MANAonline
Chakwera appeals for support towards disaster survivors
By Tiyanjane Nandie Mambucha
Lilongwe April 30, Mana: Malawi`s President, Dr. Lazarus Chakwera on Tuesday appealed for in-kind and financial support towards Malawians that were affected by the El Nino induced prolonged dry spell and floods.
He made the appeal on Tuesday, when he launched the National El Nino Induced Prolonged Dry spell and Floods Response Plan, at a function that took place at Kamuzu Palace in Lilongwe.
Chakwera expressed gratitude to individuals, organizations and nations that already started supporting Malawi when he declared a state of national disaster in 23 out of the country's 28 districts.
''I urge you to stand with Malawi again in the present storm. Already in response to the state of disaster, a number of you reached out with resources. I am urging you to please align the support with the national response plan, and the support should be driven by data provided by the plan,'' said Chakwera.
The launch was witnessed by various stakeholders from humanitarian partners, companies, religious bodies, associations, government ministries, departments and agencies, foreign governments, organizations and individuals of goodwill.
UN Resident coordinator, Rabecca Adda Dontoh, said partners need to come together to support Malawi, as this has come when Malawi had not yet fully recovered from other disasters.
''The response plan is a balance, it’s for immediate humanitarian need, medium and long term response on agricultural production. Therefore, I am calling on all international development partners, even friends of Malawi to rally around this response plan,'' said Dontoh.
Presenting an overview of the National El Nino induced prolonged dry spell and floods response appeal, Commissioner for DoDMA, Charles Kalemba said the response appeal indicates the need for support in terms of production and consumption.
''The response plan aims at addressing the immediate impact and also focuses on building up the capacity of Malawians to produce, in order to stock up the grain reserves, in an effort to rebuild and recover from the severe impact of the prolonged dry spell and floods,'' said Kalemba.
Kalemba also presented the Cyclone Freddy response and progress, saying there was a good response from various stakeholders towards the Cyclone Freddy survivors.
''A total sum of K6.2 billion was mobilized for the Cyclone Freddy, and was used for; decommissioning of camps in Blantyre, procurement of food and non-food items, implementation of cash transfers, rehabilitation of roads and health Centre’s, transportation of relief items, search and rescue operations and packaging of relief items” said Kalemba.
The response plan is mobilizing resources of about K800 billion, which is expected to assist 2 Million households that have been affected by the El Nino induced prolonged dry spell and floods.
Creative investment, innovative returns-chakwera
By Sheminah Nkhoma
Lilongwe, April 30, Mana: President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera has urged the public and international agencies to invest heavily in Creativity and Innovation sector to achieve sustainable growth in the country.
Speaking during the commemoration of World creativity and Innovation Day on Tuesday at Bingu international Convention Center (BICC) in Lilongwe, Chakwera said it’s high time that Malawi as a nation puts effort towards developing the country in creative ways.
He said the country has many youths who are passionate about creating new things but lack financial support.
“We have a lot of skilled youths in the country so we need to invest in them because what they are doing on the ground in not enough. If we support them, surely we are going to develop their career.
“While we want to support the youth in their creative and innovative activities, our vision should extend from short to long term interventions. We ask donor partners to provide more support in this sector”, said Chakwera.
The president further urged people to be more practical than theoretical in creating innovative ways that can help develop the nation.
United Nations (UN) Resident Coordinator, Rebecca Addah-Dontoh, said most vulnerable people are left out on issues of national importance, hence the need to have them included in creative and innovative activities if we want to achieve the Agenda 2063.
“We share a vision with the government of Malawi, so we need to scale up for greater impact in this initiative. Women, youths and people with disabilities should not be left out because they also have different skills which can help to develop the country” she said.
In 2002, the UN designated April 21 each year as World Creativity and Innovation Day, aimed at advocating and raising awareness about the pivotal role creativity and innovation plays in global development.
The first ever commemoration of World Creativity and innovation Day in Malawi was celebrated under the theme “Step out, Create and innovate for the Malawi We Want”.
New staff house brings relief to communities
By George Mponda
Karonga, April 30, Mana: Facility-in-Charge for Mwenilondo Health Centre in Karonga, Ruth Gumbo has hailed construction of a K23 million staff house for creating room for an extra nurse at the facility.
In an interview on Monday, a clinical technician at the facility, located along the M1 Road in Paramount Chief Kyungu's area, she said before the construction of the staff house, she was working day and night shifts.
Gumbo said that, "The health facility has a catchment area of more than 11,000 people but we serve clients from far areas like Mwambuli, Lupembe, Ipyana and travellers using the M1 Road who patronize the facility which made my job tough."
"But now, with the construction of this house, a nurse was assigned to the health centre and and we are working together. Although there is still need for more houses but atleast now I have a colleague who is helping serve alot of clients who come here," she added.
Gumbo appealed to government, non-governmental organisations and philanthropists to keep on supporting the facility in order to meet the growing healthcare needs of the community around it.
Chairperson for Mwenilondo Health Centre Management Commitee (HCMC), Chancy Kayira said due to lack of staff houses, service delivery at the facility was poor as it was exhausting for one clinician to attend to patients during day and night.
“Other staff members lived far from the facility like at Ipyana and Karonga Boma which made them not able to attend to patients, particularly pregnant women and children at night," he said.
According to the Acting Director of Public Works for Karonga District Council, Yamikani Bokosi, the staff house was constructed with about K23 million Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) funds.
Goal 3 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) seeks to ensure that signatory countries, including Malawi, achieve good health and wellbeing for its citizens especially access to primary health care at all levels, by 2030.
Chakwera tasked to Champion IDA in SADC
By Leonard Masauli in Nairobi, Kenya
Nairobi, April 29, Mana: President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has been assigned the responsibility of spearheading the Africa International Development Championship for countries in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC).
The decision was announced Monday on the sidelines of the World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA) summit held at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre in Nairobi, Kenya.
The role entails President Chakwera leading efforts to garner support for IDA across the region.
"The objective is to leverage every available platform to garner backing for IDA21. Africa stands as the continent of the future, presenting a unique opportunity to advance the welfare of women and young people by creating jobs and fostering wealth generation, thereby facilitating genuine development," stated Chakwera.
Reflecting on the outcomes of the summit, the President emphasised its significance, particularly considering World Bank's activities through IDA and its provision of concessional loans.
Chakwera expressed satisfaction with World Bank’s commitment, through IDA, to collaborate with Africa and replenish IDA21.
He indicated that preliminary discussions had already begun to persuade the Bank to prioritise investments in Africa.
World Bank President, Ajay Banga, underscored the necessity for steadfast global support, especially from IDA, as Africa navigates towards a prosperous and progressive future.
"We share a vision for Africa's future—a continent endowed with diversity, culture and potential, notably due to its young population and natural resources. These elements can propel our future forward.
“IDA has been a reliable partner in Africa's developmental journey, and this summit signifies our collective determination to accelerate progress. Achieving this goal will necessitate increased contributions from IDA, the World Bank Group, governments and private sector," remarked Banga.
For decades, IDA has served as a catalyst for economic growth across Africa, facilitating progress through grants and highly concessional loans. These investments have fuelled strategic initiatives aimed at building a skilled and healthy workforce and fostering job creation in industries such as agriculture.
Presently, IDA extends support to 75 nations, with 39 of them located in Africa. Over 70 percent of its resources are directed towards the continent, playing a crucial role in the World Bank Group objective of providing electricity to 250 million Africans by 2030.
The call for replenishment comes amidst a multitude of interconnected challenges, including pandemics, climate change, food insecurity, fragility and conflict yet Africa also holds immense potential, with abundant natural resources, plentiful sunshine, and the world's fastest-growing youth population.
Chakwera returns from IDA summit
By Sellah Singini
Lilongwe, April 29, Mana: President Dr Lazarus Chakwera on Monday evening returned home after successfully attending the World Bank's International Development Association (IDA) summit which was held on Monday in Nairobi, Kenya.
Upon arrival at Kamuzu International Airport (KIA), President Chakwera was welcomed by Vice President, Saulos Chilima; Speaker of Parliament, Catherine Gotani Hara, some cabinet ministers and other government officials.
Speaking to journalists at KIA Chakwera said one of the issues that came out during the summit is that World Bank is ready support African countries with real development that can work towards achieving development goals that can sustain human lives in Africa.
Chakwera left for Kenya on Sunday upon invitation by President of Kenya, William Ruto, in acknowledgement of the World Bank's recent approval of K100 billion in support of support Malawi's endeavors to achieve food security.
IDA is a pivotal arm of the World Bank dedicated to aiding the world's low-income countries.
Through grants and low-interest loans, IDA facilitates investments in the future, enhances livelihoods and fosters the creation of safer, more prosperous communities globally.
Chakwera urges World Bank's collaboration in Malawi's development
By Leonard Masauli in Nairobi, Kenya
Nairobi, April 29, Mana: President Dr Lazarus Chakwera has appealed to the World Bank for assistance in the reconstruction and advancement of Malawi, emphasizing the importance of flexible International Development Association (IDA) facilities to foster the country's economic vitality and global competitiveness.
Chakwera made the remarks Monday during the IDA summit in Nairobi, Kenya.
He highlighted the significant challenges faced by African nations, including Malawi, due to natural disasters such as cyclones and disease outbreaks like Cholera, which have hampered development and economic progress.
"In our journey towards recovery, the support of the World Bank's IDA has been pivotal. It has served as Malawi's reliable emergency response mechanism addressing the structural imbalances in our economy resulting from the encountered shocks.
"While acknowledging IDA crucial role in emergency relief, our vision extends beyond short term interventions. We seek a partnership that enables sustained economic growth and resilience,” he said.
Chakwera praised World Bank's swift assistance in responding to Malawi's urgent needs, including food security and disaster management initiatives such as the Social Support for Resilient Livelihoods Project.
He cited recent examples of financial support provided by the Bank to address food shortages and repair infrastructure damaged by natural disasters.
"Our aspiration is to leverage IDA's resources and other tailored instruments to implement our national development agenda, particularly the ATM Strategy focusing on key sectors such as Agriculture, Tourism and Mining,” he said.
He said Malawi aims to transition to a prosperous middle-income economy within the next six years while emphasizing sustainable agricultural practices and infrastructural development.
The President expressed gratitude to the World Bank for reinstating General Budget Support to Malawi, acknowledging the institution's recognition of the country's reform efforts.
President of the World Bank Group, Ajay Banga, stressed the Bank’s commitment to work with African countries to ensure they realize their development agenda.
Kenyan President, William Ruto, underscored Africa's commitment to economic transformation and global leadership.
He emphasized the importance of financial cooperation through initiatives such as IDA in achieving developmental objectives.
"The presence of the continent's leaders at this summit reaffirms our collective dedication to leveraging international partnerships, such as the IDA, to drive sustainable development across Africa and beyond," said Ruto.
Lilongwe rural communities hail NRB IDs registration extension
By Martha Simchimba
Lilongwe, April 29, Mana. People of Lilongwe Rural have expressed excitement over National Registration Bureau (NRB) decision to extend number of days for the National Identity Card outreach and community death registration exercise in Phase 7.
In a press release signed by Principal Secretary for NRB, Mak Sambo, the Bureau has decided to increase the number of days after noting an increase in number of registrants in the final days of the exercise.
"We believe that additional number of days will allow our staff to register the remaining citizens in the Centre’s.
“I also want to inform the general public that registration of citizens in all NRB offices is a continuous process, meaning if the registration outreach has moved to another district, citizens can still access the services at NRB from district offices or at post offices," he said.
He added that registration of national identity document and the application forms are for free.
Sambo said soon there shall be a mop up exercise in all the 28 districts targeting citizens that may have failed to register during the Outreach Registration Exercise.
In a separate interview, Suzen Banda, from Msundwe commended government for adding some days saying this will enable more people to register and have the national identity card.
“This is good news; I was worried when I heard that NRB is closing the exercise,” she said.
She called on people to make use of the added days so that they register and have their IDs.
NRB is conducting the national identity card outreach and community death registration exercise in Phase 7 in Lilongwe Rural, Rumphi and Blantyre.
The exercise started on April 15 and will end on May 6, 2024.
CISANET commends World Bank for food response support
By Sheminah Nkhoma
Lilongwe, April 29, Mana: Civil Society Agriculture Network (CISANET) says the provision of US$57.6 million from the World Bank to the government of Malawi holds immense potential to alleviate the suffering of Malawians severely affected by the ongoing food crisis.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA) CISANET Board Chairperson, Herbert Chagona, highlighted that Malawi has faced a lot of challenges as such the support will help the country deal with food shortage.
“As CISANET we advocate for prioritizing the allocation of the majority of these funds directly to provide support to those mostly affected by food crisis. This includes ensuring that the funds are directed towards essential needs such as food aid, agricultural support and infrastructure for resilience building initiatives,” said Chagona.
He said Malawi must move beyond short term solutions and work towards implementing lasting measures to address food insecurity.
He, therefore, pleaded for transparency and accountability as a mechanism that must be established to track disbursement and utilization of the funds so that it reaches the intended beneficiaries.
“While we appreciate World Bank's support, we emphasize the importance of transparency and accountability on utilization of the funds, prioritizing support for those in need and implementing long term solutions to address food insecurity in Malawi.
In a press statement dated April 26, 2024, World Bank will provide US$57.6 million as immediate support for millions of Malawians severely affected by the ongoing food security crisis.
This comes after President Dr Lazarus Chakwera declared state of disaster on March 23, 2024 in 23 districts in the country.
VSLs hail their MP for disbursing K10 million
By Clarabella Chipolonga
Chiradzulu, April 29, Mana: Member of Parliament for Chiradzulu East, Joseph Nomale, has handed over money amounting to K10 million, through Constituency Development Fund (CDF), to 27 Village Saving and Loans (VSL) groups from the constituency to help recipients boost their business capital.
Speaking over the weekend at Namalamba Community Day Secondary School in Traditional Authority (TA) Kadewere in the district, Nomale, expressed hope that the funds will transform lives of members of the VSLs to help them recover from shocks.
“People from this area face many challenges due to natural disasters such that they don’t have enough food to feed their families.
“I want these people to do businesses. l am sure that they will be able to buy themselves food and other basic necessities,” said Nomale.
Chiradzulu District Council Community Development Officer, Lovemore Kachala, expressed hope that the loan will assist many vulnerable people in the constituency thereby transforming their lives within a short period of time.
“Groups are expected to get into income generating activities once they get the loan or invest in their existing businesses. They have six months to repay the loans so that others can borrow and this is a revolving fund,” he said.
He said the groups will be trained on how to use the loan properly and will be monitored to see how they are faring.
“We have Village Development Committee, Area Development Committee's, Community Development Assistants, senior chiefs as well as village heads to work together in tracking the loans. It will not be difficult to get them because these groups are registered,” he said.
Chairperson for Kadewere Pastors Fraternal, Rev. Piason Binali, who got a K700, 000 loan, said he will invest in buying and selling of food crops.
“In addition to buying food crops, we will also start rearing chickens for sale to improve household income for sustainable livelihood aside from ministering the Word of God.
“We believe we will also be able to help the needy in our churches and communities. This is why we are celebrating knowing our lives will not be the same," he said.
Government urged to introduce mental health awareness as subject
By Levison Lester
Lilongwe, April 29, Mana: Let It Out (LIO), an organisation that deals with mental health awareness, has asked government to introduce a curriculum that will incorporate mental health awareness messages in schools saying this is the only foundation that can help address such issues among youths in the country.
In an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA) LIO Director, Phyllis Banda, said young people get exposed to different lifestyles at school hence introduction of mental health awareness as a subject will not only lay a great foundation but also help young people learn long-term ways of dealing with mental health issues.
“Our wish is to see mental health awareness to be a subject where pupils can learn basics related to mental health. I would love to see learners attending mental health lessons because I believe building a strong foundation emanates from schools,” Banda said.
As one way of helping government in addressing mental health related issues, LIO is doing both online and offline mental health sessions.
So far, LIO has targeted young people from Dedza, Blantyre and Lilongwe.
“We are planning to expand to other districts like Mzuzu and Chikwawa. We want to target youths in rural areas because it is where majority of population live.
“We are doing our best to provide free counselling sessions both online and offline. This year we are targeting young people in primary and secondary schools because we want to tackle the foundation,” she said.
Synergy Safe Africa (SESA) Programmes Manager, Emmanuel Chitambuli, said besides introducing educational awareness programmes in schools, there is also need to connect young people with business opportunities to overcome difficult situations they face.
He underscored the importance of providing accessible counselling platforms to the youths saying this can help them express their feelings freely.
“SESA focuses on promoting mental health wellness amongst the youth aged 18 and above. We connect them with opportunities through initiatives such as SESA Girl Power Programme which aims to provide youths with access to part-time jobs, vocational skills training and business opportunities,” Chitambuli said.
Ministry of Education Public Relations Officer, Mphatso Nkuonera, said there is need for consultations before making a stand as the Ministry works hand in hand with various stakeholders in dealing with mental health.
LIO has conducted eight sessions in selected districts with over 1,000 people reached.
