By Manasse Nyirenda

Rumphi, February 27, Mana: Rumphi District Council has handed over to communities nine community-based childcare centres (CBCC) constructed under the World Bank-funded Investing in Early Years Project (IEYP).

Speaking during the handover ceremony on Wednesday in Sub Traditional Authority (STA) Chisovya, District Commissioner for Rumphi, Emmanuel Bulukutu urged the communities to take ownership of the centres and also support caregivers.

STA Chisovya said the two centres in his area have not only beautified the area but also given the children a good start to learning.

"We want our children to become district commissioners, medical officers and many other top positions. These structures will help them achieve that as they now have a solid start through early learning. We are very grateful to the government and donors," said Chisovya.

Group Village Headman Baghaya from the area where Lukali CBCC has been constructed, promised to take care of the centre for the benefit of their children and others to come.

Rumphi was allocated 15 CBCCs under the programme.

The other six are at advanced stages of construction and expected to be completed before June when the project winds up and at least 1500 children are expected to benefit from the centres.

Some of the CBCCs handed over include Nkhumano, Lwatizi, Lwendera, Phoka, Lukali, Titemwane and Kauka.

By Brighton Chimsinde

Mchinji, February 27, Mana: Mchinji District Council’s Director of Planning and Development Martin Pindankono has pointed out fuel scarcity and inflation as among other challenges facing the implementation of the infrastructure projects in the district.  

Pindankono said this on Wednesday when he was supervising some of the infrastructure development projects that were carried out by the council across the district.

He said during the implementation of the infrastructure projects they were facing several challenges and among them were fuel scarcity and inflation.

“We face several challenges but major challenges are fuel scarcity the country had and inflation that have led to rapid price increases of materials on the market making contractors hesitant to continue with the projects.

“Despite these challenges, it is encouraging to observe that all the projects that were initiated in 2022/2023 were completed and 2023/2024 projects are at advanced stages thus some of them are expected to be completed by the end of March 2025,” Pindankono said.

The council was implementing the projects with monetary grants from Performance Based Grants (PBG), District Development Fund (DDF), and Constituency Development Funds (CDF) among others.

Director of one of the contractors Pangano Chinkanda from UPFOLD Contractors and General Suppliers who was assigned to construct Kapiri Community Centre Stadium expressed concern that fuel scarcity and the devaluation of Malawi Kwacha currency have caused the escalating cost of construction materials.

“In August last year, a bag of cement was at K9, 000 but as I am speaking the bag is costing us more than K30,000. On top of that, ferrying the construction materials to the site is also exorbitant due to the fuel scarcity on the market at that time,” said Chinkanda.

In her comment, Catherin Banda, a youth member of Mkanda Youth Centre which is under construction said she is happy that infrastructure development is taking shape.

“We have benefitted from the council’s infrastructure development through Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD). Upon completion it would provide quality services to the youths of Traditional Authority Mkanda and surrounding areas,” said Banda.,

Mchinji has an ambitious plan to carry out various infrastructure developments for it to accomplish its vision of becoming a model district council in the provision of sustained quality socio-economic services.

By Joel Phiri

Mzimba, February 25, mana: In rural communities across Malawi, the arrival of construction workers on major infrastructure projects often sparks optimism, signs of progress, new opportunities, and the promise of better livelihoods. But for some women, these workers are not just builders of bridges and roads; they are ghosts of heartbreak, symbols of betrayal, and reminders of dreams that never materialized.

Two decades ago, with financial backing from the Japanese government, the Malawian government oversaw the construction of the Bakili Muluzi Bridge in Mangochi. To the thousands who rely on it to reach places like Malindi and Namwela, the bridge is a feat of engineering, a lifeline connecting communities. But for Patuma Hassan (not her real name), a 41-year-old woman from Mangochi, it stands as something else entirely: a painful reminder of a fleeting love that left her with scars both seen and unseen.

Like many large-scale projects, the construction of the bridge brought an influx of workers, men from across Malawi and beyond, including foreign contractors. Their presence reshaped the social landscape, and for some women, it altered their lives forever. Relationships formed in the excitement of new encounters often ended in abandonment, leaving many to grapple with emotional distress, unwanted pregnancies, and the risk of disease.

“I thought it was love,” Hassan recalls. “During the construction, the town was full of men, locals, foreigners, even the Japanese and Chinese contractors. I fell for one of the Japanese workers, believing in promises that never came true.”

Hassan, who currently trades in second-hand clothes business at Mangochi Boma to support herself and her son recollects that the Japanese man used to visit her at her home at Mpondasi where they would chat and make love as all couples do.

“‘The man promised me a good life. I recall him promising to construct a good house for me and give me money to embark on a business so that my livelihood should be improved as he said the grass thatched house was not good enough. He also pledged to give me capital for a small scale business. It’s only later after the bridge’s construction works had finished and he had left that I realised I was pregnant,” she said.

Hassan later gave birth to a baby boy. Struggling to pronounce the father's complex Japanese name, which she had initially wanted to give her son, she turned to her uncle for help. He chose to name the child Jafali.

“It’s a pity the boy now 23 will never know his father. It’s now that I realize the man may have been married wherever he came from that’s the reason he left without even saying goodbye. I was just used,” says Patuma, in regret.

She says while the Bakili Muluzi Bridge gives people hope that it eased their travelling challenges in terms of connecting them to various places, to her the magnificent bridge stands as a bitter reminder of the mental torture she has faced in raising her son single-handedly more so without the support of his father.

“Whenever I see construction workers, especially the men, I can’t help but see them as betrayers. I urge young girls not to be swayed by these strangers working on construction projects in their communities,” she says.

It's not only Patuma from Mangochi who has encountered betrayal at the hands of supposedly lovers working on construction projects.

Erkali Pahuwa (not real name) of Thekelani in Thyolo also says most men working on roads and similar construction projects should be feared by women and girls.

“As for me I have a daughter whose dad was part of the people who worked on the roads here. He was a Malawian but unfortunately I don’t even know his name, I got fooled by material things such as a phone that he bought me at the apex of our union but he left unceremoniously upon the road’s completion,” says Pahuwa.

Cases of men working on construction work flirting with women and young girls in nearby communities and leaving them unceremoniously after completion of projects have been told for ages.

While some construction staff abandon the women they found in communities with babies and pregnancies, some have even left them with diseases such as HIV/Aids and Sexually Transmitted infections.

It is through such unions that haunts Erkali and Patuma to date.

Many women and girls can tell such stories in communities where various projects have taken place.

It’s no strange visiting some districts in Malawi where construction works happened seeing boys and girls resembling some faces associated with some countries. It’s all signs of such relations that once existed.

Now, as communities confront the long-term consequences of these transient relationships, awareness campaigns are being launched by government to educate women and girls about the dangers of engaging with temporary workers. These initiatives aim to protect them from heartbreak, health risks, and shattered futures, ensuring that the hope brought by development projects does not come at such a heavy personal cost.

“This is why, at Ideal Consulting and Business Services, we have been conducting awareness campaigns on HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases in communities where the construction of the M1 Road is underway,” says Derek Chiwanda, the coordinator of Ideal Consulting.

Chiwanda, speaking in an interview in Mzimba after holding an awareness meeting with youths from around Luviri Trading Centre in Traditional Authority Mzikubola said government realised that a lot of scandalous acts happen during construction that involve community members and the workers on projects.

"Construction work involves the migration of people who leave their homes to work in different areas. As a result, we cannot ignore the likelihood of sexual relationships between these workers and local community members. This is why we are conducting awareness meetings on diseases to educate and prepare people," he said.

He added that adults cannot be controlled so there was need to create awareness and warn people in communities that they should not be taken up by strangers who offer money and other goodies as bait as they may not know their statuses in terms of diseases in their bodies so they should be able to resist their advances.

“Some women working on the projects may be coaxing boys while men on the projects may be courting young girls. So, our message is for community members to say NO to such people.

"They should avoid engaging with these workers to protect themselves from infections such as HIV/AIDS, syphilis, and gonorrhea. Saying no is the best way to stay safe," said Chiwanda, whose company has been hired to conduct awareness campaigns along the M1 Road from Jenda Trading Centre to the Mzimba turnoff.

Group Village Headman Zawagumbo acknowledges the circulating stories of construction workers forming romantic relationships with women in the communities where the projects are underway.

“It’s by nature that people would want to be intimate but in these days we are living it becomes risky flirting with strangers. People working on projects are strangers and community members should be fearing them,” he said.

Zawagumbo said awareness messages are key to prevention of various diseases more especially HIA/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted infections.

“Like in our communities, there are women who are not married who may feel it’s their time to get married to these men working on the M1 Road but they should tread carefully. These are people that may harbour various diseases which they may end up infecting the community members hence this campaign on diseases is very important to keep them aware about the dangers of messing around with strangers,” said the chief.

Chauncy Chirwa, a 24-year-old from Yosefe Village, praised the training, saying it has opened her eyes to the hidden risks posed by people working on construction projects.

“These men indeed propose to us and one may think the time to get settled in marriage is finally here. So this awareness has helped us with knowledge about these strangers on construction works,” she said.

Chiwanda said there are infections and diseases that prowl if people flirt with partners whose bodies they know little about in terms of health status as well as marital status.

"Our job is to educate communities about these diseases and help them stay vigilant in preventing infections from those working on projects like road construction. Our message is simple: avoid these strangers working on the M1 Road if you want to protect your health and future. Many make promises but leave nothing behind except heartbreak and diseases once their work is done," he said.

With these messages now imparted, Chauncy Chirwa and her peers hold their futures in their own hands. They can choose to fall for strangers and risk diseases, or stay away from construction workers and protect themselves from the hardships that Patuma and Erkali endured.

By Elia Chibwe

Lilongwe, February 26, Mana; President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has reassured people of Karonga that the plans of rehabilitating Chiweta-Karonga road are underway to ensure easy mobility of people and good service delivery.

Speaking on Wednesday in Parliament Chakwera acknowledged the poor state of the road and need for rehabilitation.

"My administration acknowledges that the road is currently in a poor state with potholes, which have reduced its level of service and increased operational costs for road users.

"Currently, the process of procuring a consultant to do a detailed design for the stretch is ongoing and thereafter contractors rehabilitating the road will be procured," he said.

He added that contractors for rehabilitating the road have already been identified and construction is in phases.

This was in response to the supplementary question asked by Member of Parliament for Karonga Nyungwe on government's plans to commence constructing Chiweta-Karonga road.

According to Chakwera, the road's construction contract was expected to complete by 28 June, 2024 but it was extended and is expected to complete by December of 2025.

By Leonard Masauli

Lilongwe, February 26, Mana: The World Bank and the Malawi Government have signed a USD45 million (MK80 billion) grant agreement for the implementation of Phase 2 of the Malawi Food Systems Resilience Program under the Agricultural Commercialization (AGCOM) project.

The grant, sourced from a multi-donor trust fund, is funded by Norway, Ireland, the European Union, and the Government of Flanders.

Speaking on Wednesday during the signing ceremony at Capital Hill in Lilongwe, World Bank Country Manager for Malawi, Firas Raad, said the Multi-Donor-Trust funds aim to increase resilience of food systems and the country’s preparedness for food insecurity in project areas and respond to crisis or emergencies.

Raad said the additional funding has come following the successful implementation of AGCOM 1 which focused on resilience of food systems and the country's preparedness for food insecurity.

“We decided to mobilize this support for this program, particularly due to the successful implementation of AGCOM 1. So, this funding will promote the Agricultural commercialization agenda and scale up ongoing activities but also finance new activities to achieve productivity and economic growth,” said Raad.

The Minister of Finance, Simplex Chithyola Banda, described the grant as an economic breather towards achieving productivity to alleviate poverty among Malawians.

He said as government they have Public Financial Management Act and hence they will ensure that the money is put to good use to serve its purpose.

“We are very happy as Malawians to have signed the additional financing to AGCOM 2, from the multi-donor Trust Fund, led by the World Bank, coming from EU, Norway, Ireland and Flanders government.

“This will be implemented by Ministry of Agriculture through AGCOM. It is a matter of commercializing Agriculture, focusing on productivity and over 100,000 farmers will benefit. This support has also gone well with the ATM strategy which is a fundamental pillar towards growth,” said Chithyola.

Minister of Agriculture, Sam Kawale thanked the world bank and other donors, Ireland, Norway, EU and Flanders for the support towards the agricultural sector.

He said Malawi is facing huge climate change impacts that calls for action and hence the support from the donors through AGCOM is timely.

“The support will empower over 60,000 farmers and increased to over 40 percent yield and promoted agricultural reforms in the first phase. It will further rehabilitate over 60,000 hectares of land from farmers.

“Today, AGCOM 2, will expand climate smart irrigation to ensure all year farming for 100,000 farmers, Drug resistance seeds, Link farmers to markets through unlocking value chains, agricultural technologies, processes and value addition and inclusivity for women and youths,” said Kawale.

He added that as a Minister, he will ensure accountability of the resources and provide real time monitoring to ensure all funds are used prudently so that in the end, there will be no Malawians to die of hunger.

Kawale said the Ministry will also engage private sectors such as banks to provide farmers with friendly soft loans to transform the agricultural sector and make agriculture a commercial entity.

The AGCOM phase 2 project will target over 100, 000 households (approximately 700, 000) beneficiaries.

The AGCOM project was launched in 2023 and will run up to 2029 with a total funding of USD 326 million.

By Sheminah Nkhoma

Lilongwe, February 26, Mana: President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has expressed disappointment over accusations that he was dishonest during the State of the Nation Address (SONA) on February 14, 2025.

He was speaking in Parliament on Wednesday when he appeared before the House to respond to questions from Members of Parliament (MPs) regarding the State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Chakwera said those accusing him of dishonesty are doing so to gain some political mileage. He has however said that he is not immune to mistakes just like everyone else.

“All Data that I presented concerning developments which are taking place in the country are true though some errors where made by the team responsible for these issues,” said Chakwera.

He further said the statement which was made by the Leader of the Opposition must be withdrawn as part of his speech, he accused him of lying to Malawians.

“I am committed to serving Malawians and have no time for lies. As a country, we need to come together to address the challenges Malawians are facing, such as hunger and the rising cost of commodities,” he said.

He stated that he is aware of some individuals who are deliberately sabotaging the country's economy for political gain and to create the impression that his government has failed.

The president highlighted, that he has taken strong measures to address those who are intentionally harming the economy for personal gains.

By Dalitso Kampira

Thyolo, February 26, Mana: Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CS-EPWP) in Thyolo is set to improve data accuracy and project monitoring through the Geographical and Environmental Monitoring System (GEMS) portfolio.

This follows orientation session by the National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) for District Environmental Sub Committee (DEST) members and District Designated Officers to streamline data collection across various catchments in the district where CS-EPWP participants work in sub projects.  

Speaking on Tuesday on the sidelines of the session, NLGFC Budget Analyst, Jonathan Banda said equipping DEST members and other council officials with GEMS knowledge and skills will improve tracking and monitoring Social Service Resilient Livelihoods Programme (SSRLP), specifically activities in catchments.

"Our mission was to train council personnel on how to accurately capture project data within catchment areas.

“This will ensure information is readily available on a digital platform and this will also enable development partners such as World Bank to assess progress remotely,” said Banda.

Banda added that integration of GEMS will reduce frequent physical monitoring visits by stakeholders, as they can access real-time data, including images showcasing assets created by CS-EPWP participants in their catchments.

Thyolo District CS-EPWP Desk Officer, Francis Yohane said the orientation was crucial in standardising data collection across catchments.

“This has given us responsibility to gather uniform and high-quality information. With a well-structured system in place, we anticipate improved efficiency and reliability in our reporting," he added.

Extension worker from Lomola Catchment, Traditional Authority Nanseta’s area, Emmanuel Muhekiwa commended NLGFC for the initiative, stating that it will improve project evaluation as it will provide insights into both successes and challenges encountered in different catchments.

The orientation session concluded with a practical exercise at Lomola Catchment, where participants applied their newly acquired data collection skills.

By Patience Harawa

Karonga, February 26, Mana: Karonga District fisheries office has hailed the Sustainable Fisheries Aquaculture Development and Watershed Management project (SFAD-WM) for promoting best fisheries management practices and enforcement of fishing laws and regulations in the district.

District fisheries officer for Karonga, Trasicio Ngulube said this on Tuesday in Karonga during a documentation exercise targeting activities that have been implemented under the SFAD-WM project.

Ngulube said; "The SFAD-WM project has been instrumental in ensuring that many fishing communities are properly registered and that their fishing tools are certified and licensed by the fisheries department.

“The project helped us to conduct land, and water patrols as part of enforcement of fishing laws and regulations in ensuring that all fishing communities have their fishing gears licensed. All unlicensed fish gears were confiscated.”

He further said through the resources provided under the project, over six fishponds that were destroyed by floods have been rehabilitated which has helped fish farmers to maximize fish harvest.

Ngulube said the project has also promoted fisheries management and preservation of sanctuaries including the establishment of Beach Village Committees (BVC) which have been instrumental in protecting breeding areas for fish.

“Before the project’s intervention, the districts fish stocks were low due to poorly protected breeding areas, however with the projects support the district has seen improvements in fisheries management and conservation,” he explained.

In his remarks, Deputy Director in the department of land and resource conservation McPherson Nthara hailed the success of the SFAD-WM project in conserving catchments and promoting sustainable fisheries.

“We have been working with SFAD-WM for the last two years to enhance the protection of catchment areas which have been degraded due to soil erosion, loss of vegetation and gully formation,” said Nthara.

He added that under the project, several catchment areas’ conservation interventions have been implemented such as construction of check dams, water harvesting, infiltration ponds, and tree planting among others.

Village head man Chakwela applauded the SFAD-WM project implementation strategy which he said encouraged the active participation of local communities in the implementation of various project activities.

He said the involvement of local communities in the implementation of project activities will help in the sustenance of project achievements even after donor support has been exhausted.

The Sustainable Capture Fisheries, Aquaculture Development and Watershed Management Project (SFADWMP) is a government of Malawi project which is being financed by the African Development Bank (AfDP).

The overall strategic objective of the project is to increase fish production in order to contribute to the well-being of Malawians, improve on food security and nutrition sensitive diets, reduce on poverty levels through employment opportunities and enhance adaptive capacity of value chain enterprises.

By Doricah Mkwapatira

Machinga, February 26, Mana: Self Help Africa has disbursed cash to over 1,290 households that are currently affected by El-Nino induced hunger in Machinga District with each selected vulnerable household receiving K92,000, for January and February, to buy food.

Self Help Africa Project Manager, Rosemary Kabanga, said the organisation felt obliged to take part in addressing the current food situation in the district following the dry spell.

Kabanga said this at Traditional Authority (TA) Liwonde headquarters during the cash disbursement to beneficiaries of the safety net programme.

“The financial support is meant to cushion vulnerable households against hunger for three months,” she said.

Machinga District Council Disaster Risk Management Officer, Shepherd Jere, hailed Self Help Africa for responding to government’s appeal to local and international organisations for humanitarian food assistance following declaration of disaster in 23 districts in Malawi.

“The Council is grateful that Self Help Africa responded to government’s appeal for food assistance. In three months, Machinga will be relieved from hunger,” Jere said.

He urged beneficiaries to put their money in village saving banks and invest in small businesses to ensure a continuous cash flow in their homes.

“This is a lot of money considering that many other organisations are providing food assistance. I urge everyone to try and join Village Savings and Loan groups and start small businesses for economic stability even after this project phases out," he advised.

Violet Sakalani from Njahito Village, said the cash is a life changing opportunity as she could not manage to feed her big family in the hunger situation.

“I am grateful to be included in this cash transfer programme. I will now be able to buy food and various basic needs to help me and my six children throughout this lean season.

“I could not even afford anything to sustain my family since the death of my husband," she said.

Group Village head Liwonde, who spoke on behalf of TA Liwonde, hailed Self Help Africa for disbursing cash to vulnerable households in the area.

“Hunger is at its peak in Machinga and during such difficult times many lives go without food. This money will deliver the recipient households from many uncertainties,” he said.

The cash transfer programme is funded by the European Commission Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection (ECHO HIP) working in eight districts through a consortium of eight partners of Self Help Africa, CARE, Foundation for Community and Capacity Development (FOCCAD), Churches Action in Relief and Development (CARD), Eagles Relief, Youth Network and Counseling (YONECO, Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM) and Save the Children

By George Mponda

Karonga, February 25, Mana: The National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) has said the Geo-Enabling Initiative for Monitoring and Supervision (GEMS) mapping is essential in enhancing the effectiveness of the Climate Smart Enhanced Public Works Programme (CSEPWP) in Karonga.

NLGFC's Cluster Coordinator for the Northern Region and Nkhotakota, Duncan Magwira said this on Tuesday in Karonga during an orientation on the GEMS portfolio mapping tools for the District Environment Subcommittee (DESC) and Designated Officers for CSEPWP in the district.

Magwira said; "GEMS enables real time monitoring and supervision of project activities. The initiative provides a platform for tracking progress, identifying challenges, and making informed decisions thereby enabling us to respond quickly to challenges and make adjustments to the implementation strategy of CSEPWP.”

"The objective of the questionnaire used is to obtain critical data about the implementation of development activities financed by the World Bank, African Development Bank and their partners. It uses geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing technologies to collect and analyze data on project activities which is then used by decision makers and ensure that project resources are utilized effectively", he added.

On his part, District Programme Facilitator for Karonga, Austin Kafere said the use of GEMS in the climate smart programme will enhance transparency and accountability.

"The initiative provides a platform for stakeholders to track project progress and access information on project activities. This will help to build trust among stakeholders and ensure that project resources are used for their intended purpose," Kafere said.

According to Kafere, the CSEPWP in Karonga has 16, 417 participants who are working on soil and water conservation in 18 catchments around the district.