By Sylvester Kumwenda

Dowa, January 15, Mana: Three peple in Dowa have died while 139 have been left destitute following flash floods that happened on Saturday due to prolonged heavy rains which washed away houses, property, crops and other infrastructure.

The floods occurred in parts of Traditional Authorities (TA) Dzoole, Msakambewa and Mponela especially in villages along Kasangazi River which overflowed due to heavy rains over a four hour downpour.

TA Mponela has confirmed the deaths within his area.

“I can confirm that we have lost two people who were swept by the overflooding waters and due to the nature of the deaths, burial has already taken place. However, three children who went missing have been found but other two are yet to be located,” he said.

The death toll has currently reached three. Police are however yet to confirm of the deaths.

TA Mponela has since called for immediate help to affected families which he said has brought a nightmare in his area and across the district, describing the floods as something that he never anticipated in the area.

“A lot of houses have been washed away and these families, as we speak, do not have anywhere to stay. They also have nothing to eat as all the foodstuff and properties has been washed away.

“As such we need urgent help like shelter, food and basic domestic materials like pails and blankets for them,” he said.

He, therefore, said there for long term assistance because a lot of crops have been lost, and most of the crops in the fields that have been washed away were already at an advanced stage.

“People had invested a lot on these fields and if they are to replant, they will need help like seed and fertilizer. However, this will still affect the overall harvest and the affected people are at risk of facing hunger in the coming months,” he said.

Across the district, 37 houses have been destroyed with 20 totally washed away. Over 139 people have been affected.

In TA Msakambewa alone, over 700 households have been affected as their fields have been washed away.

The statistics are however expected to change as evaluations are still ongoing.

Councilor for Msakambewa East Ward Martin Luka said apart from these, the floods have also damaged some infrastructure including five bridges.

“These include Lingadzi Bridge at Kadiwa, Uzami Bridge at Kalwembe - Mzukwa Road and Uzami Bridge on Mkanga – Kalikwembe Road.

“We anticipate that this would result in communication challenges within the affected communities,” he said.

Dowa District Commissioner, Stallichi Mwambiwa, said teams from the council are already deployed on the ground determining the extent of the damage and coordinating responses.

Currently, the Department of Disaster Management Affairs has donated various relief items to some of the affected people which include maize floor, beans, tents, buckets, and blankets.

By Kondwani Magombo

Lilongwe, January 15, Mana: They did not wait until they were fully established, with sound financial base and wide profit margins, to carry out what in the corporate world is called social responsibility.

When the youth from Luso Langa Club in Traditional Authority Masula in Lilongwe got start-up packages, early December, to venture into vocational skills of their individual choice after a four-month training, they turned to their public health facility and offered free maintenance services.

To the youth, it was just the right thing to do after Community Savings and Investment Promotion (COMSIP) Cooperative Union Limited had given them the training, and the start-up tools, all for free, through the Youth Skills Challenge Support (YSCS) initiative.

“We live in the community and we know the challenges our community faces. So when we got the start-up tools after the training, we mobilised little resources to rehabilitate Dickson Health Centre, here in TA Masula,” explained chairperson of the cooperative, Violet Finiasi, in an interview.

“The condition of the beds, chairs, and the curtains had always been an eyesore, and that’s why we were compelled to carry out this noble task; besides, it’s only proper considering that some of our newly acquired vocational skills have hazards and, in cases of occupational injuries, this would be the first place to go to for treatment,” she added.

According to Finiasi, her club comprises 12 members who underwent COMSIP’s training in various fields, such as welding, carpentry, tailoring, cosmetology, phone repairing, and bricklaying, according to their individual preference.

However, the services that the Luso Langa Youth Club offered in repairing the broken equipment at Dickson Health Centre mainly included welding broken windows, beds and steel chairs; tailoring torn curtains and bedsheets; and mending other broken wooden materials, such as office desks and chairs.

The rest of the youth club members helped with cleaning the surrounding and clearing sewer blockages, among other tasks, according to the chairperson.

“It’s all about commitment to doing service to the community,” explained Finiasi, and she added: “We used MK60,000 only from our club’s purse to do all this.”

The club also repaired a few broken desks at Dickson Primary School and, according to Finiasi, the members are ready to offer more services to public facilities in their community and beyond, whenever need arises.

Luso Langa Youth Club’s gesture left the management of Dickson Health Centre speechless, as the undertaken social responsibility was least expected.

“We are very impressed with what the youth club has done: most of our furniture – especially beds – were broken and women seeking medical attention used to sleep on the floor, but that is all history now.” explained Lameck Simkoko, medical assistant at the facility.

According to Simkoko, the repairs and maintenance works of the broken materials is a relief as it’ll reduce the list of items reported to the District Health Office (DHO) for redress.

The charity services that Luso Langa Youth Club offered to their health centre in December appear to have put the skilled members in the path of Lady Luck as more and more contracts have popped up for them to take up, according to a recent follow-up interview with Finiasi.

YSCS is a sub-programme that COMSIP is implementing under the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project (SSRLP), a Malawi government project funded by the World Bank, and Social Protection Multi Donor Trust Fund (MDTF), through the National Local Government Financing Committee (NLGFC).

Under the YSCS, a total of 721 youths from various clusters in 14 districts across the country underwent vocational training from March to June in 2023 before they were given start-up packages early December in the year.

The second cohort starts in February, targeting 1,789 youths drawn from the 14 districts, namely: Chiradzulu, Blantyre, Phalombe, Balaka, Dedza, Lilongwe, Dowa, Ntchisi, Kasungu, Nkhotakota, Nkhatabay, Karonga, Rumphi and Chitipa, where COMSIP is implementing the SSRLP.

According to Development Communication Officer for COMSIP Cooperative Union Limited, Mercy Kayuni, besides the start-up tools, the youths are also getting loans, averaging K300,000 from COMSIV Limited, a finance subsidiary of COMSIP Cooperative Union Limited, to establish themselves in business.

“The youths that are targeted in the YSCS programme are those who are either on Social Cash Transfer (SCTP) or Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) and they are in COMSIP groups, or those youths whose guardians are in COMSIP groups under the SSRLP,” explained Kayuni in an interview.

“The aim of the programme is to help the youth start businesses, or get employment that will help them get out of extreme poverty,” she added, and further clarified that the trainings are conducted by TEVETA certified craftsmen from the communities the youths come from.

Elsewhere in TA Kabudula in Lilongwe, youths who underwent the YSCS training are also celebrated within their communities for their distinguished works.

One such youth, Exton Chimbalu, who trained as a carpenter, went straight into the trade immediately after the training, using borrowed tools just to keep the knowledge fresh, and he had a lot of furniture to his credit by the time the start-up package came.

Now, with his own tools to work with, Chimbalu, a member of Mwaiwathu Club under Kachere Cluster, sees himself becoming the most-sought-after carpenter in TA Kabudula, and beyond.

Like most youth club members under the YSCS that this reporter randomly interviewed in Lilongwe, Dowa, Kasungu and Ntchisi, Chimbalu envisages the most touted MW2063 Agenda already in the bag,

“If government and partners continue to pump resources into such youth projects, MW2063 will be a walkover: think of the development that the 721 youths from cohort 1 can bring to the country if put together?” he wondered.

The picture of the youth’s contribution towards the country’s development as we think, talk and walk MW2063 gets broader and more impressive when one takes into account that the YSCS project will have trained 4,300 youths by 2027, when the project expires.

The custodian of the funding purse, NLGFC, and the Ministry of Youth and Sports, are both optimistic that with such a good start, the YSCS sub-project is set for a meaningful impact to the country’s economic development.

NLGFC Enterprise Development Specialist, Miriam Saiwa, described the YSCS sub-project as “a great initiative” and that “as more youths get trained in various skills in the communities, the youths will be able to bid for bigger projects within and beyond their communities through skills consolidation, which will allow them to earn more income.”

Director for Youth and Sports, Judie Msusa, concurred with Saiwa, describing YSCS as an ideal model for youth economic empowerment through the skill development approach.

According to Msusa, the training packages for the YSCS sub-project respond to major bottlenecks to youth entrepreneurship, such as lack of technical and entrepreneurial skills, access to working tools and working capital.

On social responsibility as demonstrated by the youth of TA Masula in Lilongwe, Msusa said it is a highly appreciated noble obligation, and in line with a pillar in the national youth service programme.

“I’d like to appeal to all stakeholders working with youth in skills training to adopt the model that is being implemented by COMSIP so that youth are meaningfully being involved [in the development of the country],” she said through a brief questionnaire.

What the youth involved in the YSCS initiative have already demonstrated seems to vindicate the Minister of Youth and Sports, Uchizi Mkandawire’s appeal to councils on 4 December, 2023, during the official handover of the starter-up packages in Kasungu.

The minister had said: “To the district councils, let’s promote these young people. They can ably carry out projects that are supported through different funding mechanism at council level.

“They (youth) are available in the communities, as such, there is no need to bring contractors from outside their communities.” 

By Tracy Kafansiyanji

Dedza, December 16, Mana: France Minister of State Chrysoula Zacharopoulou on Friday hailed the World Food Programme (WFP) for its interventions on the school feeding programme under the Joint Programme on Girls Education.

Zacharopoulou said the home grown school meals programme being implemented by WFP with support from NORAD and the Royal Norwegian Embassy has improved primary education in the country.

She made the remarks when she led a visiting delegation to Mphunzi Primary School in Dedza.

“I am pleased to see the growth of the project we have supported for both students to go back to school and farmers who supply foods in schools.

"We implemented it in the eight districts and we have seen its short term results, such as students going to classes while well fed and farmers benefitting from profits for supplying foods in schools because we buy them,” she stated.

She further added that their aim is to focus on long term impacts and that France will continue funding the project, as well as working with the government in order to reach out to many schools in various districts across the country.

On her part, Principal Secretary for Basic Education in the Ministry of Education, Rachel Chimbwete Phiri, said the programme has, among others, improved on enrolment of learners compared to the past as many failed to attend classes on empty stomachs.

She added that apart from improved enrolment, the project has also seen learners completing their primary education as well as reduced absenteeism.

"We have hope that the initiative will scale up to all the districts by 2030 with the availability of funding,” she stated.

In his speech, Mphunzi head teacher Joseph Kapetuka said the initiative has brought in a lot of benefits at his school, more especially increased pass rate for girls which rose from 72 percent in 2018/19 academic years to 93 percent in 2023.

In 2024, WFP's school feeding programme is expected to expand to schools in Mzimba, Nkhata Bay and Rumphi districts.

By Steve Chirombo

Dedza, December 16, Mana: Dedza Senior Resident Magistrate (SRM) has disclosed that they are receiving more sexual offences than any other cases in the district.

SRM James Mankhwazi made the remarks in an interview with the Malawi News Agency (Mana) on Friday.

He said the sexual cases fall in the category of defilement, apart from other cases of burglary, house breaking and robbery.

“In a month, we register not less than 20 cases of sexual offences alone,” he said.

He however pointed out that his office in the district is understaffed, having only four magistrates in ranks of SRM, First Grade Magistrate, Senior Grade Magistrate and the Third Grade Magistrate, adding there are so many cases being handled by a magistrate.

“Apart from that, police also experience challenges when it comes to bringing witnesses from far places like Ntakataka, Golomoti, Linthipe, Maonde due to financial challenges which also burden us when it comes to completion of cases,” he said.

Speaking in a separate interview, Programs Officer for NGO Progressive, Yamikani Mwaonah, said the figures are worrisome considering that victims of the offences are under aged girls.

He, however, said the development should give a picture that victims are now able to come out and report on various abuses happening to them.

“What we can do is also to continue with the awareness interventions with a focus not only to empower victims on reporting the cases but also reducing their occurrences.

“I should also ask government to consider allocating enough court personnel in districts so that we help reduce the burden of our magistrates being overwhelmed with cases,” he stated.

Twimepoki Mangani

Lilongwe, December 16, Mana: Minister of Homeland Security Ken Zikhale Ng’oma has unveiled a Crime Action Management plan during Christmas and New Year period, which will be implemented in all the five regions of the country. 

Zikhale Ng’oma rolled out the initiative on Friday during a press briefing in Lilongwe where he said the essence of the exercise is to prevent crimes and reduce the number of road accidents.

Ng’oma said the Malawi Police Service (MPS) will conduct strategic operations that will include the deployment of uniform and civilian police officers in different locations, as well as mounting road blocks in all accident prone roads.

“There shall be intensive foot and motor vehicle patrols in all tourist attraction and crime prone areas and drivers should strive to observe all regulations, such speeding, capacity and driving under the influence of alcohol,” he said.

He also hailed the MPS for their outstanding performance in 2023 where they were able to register and conclude cases in a timely order’

He, therefore, pledged to lobby with the government to have the MPS’s annual budget fully covered to alleviate different problems they encounter that include transportation.

In a separate interview, National Police Public Relations Officer Peter Kalaya said the service has intensified awareness campaigns using social media platforms, which encompass how to report crimes as well as offering security tips at household level.

Kalaya said the strategic festive season plans cater for, among others, road management with deployment of traffic officers on all major roads as well as in all districts by the lake while also urging Malawians to cooperate with the police.

He further expressed satisfaction with the sentiments shared by the Ministry of Homeland Security regarding their outstanding performance, noting that the service is doing its best and that Malawians can testify of that.

Recently, the Malawi Police made huge strides on the controversial murder case of Reserve Bank of Malawi employee Agnes Katengeza with the arrest of the victim’s close relative Amos Katengeza.

By Andrew Mkonda

Lilongwe, December 16, Mana: Ministry of Health in conjunction with Family Health International (FHI 360) have launched Covid-19 Test to Treat (T2T) initiative, which is aimed at encouraging people to go for rapid Covid-19 test and get treatment immediately once confirmed positive.

Speaking on Friday at Nsanjiko Primary School ground in the area of Traditional Authority Chadza in Lilongwe during the launch, FHI 360 Behaviour Change Communication Advisor Dunia Chiwala said the World Health Organization (WHO) has now approved medicine that can treat Covid-19.

Chiwala said once one has been confirmed positive, he or she will be given medication immediately which is supposed to be taken for only five days.

“Let me take this opportunity of encouraging the people who are noticing signs of Covid-19 for five days, such as general body pains, sneezing and coughing; they should rush to health facilities and get tested and receive treatment immediately,” she said.

However, Chiwala said despite having these medicines, people are still encouraged to keep on observing all Covid-19 preventing measures like washing hands with soap frequently to avoid contracting the disease.

Lilongwe District Chairperson Dan Mtayamanja, who was the guest of honour during the event, thanked the Ministry of Health and FHI 360 for timely intervention against Covid-19 which he said is a threat to the development of any country.

Mtayamanja said it is sad that the country lost a lot of people due to Covid-19 pandemic who could contribute to the development of the country.

He then urged people to go for rapid Covid-19 test so that they should be assisted medically once they have been found positive.

The T2T initiative will currently be implemented on pilot phase in three districts in the country, namely Lilongwe, Zomba and Mangochi before rolling it across the country.

According to Ministry of Health records, the country has lost about 2,686 people to Covid-19.