By Maston Kaiya

Ntcheu, January 29, Mana: National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) says district council budgets are crucial for the achievement of the Malawi 2063 (MW2063) hence the need for review before final submission of the budgets. 

NLGFC Internal Audit Manager, Thomson Longwe, made the remarks Friday at Amaryllis Hotel in Blantyre during Ntcheu District Council budget review session.

Longwe advised councils to take budget sessions seriously saying if the budgets are not properly prepared councils would have lost the whole year before the year even starts. 

"For Malawi to develop, we need councils to drive the MW2063 agenda and be able to reach the extreme end of the communities with development," said Longwe.

NLGFC organized the meeting to review council budgets in line with guidelines before final submission.

Ntcheu District Commissioner, George Ngaiyaye, said the council has three major sources of revenue namely; locally generated revenue, central government transfers and donor funds/development partners which enables the council to fulfill its mandates to the local populace.

"Every year, council annual budgets are in line with the District Development Plans, Malawi 2063 pillars and enablers among other regulatory documents," said Ngaiyaye.

He said during the 2023/2024 financial year, the council channeled its resources towards the implementation of development projects, improvement of health care services, primary education, environment, natural resources and agriculture among others.

Ntcheu District Council budget for 2024/2025 financial year is pegged at MK4,626,953,477.

By Monica Banda

Mchinji, January 29, Mana: Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) on Friday distributed 640 bags of maize to households grappling with hunger in Traditional Authority (TA) Mavwere in Mchinji, as part of the lean season food insecurity response programme.

Disaster Risk Management Officer for Mchinji, Jonathan Kapatsa said the programme aims to assist 22,444 beneficiaries in the area.

Kapatsa said the Department is committed to fulfilling the promise made to Malawians by providing maize to those facing food insecurity.

“We have distributed maize to those that are food insecure; we are fulfilling the promise that was made to Malawians to distribute maize to those that are unable to find food for themselves,” Kapatsa said.

He acknowledged that some individuals have resorted to consuming inappropriate food due to desperation and expressed confidence that the distributed maize would contribute to improving the overall health of the beneficiaries.

Silvia Abinala, a recipient from Nkusachitete Village, TA Mavwere, expressed gratitude for government's assistance.

She highlighted that the relief the 50-kilogramme bag of maize brings to her family is huge.

"My family and I have endured days on an empty stomach due to lack of food. Receiving this maize is a tremendous help and I truly appreciate the gesture,” said Abinala.

Another beneficiary from Kachigulu Village, Dzuma Batinosi, thanked government for the donation.

As someone unable to work independently because of disability, Batinosi underscored the significance of ongoing support, urging government to consider expanding the assistance to reach more individuals in need.

"It will also be beneficial if they can increase the number of people," Batinosi said.

The overall objective of the lean season food insecurity response programme is to provide lifesaving food assistance to food insecure households in order to prevent deterioration of food insecurity and nutrition status among the affected communities.

Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) projects that 4.4 million people, representing 22 percent of the total population, are facing food shortage.

By Vincent Khonje

Mchinji, January 27, Mana: Tobacco Commission (TC) on Saturday held a tree-planting exercise at Kadude village in Traditional Authority Mavwere in Mchinji where a remarkable 4,200 trees were planted.

This initiative followed President Lazarus Chakwera’s national forestry season launch on January 8 in Phalombe, and a Mchinji district tree planting launch on January 26.

George Chinkhandwe, the director of technical services at TC, expressed the Commission's commitment to promoting environmental responsibility among tobacco farmers.

"We are at the forefront of encouraging tobacco farmers because we know that tobacco farmers use trees, and only if the trees are replenished can the tobacco industry progress. Tobacco buyers are now emphasizing that only those countries that are encouraging tree planting will be preferred destinations for their tobacco purchases,” said Chinkhandwe underscoring the critical role that environmental practices play in the economic viability of the tobacco sector.

Agnes Nkusa Nkhoma, the Member of Parliament for the area, emphasised the importance of nurturing the newly planted trees. 

"Following the President's tree planting season launch, we should make sure that we all participate in planting trees and that the trees are taken care of. We must stop those who wantonly cut down trees and burn charcoal,” said Nkusa Nkhoma.

Senior Chief Mavwere added a layer of cultural responsibility to the initiative, urging his fellow chiefs to lead by example.

"Chiefs should have their own forests in their villages which will motivate the people to have their own forests," he said.

The forestry officer, Tadala Chafukira, expressed gratitude to TC for their proactive involvement and also reminded the community of their role in safeguarding the trees.

"This exercise shows that the department and the commission are moving on the same path by supporting the tree planting initiative. TC has brought the trees to the community, so the people must take care of the trees,” said Chafukira.

In order to broaden the impact, some fruit trees were distributed to schools around Kadude village in the TA, enriching not only the environment but also the local communities.

This year’s tree planting season theme is ‘Forest Innovation in Action: Reforestation for a Sustainable Tomorrow’. 

By Evance Chisiano

Blantyre, January 28, Mana: Parents of children with albinism in Blantyre have called on Malawi Law Commission to widen child rights education through various ways and means that should help to deepen Malawians’ understanding on Child Care, Protection and Justice Act and other laws that protect children with albinism against crime.

The parents made the call in Lunzu in Blantyre on Saturday when Ujamaa Pamodzi Africa, a non-profiting organization dedicated to child protection, organized training for parents of children with albinism to discuss laws that protect children against violence and other social ills.

After listening to the Malawi Law Commission presentation, one of the parents, Debora Wind, said Ujamaa Pamodzi Africa, the Malawi Law Commission and partners should widen awareness on Child Care, Just and Protect Act and other laws that shall help citizens to realize that children with albinism were equally entitled to their full rights to live and be protected like other children.

“We wish this awareness could be put across Malawi so that a lot of people can fully understand laws that protect children, including those with albinism. I know ignorance of the law is not defence but I know that some of the crimes against children with albinism are committed out of ignorance of the law,” she added.

Ujamaa Pamodzi Africa engaged the Malawi Law Commission to sensitize parents of children with albinism on laws that protect children against violence, and some areas in the Child Care, Protection and Justice Act were lengthily discussed for better understanding.

Chief Civic Education Officer for Malawi Law Commission, Gills Msiska, said the commission reaches out to Malawians with child rights education through many avenues such as Joint Programme for Girls Education (JPGE) but said this was not enough because Malawians need more understanding on laws that protect children.

“We work with different partners to educate Malawians on laws that protect children but we know there is a lot to be done for people to fully understand to respect rights of children,” he added.

The Malawi Law Commission, in partnership with Ujamaa Pamodzi Africa, has been in Blantyre, Mangochi, Salima, Dedza and Kasungu to raise awareness on child rights through UNICEF supported JPGE programme.

Ujamaa Pamodzi Country Director Martin Ndirangu said the organization is currently implementing a project to do with child rights with focus on children with albinism in Mchinji, Lilongwe and Mzimba, apart from Blantyre.

“We equip children with albinism with knowledge on child rights and skills to protect themselves from violence and we also train parents so that they should have knowledge on child rights,” he added.

National Coordinator for Association of People with Albinism in Malawi (APAM), Maynard Zakariya, hailed Ujamaa Africa, the Malawi Law Commission and other partners for reaching out to children with albinism and parents with wider knowledge on child rights.

He, however, said there was need to roll out civic education on child rights, adding that most of the attacks and other forms of crime against people with albinism are done based on myths and misconceptions.

“More need to be done. We are ready to work with partners until rights of people with albinism are fully respected,” Zakariya added and called for more support from law enforcing agents to deal with crimes against people with albinism in Malawi.

District Social Welfare Office in Blantyre, Malawi Police Service through Community Policing sector, and District Education Office made their presentations in Lunzu on issues of child development, parenting, child protection, child education and other areas of child welfare.

By Mary Makhiringa

Balaka, January 27, Mana: Prison Fellowship in Balaka on Thursday graduated 53 residents with certificates after completing six months vocational training in various programmes at Balaka Half Way House.

Speaking during the graduation, Commissioner for Prisons responsible for Administration and Finance, Clement Kainja said, Malawi Prison Services realizes that Malawi aspires to attain 2063 Agenda through various ways and means such as skills development among others.

Said Kainja: “This is why we are working with Half Way House in reformation and rehabilitation of prisoners who are about to complete their sentence. We are doing this to contribute towards MW 2063 pillars so that all people who are in the prisons should acquire skills to help them earn a living once they are out.” 

Kainja added that Malawi Prison Services intends to extend services provided at Balaka Half Way House to all regions so that many residents should benefit from the vocational skills.

“Let well-wishers, whether the Non-Governmental Organizations or people of good will come forward to assist this course as research has shown that most of the residents who go through the programme are doing better once they go back to the communities,” he added.

Member of parliament for Phalombe East, Robert Mwina said it was his first time to be at the Half Way House to see impressive welding work by his young brother.

“As an MP, I will advocate for more resources to be pumped to Malawi Prison Services so that more places like Balaka Half Way House should provide vocational skills to residents,” he said as families of the graduating residents rejoiced after witnessing new life out of newly acquired skills.

President of the graduating residents, Louis Mwape said he has been in prison for five years and described his life from prison to Balaka Half Way House as the journey that the children of Israel travelled to Canaan which was the promised land.

“We were the condemned, we have seen a lot, we served our sentences, prior to our completion, came this opportunity. It has been a very wonderful transition, we have acquired various skills, and now looking forward to going back to the community to start afresh.

“Whilst here, we were being taught Christian life as such programmes have helped to mold our lives again as we now believe that with God we will succeed. The institution has given us start up tools, which will make our start very easy,” he said.

Executive Director for Prison Fellowship Malawi, Rodrick Zalimba asked the graduating residents to utilize the startup tools accordingly other than selling them.

He expressed hope that the tools will help them to get transformed further and become more productive citizens in their respective communities.              

By Moses Nyirenda

Lilongwe, January 27, Mana: Lilongwe City Council (LCC) says it is targeting to plant about 100, 000 trees in Lilongwe city during this year's tree planting season.

Speaking on the side-lines of tree planting season launch by the city council which was held on Friday at Area 18 interchange, Mayor for Lilongwe city Richard Banda said that they want to plant more trees in order to fight some environmental problems that affect the city of Lilongwe.

“Some two years a go there were some floods in the city in areas like Chipasula and Mtandire just because we do not have enough trees along the river banks.

To avoid that, we want to plant trees mainly in the buffer zones, open spaces or even the recreational parks,” Banada said.

He therefore urged Lilongwe city residents to join the city council in planting and taking care of the trees in order to achieve its mission.

“Once the council comes to plant trees in the city, the residents do not help in taking care of the trees, some uproot the trees that have been planted in our city and even in our river banks that is why most river banks do not have enough trees.

For this reason, we would like to urge the residents that they need to support the city council in planting and taking care of the trees that have been planted in our city,” he said.

Lilongwe City Centre Member of Parliament, Alfred Jiya commended LCC for its commitment to plant more trees in Lilongwe city.

He encouraged the Lilongwe city residents to help in taking care of the newly planted trees in order to fully grow.

During the launch of the tree planting season, LCC and its partners namely; Malawi Environmental Protection Authority (MEPA), Department of Forestry, Global Landscape Forum (GLF)-Malawi Chapter and Green Girls Platform among others planted about 10, 000 trees at Area 18 interchange.

By Levison Lester

Lilongwe, January 27, MANA: Public Relations Officer (PRO) for the Ministry of Education, Mphatso Nkuonera has said the sign language training which is being conducted in the country will help to minimize communication gap which exists between deaf learners and their teachers during teaching and learning process in schools.

Speaking at Mchinji Teachers Training College (TTC) on Friday while appreciating the progress of the training, Nkuonera said teachers should utilize the knowledge and skills acquired in order to achieve inclusive education among learners in the country.

"The sign language training which has been organized by the ministry with support from UNICEF is targeting 500 specialist teachers in selected districts like Mchinji, Lilongwe, Kasungu, Salima, Dowa, Dedza, Machinga, Mangochi, Chikwawa, Nsanje and Chiradzulu.

After this training, as a ministry, we are hoping that these specialist teachers will fully support learners with deafness in order not to leave anyone behind. This will further help learners with deafness to excel in their studies. Once learners are equipped with necessary skills, the country will be able to achieve inclusive education," he said.

Nkuonera further said sign language training is important in achieving Malawi Agenda 2063 saying the knowledge that learners will acquire in various schools will help to address the communication barrier thereby fostering national development.

In her remarks, one of the instructors at the training, Edna Chigwenembe from Soche Hill Secondary School said the training will help specialist teachers to interact with learners with deafness easily,

She however urged teachers to form Sign Language Clubs in their respective schools where they will be teaching various signs.

Chigwenembe said, "This training will help teachers to perform well because they will be able to interact with learners who have different impairments especially those with deafness easily. We have also asked teachers to incorporate all learners by forming clubs where they will be teaching sign language to every learner."

Speaking on behalf of specialist teachers, Gift Kaunda from Nkhwazi Primary School said the training has equiped them to sign letters, numerals and words easier, and this will help learners with deafness to do better in their studies.