Breaking News

Chiefs undergo training to protect Daeyang Hospital

Lilongwe, May 19: Traditional leaders living around Daeyang Luke Hospital in Lilongwe were on Saturday trained on how to detect criminals to ensure the hospital and the areas surrounding it were crime-free.

The hospital has lately been the target of robbery attacks which have resulted in the facility losing money and equipment.   The robbery incidents were brought to the attention of President Dr. Joyce Banda who, during her visit to the hospital rcently, directed that police patrol the facility for 24 hours.

Malawi Police Service Assistant Commissioner of Police responsible for operations, Tedson Mwamulu, told Malawi News Agency (Mana) that the training was aimed at teaching the leaders how they could identify criminals in their areas planning to rob the hospital and other places.

“This training was primarily organized to equip them and enhance their capabilities in fighting against crime around this hospital," Mwamulu said in an interview.

And on his part, hospital administrator for Daeyang Luke, Godfrey Soko, said the frequent robberies at the hospital had put workers’ lives in danger.

Soko then expressed his heartfelt appreciation to the Head of State for initiating the whole programme.

"As a hospital, we are very thankful to the President for coming to visit us because all of this would not have happened if it were not for her," Soko said.

Kanengo Police Station organized the training which was conducted at the hospital, targeting traditional leaders from villages of Chatata, Chiuzira and Mchezi.

Daeyang Luke hospital has more than over 300 employees and treats about 70,000 patients per year. It is reputed to have swift and affordable services, explaining its popularity.


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NASFAM to engage media

Kasungu, May 19: The National Small holder Farmers Association of Malawi (NASFAM), on Friday said it was ready to incorporate the media fraternity to help it disseminate messages on extension delivery services in the agricultural sector. NASFAM is a leading smallholder owned business and development organization in Malawi that promotes farming as a business. NASFAM’s Policy Coordinator, John Chipeta, said journalists could play a crucial role in writing investigative stories that would help in smooth delivery of extension services in the farming sector. “The media has for long dwelt on writing about FISP [farm input subsidy programme] stories. Time has come for it to write about agriculture extension service delivery and systems to promote smallholder awareness about extension services,” Chipeta said. He was speaking in Kasungu when he briefed district executive committee (DEC) members on the newly launched project, “strengthening extension structures through advocacy and multi-sector engagement in Malawi”. Chipeta said NASFAM planned to train media practitioners at district and national levels to equip them with the needed information on how the delivery of extension services is carried out, and also help in disseminating findings. However, NASFAM is worried about the low financial resources allocated to the association which, in previous annual budgets, was lower than 3.3 per cent, leading to dwindling efficiency in extension delivery services. The other challenge, according to the association, is limited access to credit and high interest rates which have discouraged farmers from taking farming as business. The project, which started in 2009 and winds up in 2017, aims at increasing smallholder awareness towards extension services, and advocate for an increase in budgetary allocations towards extension services. The Light Africa is supporting the project to the tune of US$80,000. The initiative is being implemented in Mchinji, Zomba, Karonga and Kasungu in selected Extension Planning Areas (EPAs).


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Unregistered NGOs have a month to register - NGO Board

Zomba, May 19: Members of the Zomba District Executive Committee (DEC) were stunned Friday to learn that most Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the district were operating illegally. During a meeting the NGO Board of Malawi convened, it was revealed that most NGOs in the district have not registered with the NGO Board so that they are issued with a certificate of operation. NGO Board of Malawi chairperson, Emily Banda, told the meeting that every NGO that wished to operate or was  operating in the country must first register with the Board before beginning work. “The NGO Board of Malawi is therefore, requesting all NGOs as a matter of urgency to file their applications with the NGO Board by 30th June this year. If an NGO chooses not to register, the matter shall be taken to court according to the laws,” Banda warned. She dismissed speculation that the mandate of the board, which started its operations in 2002, after the NGO Act was passed in 2001, was to suffocate the operations of NGOs in Malawi. “The objectives of the NGO Board are to, among others, promote the development of a strong independent civil society in Malawi and facilitate the formation and effective functioning of NGOs for public benefit purposes,” she said. Banda said the board wanted to create a conducive environment for NGO development through government provision of incentives. She said only registered NGOs could enjoy the incentives from government such as securing land where to operate. Banda also said the registration of NGOs with the Board would promote donor and public confidence in the NGO sector, unlike the case at the moment where even NGOs without capacity are competing for funds with registered ones, resulting in poor service delivery on the ground. Kent Mphepo, who is leader of the operations and compliance committee in the Board, said out of the numerous NGOs in Malawi, only 260 had registered so far. Mphepo also clarified that being a member of the Council for Non-Governmental Organisations in Malawi (CONGOMA) was just one of the requirements in the process of registration with the NGO Board of Malawi. “Being registered as a trust or company and being a member of CONGOMA does not mandate one to establish or operate as an NGO in Malawi and the Board has mandate to register or deregister an NGO in Malawi. “Unless an NGO has a certificate with a seal from the NGO Board of Malawi, the NGO cannot operate in Malawi,” he said. The NGO Act, 2000 section 20(1) states: “Every NGO established or operating in Malawi which is recognized as a legal person under the laws of Malawi, except the exempt organizations, shall register with the Board.” The Act also provides as some of the requirements for registration of an NGO, a statement that the NGO shall not engage in partisan politics including electioneering and politicking. Zomba District Commissioner, Harry Phiri said the NGO Board had come at the right time to sensitize NGOs in the district where there were about 85 NGOs on paper, while work on the ground does not reflect the same. Phiri therefore called on all NGOs to register with the NGO Board of Malawi as per the law to avoid being embarrassed.


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Local Development Fund improves School Infrastructure in Karonga

Karonga, May 19:  Scores of pupils in schools which were damaged by the 2009 earthquakes in Karonga District can now afford to learn in well-built classroom blocks courtesy of the Local Development Fund (LDF). This follows successful completion of construction of 77 new classroom blocks under the Crises Response Programme using the fund. Government has since pledged continued support to education infrastructure development in the district, which continues to be affected by several other disasters like floods and hailstorms. Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Honourable Augastine Mtendere made the pledge this week during an inspection tour of the projects completed under (LDF) so far in the district. He observed that his ministry has a lot of work to do in Karonga District although the district has already achieved a number of works since the inception of the Crisis Response Programme in 2009. ‘‘My visit was basically to access the projects which have been built by the people of Karonga through government investment in LDF. A lot of work here has already been done, but we still have a number of projects to be achieved in Karonga District as there are more disasters unlike in other districts,’’ observed  the Deputy Minister. He added that the Local Development Fund is now targeting to construct additional teachers’ houses and classroom blocks, saying funds have already been released. Latest LDF progress report indicates that the earthquake response programme has successfully constructed 77 classroom blocks, 37 teachers’ houses, and 19 toilets. The report also shows through the programme, all the newly constructed classroom blocks school blocks have been supplied with 4620 desks. Speaking on the sidelines of the inspection tour, Paramount Chief Kyungu said he is impressed with LDF projects done so far in Karonga. He advised his subjects to work together with the current administration of President Dr. Joyce Banda to hasten development of the area. ‘‘We have had presidents in the past. They did their part to develop this nation, and now is the time for President Dr. Joyce Banda. Let us give her chance to do development projects,’’ advised Paramount Chief Kyungu. The Crisis Response Programme in Karonga, which received about MK645 million, came about to fast -track reconstruction of classroom blocks and teachers’ houses and toilets to avert social problems in the aftermath of the earthquake in the long term.


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'Quality farm produce fetches higher prices'

Zomba, May 19:  Millennium Village Project (MVP) Team leader, Dr. Andrew Daudi has urged farmers cooperatives under  Mwandama Millennium Villages Project in Zomba to follow good grading procedures of their crops to maintain quality to fetch more money at the market. He made the remarks Thursday during a farmers’ field market day under the theme: “Quality Grain, Better Prices” aimed at sensitizing farmers in caring and processing crops before sending them to the market. During the event farmers from different farmers’ cooperatives demonstrated how they harvest, grade, treat and pack the maize in bags before sending it to the market. Other crops displayed were beans and soya which Dr. Daudi said were part of cash crops for farmers in the area which generate money for households to improve their livelihoods. “We are here to train the farmers’ cooperatives to take agriculture as a business to make sure whatsoever is going to the market is of good quality. Quality control is important in marketing,” he explained. Mc Kenley Dupu, Crops Officer from the District Agriculture Development Office (DADO) said hybrid and composite maize was vital for food security and sufficient production. Dupu explained the population in the 1970s was at 3 million and now is at around 14 million according to the National Statistics Office 2008 population census, saying still the land size has remained the same, hence the need to switch to hybrid crop variety other than the local variety to achieve maximum production to feed the booming population. He also urged the farmers to keep enough food for their family households and only sell the surplus to avoid hunger during the lean periods. The event was also marked by a ruffle draw where MVP gave to the winners  3 cell-phones, 4 hoes, 2 bags of fertilizers and a bicycle which one of the women farmers won as part of social responsibility of the organization which has been operating in the area  for over 4 years.


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Chiefs undergo training to protect Daeyang Hospital

NASFAM to engage media

Unregistered NGOs have a month to register - NGO Board

Local Development Fund improves School Infrastructure in Karonga

'Quality farm produce fetches higher prices'

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Chiefs undergo training to protect Daeyang Hospital

Written By Nellie Kanyemba on Sunday, 19 May 2013 10:26
Chiefs undergo training to protect Daeyang Hospital

Lilongwe, May 19: Traditional leaders living around Daeyang Luke Hospital in Lilongwe were on Saturday trained on how to detect criminals to ensure the hospital and the areas surrounding it were crime-free. The hospital has latel...

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Written By Dave Munkhondiya on Sunday, 19 May 2013 10:18
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Kasungu, May 19: The National Small holder Farmers Association of Malawi (NASFAM), on Friday said it was ready to incorporate the media fraternity to help it disseminate messages on extension delivery services in the agricultural ...

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