By Donald Zimba

Lilongwe, March 10, Mana: The Minister of Youth and Sports, Uchizi Mkandawire, alongside the British High Commissioner to Malawi, Fiona Ritchie, on Monday led the Commonwealth Day celebrations at Civil Service Stadium.

In his remarks, Mkandawire emphasized the significance of the Commonwealth in Malawi, particularly in youth empowerment.

“We have actively participated in various Commonwealth Games, and we will continue to do so because these events foster unity and togetherness,” he said.

He further highlighted the role of sports in the Commonwealth, noting that youth engagement remains at the heart of these celebrations.

British High Commissioner to Malawi, Fiona Ritchie echoed these sentiments, describing Commonwealth Day as a moment to reflect on shared values and a longstanding partnership.

“This day is an opportunity for us to come together as a family, celebrate our friendship, and strengthen our collaboration. The theme this year, ‘Together We Thrive,’ reminds us that these connections are vital for progress,” she stated and reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to working with Malawi in empowering its youth for a brighter future.

Commonwealth Day is an annual event observed on the second Monday of March. While it is not a public holiday in most Commonwealth countries, it serves as a platform to celebrate the unity, diversity, and shared goals of the 56 member nations.

Originally established as Empire Day in 1902 to honor the British Empire, the observance evolved in the latter half of the 20^th century, shifting its focus to the modern Commonwealth of Nations. It was renamed Commonwealth Day in 1958, and in 1977, its official date was moved to March.

The occasion is typically marked by messages from the Head of the Commonwealth and the Commonwealth Secretary-General, inter-denominational services, and flag-raising ceremonies across member states. A notable event takes place at Westminster Abbey in London, attended by the Head of the Commonwealth and other dignitaries.

In Malawi, this year’s celebrations reaffirmed the country’s dedication to the values of the Commonwealth, with sports playing a key role in engaging young people and fostering a sense of unity.

The event was graced with several activities; a big walk, music performances and some games where some walked away with awards and prizes. 

By Memory Kutengule Chatonda

Blantyre, March 10, Mana: Minister of Tourism, Vera Kamtukule, has emphasized the importance of government and private sector partners incentivising communities engaged in environmental conservation efforts as Malawi strives to restore deforested areas.

The minister made the remarks on Monday during Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi supported tree planting exercise at Michiru Nature Sanctuary in Blantyre.

During the exercise, the minister and other community members planted about 1,000 tree seedlings at the sanctuary.

Speaking to the media, Kamtukule observed that engaging the communities in the exercise would ensure that they continue to take an active role in planting and taking care of the planted trees to increase survival rate.

“The greatest part of conservation is the community. You cannot do conservation work without the communities. Therefore, we need to put governance arrangements from the government perspective, working closely with the communities and other sectors within this country, to ensure that we are taking care of the trees.

“Statistics show that we plant close to 10 million trees every single year, but not so many of the trees survive,” she added.

The minister therefore emphasised the need for communities supporting environmental conservation efforts to be incentivized through income-generating activities and others to support their livelihoods.

"This is voluntary work, and communities work at night under very harsh conditions. Let us motivate them with income generating activities and also support them with protective gear and other incentives," Kamtukule said.

Wildlife and Environmental Society of Malawi Board Chairperson, Tiwonge Mzumata Gawa, concurred with the minister's sentiments.

“Communities or scouts play crucial role in protecting the environment, including the trees we plant year in and out. As such, they need to be supported with basic stuff,” Gawa added.

Traditional Authority Chigaru pledged to intensify bylaws to punish those found wantonly cutting down trees in protected zones.

About 7,000 tree seedlings are expected to be planted by WESM in the Michiru conservation area.

By George Bulombola

Mzuzu, March 10, Mana: Preparations for Northern Region Top 5 Supper League Teams Bonanza are almost complete.

The five teams participating in the bonanza are Songwe Border United Football Club, Moyale Football Club popularly dubbed as the Lions of Kaning’ina Forest.

The others are Karonga United Football Club also called Ingwina Syamwakaronga on field of play and Chitipa United and Mzuzu City Hammers.

This was disclosed recently by the vice chairperson of the organizing committee of the bonanza, Paul Tembo during a press briefing on updates of the preparations in Mzuzu.

According to Tembo, in terms of resource mobilization, the committee is in discussion with banks, corporate bodies and individuals who love football to woe resource assistance towards the bonanza and that the committee will soon announce the partners.

“We therefore appeal through this resource mobilization drive, appeal to all those interested in football reach out and partner with us as we continue preparing for the bonanza which is scheduled to take place at Rumphi Stadium from 21-23 March, 2025.

The three days are enough to accommodate all the five teams and we expect that it will be an    intense kind of bonanza,” said Tembo.

Tembo then thanked the participating five teams for trusting the committee’s member with the task of mobilizing resources, planning and execution of the bonanza.

“The bonanza is very key as the teams will soon be going into Supper League of Malawi (SULOM), hence they need to prepare and test themselves, identify their shortfalls and understand how strong they are.

“We also have a new team by the name ‘Songwe Border FC’ that needs to access their level of preparation for them to survive and fare in the elite league for the first time,” he added.

He said that the aim of the committee is to avoid losing any team from the league and that if anything, the number of new teams joining the league should increase.

General Secretary for Mzuzu City Hammers, Benjamin Thole, stated that his team, the defending champions of the bonanza, is ready to defend the title.

“The bonanza will provide us with a platform through which the participating teams can prepare for the league hence it will be worthy to patronize and watch,” said Thole.

By Manasse Nyirenda

Rumphi, March 10, Mana:  A Social Cash Transfer Programme (SCTP) graduate in Rumphi, Zakeyu Banda, now owns at least 20 pigs worth millions which he has accumulated over a period of five years since he got enrolled into the programme.

Banda from Kasalika Village in Senior Chief Katumbi says before he became a beneficiary of the Multi Donor Trust Fund and World Bank funded programme he struggled to feed his family of seven, but once he got the opportunity he utilized it fully.

"Once I joined the programme I knew it was a chance to transform my life for the better. I bought one pig which has multiplied to at least 20 now. I can now afford farm inputs and produce food for my family by selling some of my pigs.

"I have also built a decent house thatched with iron sheets. I also own six acres of farm land. I have achieved all this through the programme," said Banda.

Another former beneficiary, Hellena Mkandawire, from the same area says through the programme she has connected her house to piped water, bought solar power, renovated her house and also owns goats.

Desk Officer for Social Cash Transfer Programme in the district, Abel Ndlovu has urged new beneficiaries of the programme to invest their money in order to achieve self-sufficiency.

SCTP is a Malawi Government programme under Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Programme (SSRLP). There are 5,061 SCTP beneficiaries in Rumphi and most of them have just been enrolled into the programme.

By Gift Chiponde

Chitipa, March 11, Mana: Business community in Chitipa has commended government for initiating Malawi Education Reformed Programme (MERP), which has not only improved school infrastructure but also empowered local entrepreneurs by prioritising local suppliers for construction materials.

One of the suppliers who is the beneficiary of the project Lameck Ngomale, a supplier of cement and iron bars, described MERP as a lifeline for small businesses in the district.

“In the past, major construction projects often sourced materials from outside Chitipa, making it difficult for us to grow. But under MERP, we have had the opportunity to supply cement and iron bars for school construction projects. This has boosted our sales and allowed us to expand our business,” he said.

Another entrepreneur, Liness Kanyika, who supplied cement bricks, said that the programme has proven to be a pillar of small businesses.

“MERP has been a great opportunity for my business. By securing contracts to supply cement bricks for new classrooms, I have been able to employ more workers and improve my financial stability. The programme is not just about education; it is also uplifting local businesses,” she said.

In his remarks, David Phiri, a quarry stone supplier, said that the impact of MERP has been equally significant.

 He stated that the increased demand for building materials has allowed him to scale up operations.

 “Before MERP, our business was struggling with inconsistent sales. But now, with the construction of new schools in Chitipa, we have seen a rise in orders. This has helped us invest in better equipment and create more jobs for the youth in our community,” he said.

Phiri has since urged government to maintain its commitment of supporting local suppliers in future projects.

He believes that by prioritising local businesses, more people in rural areas will benefit from economic growth, fostering self-reliance and long-term development.

“We thank government for ensuring that development projects like MERP benefit not only learners but also local entrepreneurs.

“This is the kind of empowerment we need to grow our businesses and strengthen our communities,” said  phiri.

Chitipa’s local business owners remain optimistic that their involvement in government projects will lead to sustained economic transformation in the district.

By Gift Chiponde

Chitipa, March 10, Mana: Communities in Chitipa have commended government for constructing and completing new school blocks under the Malawi Education Reform Programme (MERP), a development expected to significantly enhance quality education in the district.

In an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA), Village Headman Chitala 2 from the area of Senior Chief Mwaulambya described the completion of a school block at Chimwemwe Full Primary School as a major milestone that will provide a better learning environment for learners.

"We have been struggling with classroom shortages, but with these new blocks provided by the government through MERP, our learners will now learn in a proper setting," he said.

He further pledged to continue sensitizing the community on the importance of maintaining the new infrastructure.

"I will engage parents on how we can preserve this project. This is a great development for us in Chitala 2," he added.

Chimwemwe Full Primary School Mother Group Vice Chairperson, Loveness Mtambo, stated that the new classroom block will provide a safer and more comfortable learning space for girls by reducing congestion.

"Many girls miss school due to overcrowding, especially during their monthly periods. The new school block will help improve attendance," she said.

She also highlighted that the school will benefit from the newly constructed toilet facilities under the same project, which will promote better hygiene, particularly among girls.

"We are grateful to the government for this development, which will likely increase girls' enrollment in primary schools across the district," she added.

Geoffrey Siyeni, a member of the Parent and Teachers Association (PTA) Committee, welcomed the project, emphasising its role in improving learners' well-being.

"We have faced significant challenges due to inadequate infrastructure, especially during extreme weather conditions. Many learners were forced to miss classes, leading to poor performance," he said.

Secretary for the School Management Committee at Lwambo Full Primary School, another beneficiary of the project, expressed his excitement for the construction of the classrooms.

“This project has eased congestion in our classrooms. Community is excited about the new infrastructure because of its impressive design and durability," he said.

Ramsey Ghambi, a Standard 8 learner at Chimwemwe Primary School, said the new classrooms will help to address the long-standing issue of classroom shortages.

"Lack of space has been a major factor in school dropouts. This new development will encourage more learners to stay in school," he said.

Lwambo Primary School Headteacher, Estone Ng’ambi, praised the initiative saying the project came when the school urgently needed additional classrooms.

"As a way of safeguarding this development, we already have existing by-laws and regulations in place to protect the infrastructure and ensure it continues to serve future generations," he said.

He commended government for constructing child-friendly and modern classrooms, which have also helped to improve teacher learners ratio.

Loveness Kayuni, a Standard 7 learner at Lwambo Primary School, described the new classrooms as impressive and highly beneficial.

"I encourage my fellow learners to take care of this beautiful infrastructure. It will help us achieve our dreams. Let’s avoid vandalizing school property, as such acts are not only destructive but also against the law," she said.

Director of Education and Sport for Chitipa District, McGiven Chinyamula, stated that the district has so far benefited from the construction of 40 school blocks, with nine already completed in the first phase.

He commended government for the initiative, stating that it is likely to improve the learning environment and provide quality time for teachers in managing learners.

Chinyamula also highlighted that, through the program, the district has benefited from the employment of 84 auxiliary teachers that will improve education in the district.

"I am very grateful that government has also considered employing teachers. This development will tremendously improve education standards in Chitipa," he said.

He further appealed government to consider constructing teachers houses in the district, a move that would help reduce accommodation challenges faced by rural teachers.