Items filtered by date: May 2025

By Maria Tembo

Ntchisi, March 7, Mana: At least 750 farmers in the area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Kalumo in Ntchisi are expected to benefit from Improved Livelihood Resilience to Smallholder farmers, a project which Catholic Development Commission in Malawi (CADECOM) is set to implement from April, 2025.

CADECOM Acting Coordinator in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe Madalitso Chilalire said this on Thursday after monitoring some of the projects the organization is implementing in the district.

He said the project will support the targeted farmers with Agro-ecology principles, capacity building and animal production.

“These farmers are in groups of 10 people and they will receive 20 goats per group. We want them to venture into small-scale businesses after selling some of the goats that will be given to them”.

“We are also encouraging them to grow different types of crops and fruits that are going to be used as an income generating tool so that they can be able to address hunger issues”, he said.

Emmanuel Kameta of Chilasa village who is among the targeted farmers said the project will improve their economic well-being once it begins.

He said: “Through the project, we are hoping that we will be able to provide necessities for our families and pay school fees for our children. I would like to advise my fellow beneficiaries to take good care of the goats once received and use them for intended purposes.

The two-year project will be implemented with funding from Danish Church Aid (DCA) and Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) in partnership with CADECOM of Lilongwe Archdiocese and Permaculture Paradise Institute (PPI).

By Yewo Munthali and Prisca Promise Mashushu

Lilongwe, March 7, Mana: Theatre for Change organisation has urged journalists to be at the forefront when raising awareness concerning Obstetric Fistula (OF) which is rampant among women and girls in the country.

This sentiment was raised on Friday in Lilongwe during a one-day workshop training under the Bridging Hope for Women and Girls with Obstetric Fistula project that aims at bridging the knowledge gap concerning Obstetric Fistula.

Advocacy and Communications Lead for the organisation, Henry Kambuzuma, explained that the training was conducted due to lack of knowledge among people concerning Obstetric Fistula, which has tremendous effects on women and girls in the country.

“We would like to make people aware of Obstetric Fistula, be it those affected or those that may be at risk and as such, we saw it fit to work with the media as they can take the message to Malawians through their many platforms.

“We are encouraging all people to obtain information from the journalists that were present at the workshop and in all our offices so that they can be aware of the causes, effects and preventive measures for the Obstetric Fistula,” he explained.

On his part, Fistula Surgeon at Freedom from Fistula Foundation (FFF), Patrick Nampandeni said they receive several cases, some of which the victims have lived with for a number of years due to lack of knowledge and access to health services.

"It is quite pathetic to see people suffering from this health condition while the help is there, so we need journalists to raise awareness so that the message reaches those in need or even health practitioners, so they are aware of where to direct the patients.

“About 90 percent of children die due to prolonged periods of lack of health services, which results in Obstetric Fistula; hence we continue to urge journalists and all people affected to have access to health services at the right time, as the health condition is preventable;” he said.

By George Bulombola

Mzuzu, March 7, Mana: Public Procurement and Disposal of Assets Authority (PPDA) said there is a need for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) operators to be knowledgeable of public procurement requirements and processes for them to conduct business with the government, which is the biggest buyer of goods and services.

The remarks were made Friday in Mzuzu by the Director of Capacity Development and Reforms at PPDA, Timothy Kalembo, when the authority held an interface meeting with SMEs’ operators drawn from the northern region.

Kalembo said the authority has therefore initiated deliberate efforts to interact with the operators to have their capacity enhanced so that they meet all the required standards for one to participate in public procurement.

 “PPDA as a regulatory body has the mandate of ensuring that such enterprises participate in public procurement, hence this engagement meeting.

“It is up to us to ensure that they are knowledgeable on how to submit successful bids and how to request for clarifications during procurement proceedings,” said Kalembo.

Commenting on some of the challenges, which SMEs encounter in public procurement, Kalembo cited untimely payment for either delivered services or goods and that such delays affect the SMEs' operations.

He added that most of the regulatory bodies responsible for business registration are mostly in Lilongwe and don’t have offices in the region, hence business operators face problems to access the required services.

“The PPDA Act has a 60 percent reserve for local SMEs in public procurement not to indigenous black Malawians as were referred to in the 2017 Act, which is central to constitutional principles of non-discrimination,” he said.

He said the authority has further engaged other oversight bodies, such as the Ministry of Trade and Industry, to ensure that local business operators supply quality products.

“Government relies on SMEs to achieve Malawi 2063, hence it is government’s priority to ensure that SMEs partake in the national cake,” he added.

Managing Director of Swaswa Building and Marlee Agencies, Marlyn Munthali described the meeting as an eye opener to SMEs.

By Sylvester Kumwenda

Dowa, February 7, Mana: Deputy Director of Postal Directorate at the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority (MACRA) Burnet Namacha has urged councils to ensure that people are aware about the National Addressing System (NAS) to ensure proper understanding and implementation.

He made the remarks Thursday during a five-day training of District Awareness Teams on NAS from Nkhotakota, Ntcheu, Ntchisi and Dowa district councils held at Mponela in Dowa.

Namacha said NAS being a new thing in the country, might bring misunderstandings and misconceptions amongst some communities, hence the awareness teams must ensure enough publicity of the program ahead of its implementation in the districts.

"The plan is to have NAS country wide, but before we roll out NAS in your districts, we would like to ensure people understand what this is all about. That is why we decided to have this training.

"The training looks at an overview on NAS and other technicalities in its implementation. So it is important that you understand these, so that you can also present the right messages to the communities," said Namacha.

Through the Communications ACT of 2016, parliament mandated MACRA to implement a comprehensive addressing system to allocate, manage and regulate addresses and postcodes.

The system is being implemented in all the districts across the country.

NAS is expected to improve councils' and central governments' service delivery to the people.

In his remarks, Chief Administrative Officer Mathews Mkandawire from Dowa awareness committee said the orientation was crucial as the success of the NAS will largely depend on an informed society of the same.

As such, the awareness committees, he said, have an important role to play in enhancing awareness amongst the community.

"As a committee in Dowa, after this we intend to conduct several activities to raise awareness, starting radio programs, community awareness campaigns targeting different communities, and also social media, considering many, including the youth, are on social media.

"We will give a podium for all or a larger number of community members to be aware of NAS, so that the campaign should be a success," he said.

By Tikondane Vega

Lilongwe, March 7, Mana: Savings and Loan Groups in Blantyre city now have a capital of K1.7 billion, a testimony that such groups can drive the country's economy if properly managed.

This was revealed on Thursday by Pearson Banda, who is the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for Blantyre City Council (BCC), when representatives from the Community Savings and Investment Program (COMSIP) Savings and Loan Groups in Soche West Ward, visited Chilomoni Ward on a best practices-learning visit.

Soche West Ward groups were formed from the Livelihoods Restoration for the Urban Poor - LIRUP Programme formed in 2024, while those in Chilomoni, were formed during the Covid-19 Social cash Transfer Program.

The learning visit was facilitated to see how the old group has survived years after their program concluded.

Speaking during the visit, Banda, who is also BCC COMSIP Desk Officer, said the groups continue to register successes due to several skills COMSIP has been equipping them.

“These groups are receiving much support from COMSIP and BCC hence continue to thrive like the case of Chilomoni where the Covid programme ended. I can happily say that people who are receiving social cash transfer money are investing so much at group level as well as individually.

“In the meantime, we have 631 savings and loan groups in Blantyre city with 12869 members. The coming in of COMSIP has made many people have discipline on how to use money,” said Banda.

Community Facilitator for Chimwankhunda COMSIP cluster Veregia Lumbe attested that the coming in of COMSIP has changed many on how they think about business as well as money on a large scale.

She said,” We have learnt a lot in Chilomoni, and when we go back home, we will start a business as a new group that was formed in 2024. We need to have multiple sources of income, and also to change our business according to the time. These are some of the things we have learnt.

“Within seven months, as a group, we managed to raise K2.7 million, which we shared among 26 people. From January 2025, we started again, and we have K687,000 cash in the meantime. I used such money to buy a motorcycle while other members are in farming produce businesses.

Edith Matope, Community facilitator for the Chigwilizano cluster in Chilomoni, attributed their group's resilience to intensive training that COMSIP has been providing.

“Apart from individual businesses, our group makes dish wash liquid, peanut butter, and we are doing farming as a group. We currently have K6 million in our account. All these have been achieved after the programme phased out. It means we are here to stay,” she said.

Matope said the group, which started in 2021 after receiving Covid funds, has 19 members.

By George Mponda

Mzuzu, March 7, Mana: Ministry of Health has oriented health workers and District Information Officers from hospitals as well as districts in the Northern Region on the proper dissemination of healthcare waste management practices.

Speaking in Mzuzu at the end of a three day orientation which was organised by the Ministry of Health through the Public Health Division with funding from Global Fund and Gavi, the ministry's Chief Public Health Officer Sydney Paul said they decided to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to effectively manage healthcare waste and promote environmental sustainability.

"The Healthcare Waste Management Policy, which was approved by cabinet in 2024, aims to harmonise practices and guide staff and institutions involved in the management of healthcare waste.

“To create awareness and facilitate implementation of the policy, we planned dissemination sessions for healthcare workers and district information officers for them to have a thorough understanding of healthcare waste management principles and practices," said Paul.

He stressed that healthcare workers and information officers play a critical role in disseminating accurate information on healthcare waste management practices to the public.

"Information sharing helps in behavior change and raising awareness, so district information officers are important because they are in touch with communities and various stakeholders at the council level. So, we are trying to increase our scope when it comes to raising awareness on healthcare waste management," added Paul.

On his part, District Information Officer for Nkhatabay, Chisomo Kambandanga praised the orientation saying it will help health workers and information officers to educate the public on proper healthcare waste management practices.

"We have been educated on the importance of proper waste handling and disposal practices to prevent the spread of diseases and promoting environmental sustainability.

“This knowledge will help us employ skills necessary to develop effective communication strategies and messaging on healthcare waste management practices which will promote environmental sustainability in our communities," said Kambandanga.

The Ministry of Health has conducted similar orientation programs in the central and southern regions of the country, with the goal of promoting proper healthcare waste management practices nationwide.

By Patience Harawa
Karonga, March 7, Mana: Chiyeka Building Contractors working on the Hara Health Centre project in Karonga district has been given an ultimatum to complete the project by March 31, 2025 or face contract termination.
Karonga District Council Chairperson Bellium Msukwa said this Thursday while touring various projects being implemented under the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) and Hospital Rehabilitation Fund.
Msukwa said the project, which is valued at K173 million, was supposed to be finished by March 12, 2025, but it has been facing delays, while other projects in the district have been completed, prompting the council to take action.
"We cannot continue to tolerate these delays because the people of Karonga deserve better, and we expect the contractors to deliver quality work on time. Failure to meet the revised deadline will result in contract termination," warned Msukwa.
Msukwa emphasized that the council had given the contractors enough time to complete the project and that further delays would not be tolerated.
“We have been patient with the contractors, but it seems they are not taking us seriously. We cannot continue to wait for them to complete the project,” he added.
In his remarks, Site Manager for Chiyeka Building Contractors Elisha Elias acknowledged the councils' concerns and assured that they will work diligently to complete the project within the stipulated time frame.
“We understand the council's concerns and we apologize for the delays. We are doing everything possible to complete the project as soon as possible”, Elias said.
Elias attributed the delays to unforeseen circumstances, including the fuel scarcity and personnel shortages.
He assured the council that they were doing everything possible to address the challenges and complete the project on time.
The Hara health Centre project is one of the several projects being implemented by the Karonga District Council.

Gift Chiponde
Salima, March 7, Mana: Secretary for Human Resource Management and Development Blessings Chilabade has said the digitisation of human resource personnel records will enhance the Department of Human Resource Management and Development's (DHRMD's) performance and operations.
Chilabade made the remarks on Thursday in Salima, where the Department, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Department of the Accountant General (AGD), officially launched the Digitalisation of Human Resource Personnel Files program for the Public Service.
This initiative is part of the broader upgrade of the Human Resource Management Information System (SAP-HRMIS).
Speaking during the launch, Chilabade, highlighted the importance of the project, stating that it will help reduce incidents of missing files for public civil servants in the country.
He commended the World Bank for its support and for donating essential equipment, including desktops, laptops, scanners, and projectors, emphasising that the resources will play a crucial role in the initiative.
Chilabade said,” I urge participants to take good care of the equipment and use it responsibly to ensure high-quality work during the project's implementation.
“I commend the collaborative efforts between the Department of Human Resource Management and Development (DHRMD), the Accountant General’s Department, the Ministry of Health, and the Department of E-Government for their dedication to make this initiative a reality.
In his remarks, Duff Msukwa, Director of Human Resource Management in the Ministry of Health, acknowledged the challenges associated with manual data storage.
"We all know the decision-making process in government. We take on a huge responsibility when managing healthcare workers, but most of our data is stored in physical form, making access to information difficult," Msukwa said.
"This delay leads to critical decision-making regarding promotions, postings, and training. When information is stored manually, it becomes difficult to retrieve and analyse. However, once digitised, it will be much easier to make informed decisions on Human Resource for Health (HRH) management," he added.
The initiative is fully funded by the World Bank and is expected to benefit over 263,000 employees across the country.

By Tamala Kamanga

Dowa, March 7, Mana: Dowa district council chairperson of finance and audit committee, councillor Martin Luka has urged elected members in the district to set aside politics and focus on developmental projects.

Luka made the remarks Thursday as the committee presented a K38.4 billion budget for the 2025 - 2026 financial year which has since been approved through a full council meeting held on the day.

Speaking in an interview after the presentation of the planned budget, Luka said the budget is for Dowa citizens in all the seven constituencies, and not for the council or its elected members, and must be treated as such.

"If we embark much on political ambitions, we cannot deliver. We must set aside politics and look at the pressing needs at that particular moment, which we can prioritise.

"That is why we have allocated funds in every constituency regardless of the nature, condition and the situation we are passing through," he said.

Luka added saying as a district which is shining on project implementation, the budget also puts in place measures to improve revenue collection so that the council remains top in its project implementation and service delivery.

In his remarks, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mponela said he is happy with the budget as it prioritises rehabilitation of hospitals, schools and bridges in all the T/As.

"I believe that this budget will bring more development to the district. If we start implementing the projects in time, and according to plan, our district will develop," he said.

In his remarks, council chairperson Gift Nkhono Songeya urged the secretariat and elected members to work in collaboration so that people in the district should benefit from the budget.

'In this way, we can pave the way for social and economic development of our people, in the district," he said.

By Tikondane Vega

Lilongwe, March 7, Mana: Savings and Loan Groups in Blantyre city now have a capital of K398 million, a testimony that such groups can drive the country's economy if properly managed.

This was revealed on Thursday by Pearson Banda, who is the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer for Blantyre City Council (BCC), when representatives from the Community Savings and Investment Program (COMSIP) Savings and Loan Groups in Soche West Ward, visited Chilomoni Ward on a best practices-learning visit.

Soche West Ward groups were formed from the Livelihoods Restoration for the Urban Poor - LIRUP Programme formed in 2024, while those in Chilomoni, were formed during the Covid-19 Social cash Transfer Program.

The learning visit was facilitated to see how the old group has survived years after their program concluded.

Speaking during the visit, Banda, who is also BCC COMSIP Desk Officer, said the groups continue to register successes due to several skills COMSIP has been equipping them.

“These groups are receiving much support from COMSIP and BCC hence continue to thrive like the case of Chilomoni where the Covid programme ended. I can happily say that people who are receiving social cash transfer money are investing so much at group level as well as individually.

“In the meantime, we have 145 savings and loan groups in Blantyre city with 3880 members of which the majority are women. The coming in of COMSIP has made many people have discipline on how to use money,” said Banda.

Community Facilitator for Chimwankhunda COMSIP cluster Veregia Lumbe attested that the coming in of COMSIP has changed many on how they think about business as well as money on a large scale.

She said,” We have learnt a lot in Chilomoni, and when we go back home, we will start a business as a new group that was formed in 2024. We need to have multiple sources of income, and also to change our business according to the time. These are some of the things we have learnt.

“Within seven months, as a group, we managed to raise K2.7 million, which we shared among 26 people. From January 2025, we started again, and we have K687,000 cash in the meantime. I used such money to buy a motorcycle while other members are in farming produce businesses.

Edith Matope, Community facilitator for the Chigwilizano cluster in Chilomoni, attributed their group's resilience to intensive training that COMSIP has been providing.

“Apart from individual businesses, our group makes dish wash liquid, peanut butter, and we are doing farming as a group. We currently have K6 million in our account. All these have been achieved after the programme phased out. It means we are here to stay,” she said.

Matope said the group, which started in 2021 after receiving Covid funds, has 19 members.