malawi School Certificate of Education Performers Award Ceremony that took place at Blantyre Secondary School.

The event was aimed at awarding outstanding students benefiting from SOFF scholarships in different schools across the country.

Chakwera said there is need for concerted effort from all stakeholders to empower both girls and boys as one way of fostering an environment where they can thrive academically.

She said the call for inclusivity resonates strongly with a commitment of ensuring that education reaches girls with disabilities, those from disadvantaged backgrounds, and those residing in remotest areas.

“As partners, we must create an enabling environment that equally encourages girls and boys to attend school, stay in school, and thrive academically. As First Lady of the Republic of Malawi, I pledge to lead and support efforts of advancing girls' education while supporting vulnerable boys.

“Equal chances for boys and girls will yield equal performance, as witnessed today, with two students achieving high points regardless of gender,” she said.

In her remarks, Minister of Education Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima commended SOFF scholarships, praising its alignment with government efforts of supporting underprivileged students across the country.

“We have witnessed vulnerable girls and boys benefitting from SOFF scholarships. This signifies significant positive outcomes for our country.

"As Malawi, we allocate a budget to assist needy students. However, on our own, we cannot reach out to a broader spectrum of students. We earnestly seek additional partners to collaborate with us and alleviate the number of students in need," she said.

Representing SOFF donors, Country Director for Plan International, Mwape Mulumbi, expressed her organization’s unwavering commitment to support the youth through SOFF.

Mulumbi emphasized that mere monetary support is insufficient to truly motivate a child. Instead, she stressed the importance of incorporating inspiring role and innovative models to ignite the flame of motivation within each student.

“I am urging you to see education as a journey that extends beyond the confines of secondary schooling. Go and continue working hard in tertiary education, persevere in your academic pursuits and would like to remind you that your efforts today lay the foundation for a better tomorrow, " she said.

Zainab Mustafa, speaking on behalf of the SOFF beneficiaries, expressed deep gratitude to the First Lady for the timely and impactful sponsorship that has significantly shaped their educational pursuits.

In a passionate plea, Mustafa emphasized the importance of sustaining these crucial programmes to ensure more individuals should benefit from the transformative power of education.

More than 20 students received laptops, school bags, and financial support as part of their awards.

Since its inception in August 2020, the foundation has awarded over 2,500 scholarships, and it is poised to extend scholarships to more than 1,000 students in the current year. 

By Leah Malimbasa

Chikwawa, January 24, Mana: National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) Senior Budget Analyst Patricia Banda has commended Chikwawa District Council for exceeding its local revenue collection target.

Banda made the remarks during a budget review hearing session at Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre on Tuesday, where the council presented its 2023/2024 budget to the NLGFC.

“It is very rare for councils to meet and surpass their targets, so what the council has achieved is not easy,” said Banda after the council’s Director of Finance Steven Kanyerere’s presentation.

In his presentation, Kanyerere highlighted that the council collected K251,150,000, surpassing its set target of K172,000,000.

He stated that this locally generated revenue would significantly contribute to improving sanitation in the district.

“We will rehabilitate our market infrastructure, including toilets, to ensure a conducive environment for operating businesses,” Kanyerere explained and further disclosed that government has committed to supporting the Climate Smart-Enhanced Public Works Program (CS-EPWP) with about K4 billion in the next financial year.

“In addition, we will receive support through Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD); there is a tremendous improvement in the figure that the government is committing next financial year across all sectors, which I believe will greatly enhance service delivery to the people of Chikwawa,” he added.

Apart from the local revenue, the presented budget included funds from other sources, such as the District Development Fund, Constituency Development Fund, and Water Resources Fund from the central government.

It also included donor-funded programs like CS-EPWP and GESD, a performance-based grant incentivizing effectiveness and accountability for the performance of local authorities.

District Commissioner for Chikwawa, Nardin Kamba, expressed gratitude to NLGFC for its support and input during the hearing.

 “I would also like to thank our staff members for their dedication in coming up with this budget, and together we will ensure that all the comments from the experts here are incorporated into our final budget,” he said.

Commenting on the budget, NLGFC’s Scalable Mechanism Coordinator, Mulder Mkutumula, praised the district for including payment for CS-EPWP.

“Overall, we can rate the budget at 92 percent; once we collaborate on the new elements introduced, it will be perfect,” said Mkutumula.

Currently, the total budget for Chikwawa is K8,085,119,593, but it may change as the council incorporates NLGFC’s input, potentially adjusting the budget either upward or downward by the submission date.

By Wanangwa Tembo

Kasungu, January 24, Mana: Minister of Education Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima says government has planned to roll out the Primary School Feeding Programme in all schools by 2030 to further improve positive education indicators.

Wirima made the remarks at Chithiba Primary School in Kasungu on Tuesday when a delegation from Mary’s Meals International visited the school to appreciate the progress of the feeding programme.

She said: “School feeding is one of the priority programmes for contributing to attainment of educational outcomes, as well as improving health and nutrition status of our learners as indicated in the National Education Sector Plan.

“The Ministry of Education has placed the school meals programme as one of its priorities, as reflected through the five strands for foundational learning, which commit to increase school feeding coverage from 35 percent of all public primary schools, to 100 percent by 2030.”

Wirima said while the country continues to achieve good results in terms of learner enrolment, it still faces challenges in terms of other access indicators, such as learner attendance and dropout.

“However, in primary schools where school feeding programme is present, we have observed not only increased attendance of learners to classes but also reduced school dropout rates,” she said.

Chief Programmes Officer for Mary’s Meals International, Graeme Little, said it was exciting that the initiative which started with 200 pupils in Blantyre in 2002, has grown to feeding over a million pupils in Malawi alone.

He said: “Everything we have seen here is exciting. The programme is strong, and the community is supporting it. The sad reality is that we still have a gap in that we still have many pupils who go to schools that do not have the feeding programme.

“The other challenge recently has been the rising of food costs. However, we remain committed telling the story of what we have seen here which will also help us to raise resources. Our priority is to keep the promise to the children.”

In his remarks, Senior Chief Kaomba thanked Mary's Meals International for the meals programme, saying the initiative has helped to keep pupils in school.

With support from Mary’s Meals International, government is implementing the school feeding programme in at least 931 primary schools in 24 districts using a model that promotes procurement of locally produced corn and soy blend.

Glory Msowoya

Blantyre, January, 22, Mana: In a proactive effort to fortify its financial position, the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Blantyre Synod has launched a special appeal strategy to its congregations to raise funds dedicated to ensuring economic stability of the church.

Synod Moderator, Rev. Dr. Humphreys Zgambo presided over the launch on Sunday at St Michaels and All Angels Church in Blantyre with the call to all its faithful to actively participate in the fundraising campaign, contributing to the mission of CCAP Blantyre Synod.

Speaking to Malawi News Agency after the launch, General Secretary for CCAP Blantyre Synod Rev. Anderson Juma, said has a debt of K2 billion obtained from commercial banks, lending institutions and individuals for some of its developmental activities.

Rev. Juma said the newly launched strategy was meant to address the current situation.

He assured members that a minimum contribution of K10,000 by each church member across the Blantyre Synod per year will be utilized for the intended purpose and he emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in the strategy backed by systematic auditing.

“As the church embarks on this financial journey, we extend a heartfelt plea to all Christians to actively participate in cushioning the current situation, through unity and shared responsibility the Synod envisions a future where its financial endeavors thrive for the greater good,” said Juma.

Chairperson for the Special Appeal Strategy Team, Rev. Reynolds Mmangisa expressed desire to see the church cease dependence on pledges and instead focus on sustainable ways and means of generating income.

“The goal is to reduce reliance on member pledges and ensure sustainable funding for the Church's operations. As part of this initiative, Christians are encouraged to contribute to the Synod special appeal and ensure sustainable funding for the Church's operations,” said Mmangisa.

Notable landmarks, Zomba Plateau Lodge, Naming’azi Conference Centre, cement making blocks, Naming’azi Bottled Water, and Grace Bandawe Conference Centre, all require funds for renovation to meet high standards,” he said.

Session Clerk at Michiru CCAP, Lexa Chiipa commended the Synod for the timely strategy, saying this will help to solve some of the Synod’s financial challenges.

By Innocent Chunga

Nkhotakota, January 22, Mana:  Renowned Environmental experts in the country Maloto Chimkombero and Mathews Malata have commended the World Bank-funded Climate Smart-Enhanced Public Works programme, for encouraging farmers to adopt modern agriculture techniques in the country.

In an interview with Malawi News Agency-MANA on Monday, they both shared views on the programme stating it brings a positive impact as far as environmental conservation issues are concerned.

Chimkombero has since encouraged, community members to continue participating in the programme as he said is improving livelihoods through income-generating activities while also helping to restore degraded land.

"The programme has successfully met its objectives to make a positive impact on the lives of the people involved, and those that are not participating should do so, for the country to benefit a lot," Said Chimkombero

Meanwhile, Malata, said community contribution to the programme has helped to improve the survival rate of trees citing that people have held themselves responsible for taking care of the trees in their catchment areas.

Some of the beneficiaries in the lakeshore district of Nkhotakota have since commended the programme as they said it is addressing challenges related to climate change in the district.

Beneficiaries in the programme are encouraged to participate in the programme's sub-activities like tree planting, gully reclamation, and construction of swales just to mention a few.

The multi-billion Kwacha Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme is being implemented by the National Local Governance Finance Committee with funding from the World Bank, USAID, Iceland, Ireland, UK-FCDO, EU, and Norway.

By Yamikani Yapuwa

Thyolo, January 26, Mana: 300 extension workers from Thyolo have been trained on how they can handle issues of nutrition during emergencies in the district.

Speaking Thursday on the sidelines of a two-day training, Principal Nutrition and HIV and AIDS Officer for Thyolo, Kondwani Luwe, said the main objective of the training was to equip extension workers with comprehensive knowledge and practical skills in addressing nutrition issues.

"Thyolo has, in the past, been affected by several disasters of different natures such as Cholera and floods. As such, the national nutrition cluster, in collaboration with several district actors, developed a Nutrition in Emergency training package to orient Thyolo District Nutrition Clusters in emergency response," said Luwe

Luwe said the district has taken a proactive step by operationalizing the training session to technically train extension workers.

“So, specifically the training wants to make extension workers to understand the nutritional needs of populations affected by emergencies as well as learn effective assessment tools for rapid nutrition analysis.

"Further, we want to develop their skills in planning and implementing nutrition interventions in emergency situations while enhancing coordination and collaboration among stakeholders in emergency nutrition response in the district,” he said.

Community Development Assistant under Nanseta Area, Thokozani Sumba, hailed the training saying it has deepened their understanding on what to do in times of emergencies in the areas they are working.

"The training has been an eye opener on what to do with people who take refuge in camps during emergencies such as floods. This will help to ensure that their nutrition is not compromised.

"We will be able to effectively assess if a child is malnourished or not because we have been given the technical knowledge of how to examine them as well as how to use the tools," said Sumba.

Area Disaster Risk Management Committee Chairperson from Traditional Authority (TA) Nanseta, Alex Sumani, said previously they used to experience a lot of challenges during emergencies like floods since they lacked proper knowledge to deal with such situations.

"With the knowledge given, we can respond quickly by intervening at the local level as we wait for district council team to arrive.

"We have been taught the importance of making sure that under five children, lactating mothers, elderly people as well as people with disabilities are given attention because of their vulnerability in times of emergencies," said Sumani.