MANAonline
Three in cooler for robbery in Phalombe
By Linda Likomwa
Phalombe, April 25, Mana: Police in Phalombe are keeping in custody three men for allegedly committing robbery with violence after being on the run since 2022.
Phalombe Police Station, Public Relations Officer, Jimmy Kapanja said the three suspects were arrested on April 23, 2024, during a Ndakuona operation through intelligence driven investigations led by team of detectives.
He added that the suspects are Lloyd Godfrey Maluwa, 23, from Natchaya Village, Traditional Authority Nyezerera, Zondiwa Mwesera Axis, 26, from Tchasi Village also from Traditional Authority Nyezerera and Frank Muthena, 28, from Lipa Village Traditional Authority Kaduya all from Phalombe district.
“The trio are connected to the case of robbery which occurred during the night of December 10, 2022 at Nyezerera Trading Centre where the businessperson Prescott Kampake was attacked and robbed of cash amounting to K585, 000. HP laptop, laptop bags and Bluetooth speaker. All valued at K 2,624, 500 and the criminals have been at large since 2022."
The police said the three suspects will appear in court soon to answer charges of robbery.
Mpasa Youth Centre hope for youths in Phalombe
By Linda Likomwa
Phalombe, April 24, Mana: Youths in Phalombe have commended Phalombe District Council for constructing Mpasa Youth Resource Centre which expects to provide essential youth friendly services for youth development.
One of the interim committee members at the resource Centre, Gift Moyenda told Malawi News Agency on Tuesday that the Centre will be a one stop Centre, for most youth activities and expressed hope that the Centre will facilitate youth participation at district level.
“As a district, this is our first ever youth resource Centre and we are optimistic that youth participation in skills development will increase and contribute to district development. Youths will learn a lot of things and will become entrepreneurial to employ others,” he said.
He added that accessibility to health youth friendly services would also increase as some youths shun away from these services at health facilities for fear of been seen by parents or relatives when seeking services.
Moyenda further said the youth resource Centre will offer various sporting activities and expressed hope that this will make the youth physically fit.
District Youth Officer, Halson Bulangeti said the youth resource Centre will make a significant difference in the lives of young people as it expects to provide access to essential information and services.
He added that the Mpasa Resource Centre will also provide space for youth networking and will become a hub for innovation and skill development for youths in and outside Phalombe.
Mpasa Ward Councilor, Benard Komwa said he advocated for the construction of the youth resource Centre to ensure that youths at Mpasa and surrounding areas have the opportunity to learn various vocational skills and be economically self-reliant on top of becoming relevant for job opportunities
“The hall which is part of the resource Centre will be hired to communities and the council for meetings and other activities for income generation,” he added.
Phalombe District Council spent K60 million to construct and procure equipment for the youth resource centers using Government to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) funds and is expected to start its operation soon.
'Nation’s Future Shaped in Early Years' –Social welfare
By Arkangel Tembo
Blantyre, March 25, Mana: Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Welfare has reaffirmed its dedication to enhancing Early Childhood Development (ECD) services in an attempt to bolster the foundation of the nation's education.
Blantyre District Social Welfare Officer, Bertha Chidzalo Salamu emphasized the importance of this initiative during a graduation of ECD educators in Blantyre on Wednesday.
“The nature of this field necessitates exceptionally trained individuals who can nurture our youngest minds,” Salamu stated.
However, the scarcity of qualified ECD care givers and educators looms as a significant impediment.
Salamu acknowledged the Ministry’s collaboration with various tertiary institutions, including Hope Community Development College, to cultivate a cadre of professionals’ adopt in early childhood teaching.
“We are laying the groundwork for a brighter future, one child at a time,” said Wezzie Mkandawire, Director of Hope Community Development College.
Mkandawire said his institution stands in the forefront of this educational revolution, partnering with the government to foster a generation of well-trained professionals.
"These educators are not only poised to serve across the nation but also to spearhead the establishment of new learning Centre’s, catalyzing job creation in the process, " added Mkandawire.
One of the graduates, Olga Alice Agla, shared her transformative experience saying: “The training has been an eye opener, equipping us with the tools to make a lasting impact in the lives of our little children.”
With over 200 ECD teachers already trained, Hope Community Development College pledges to continue its partnership with the government, striving to elevate the calibre of human resources dedicated to early childhood education.
The partnership promises to shape the trajectory of the nation’s educational landscape, ensuring that children are not left behind in the journey of education.
MHRC cautions Karonga communities against trafficking illegal immigrants
By George Mponda
Karonga, April 24, Mana: The Malawi Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has advised community members in Karonga to refrain from trafficking illegal immigrants who pass through the border district.
MHRC Deputy Director for Civil and Political Rights Chance Kalolokesya said this Tuesday at Group Village Head Mweniyumba in the district when the commission engaged community members on human rights.
Kalolokesya said one of the main responsibilities of MHRC is to raise awareness on human rights of vulnerable groups including women, children, the eldery, refugees and asylum seekers.
H said: “We targeted Karonga because it is a border district which has registered high increase in human rights violations againts such groups especially illegal immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers.
He said while the law allows refugees and asylum seekers to stay within the country’s borders, illegal immigrants are a security threat.
“Illegal immigrants are a security risk to the country since we don't know what kind of people they are and its not proper to keep them in our homes or help transport them to other districts. We should report them to police or immigration officials," he said.
According to Kalolokesya, MHRC is implementing a project called 'Promotion and Protection of Rights of Refugees and other Migrants in Malawi' with funding from the European Union.
He said one of the aims of the project is to make sure that refugees who live within our borders are protected.
Group Village Headman Mweniyumba acknowledged that there are individuals commonly known as 'Brokers' who are in the business of trafficking illegal immigrants to other districts from Karonga.
"It is unfortunate that alot of people who indulge in this business are the youths and meetings like this one which bring together all community members to one place to warn them on the dangers of trafficking illegal immigrants are crucial towards ending the vice," Mweniyumba said.
"If we all report to the authorities whenever we see people hiding illegal immigrants in the hills or their homes waiting to traffick them to other areas, this business will stop," he added.
SRWB brave shire river swelling waters to sustain water supply
By Martin Chiwanda
Machinga, April 24, Mana: Southern Region Water Board (SRWB) has installed submersible water pumps at Shire River intake at Liwonde in Machinga to sustain water supply to a population of over 70, 000 following the swelling of the river which has submerged its initial plant house at Kamuzu Barrage in the district.
Speaking on Tuesday, SRWB Liwonde Zone Manager, Nzeru Banda said the board organized a media tour so that consumers should appreciate supply capacity of the newly installed pumps
He added that the newly installed machines have increased water supply from 1,800 cubic meters per day to 2,500 cubic meters per day.
“As a board, after noticing that our main intake has been submerged in water, we thought it wise that we install submersible water pumps so that the water supply should not be challenged in such situations. The newly installed water pumps have increased water supply to 2,500 cubic meters per day from the initial 1,800 cubic meters per day,” Banda said.
He disclosed that SRWB was geared to roll out the Liwonde-Balaka Water Supply Project this July with funds from European Investment Bank (EIB) to upgrade water intake at the Liwonde Barrage.
“Once the project completed, it will serve 400 000 people in Liwonde and Balaka with a water supply capacity of 10 000 cubic meters pay day,” said Banda.
Council challenges conservation supervisors to deliver
By Wanangwa Tembo
Kasungu, April 25, Mana: Director of Planning and Development for Kasungu District Council, Annie Zimba, has challenged supervisors of the Climate Smart Public Works Programme (CSPWP) to ensure that conservation works being done meet expected standards.
She made the call in Kasungu on Tuesday during an orientation of Designated Desk Officers (DDOs) that will supervise the programme activities in the district’s four newly established conservation catchments.
Zimba said there are huge sums of money being injected into the programme activities hence the need for the supervisors to ensure that the assets being created as part of the conservation activities reflect the investment made.
“We don’t expect to see any shoddy work in the catchments. As DDOs, you must be on top of things ensuring that we deliver quality work.
There must be value for the money that is invested in the programme. So we should not see a casual way of doing things that will reflect badly on the council,” she said.
Zimba said the increase in the number of the programme participants should also translate in more conservation works to restore the district’s degraded landscapes.
Kasungu district is enlisting 7.730 additional participants following the establishment of new catchments, increasing the district’s total participants from 15,802 to 23,532.
Speaking on behalf of the DDOs, Area Extension and Development Officer for Santhe Extension Planning Area, Time Natani said the orientation will help to equip the field staff with vital knowledge that would assist them to make the programme successful.
He said: “We are very ready for the show. The new catchments are big and will require our total dedication to duty. This is work that we must take seriously because the conservation assets that we are creating will not only help us today, but also the generations that are coming.
“We can learn from the other catchments where already there has been massive restoration of forests resulting in reduced runoff in agricultural land and increased infiltration of water which has helped to improve the water table and reduce soil erosion.”
As part of the programme activities, participants are involved in creating assets such as soak pits, marker ridges, gully reclamation and planting vegetative cover to reduce runoff and encourage infiltration of water to retain moisture in the soil.
CSPWP is a component of the Social Support for Resilient Livelihood Programme which is funded by the World Bank and the Multi-Donor Trust Fund.
MRCS moves to support households affected by heavy rains
By Rennie Tembo
Lilongwe, April 24, Mana; Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) says it is geared to support households which were affected by heavy rains and strong winds with cash so that they rebuild their homes.
Speaking on Tuesday in Lilongwe during a stakeholders meeting, Emergency Operations Coordinator for Malawi Red Cross Society Louis Solomon said they are committed to support 88 households that were affected by heavy rains and strong winds by restoring their damaged shelters.
“Our paramount objective is to respond to humanitarian needs of the affected population, as such each household will receive MK150,000 strictly for shelter rehabilitation and 20,000 people will be reached with health and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene related interventions to ensure continued consumption of treated water.
“We know this might not be enough but we believe that any little amount can bring big change if put in good use and we are trying our best to mobilise resources from our donors to reach or help more households,’’ he said
Solomon further said in order to avoid giving cash to undeserving households, MRCS will give the cash in phases, to make sure that the beneficiaries are using the funds for the intended purpose.
He said to achieve the objective of the initiative, MRCS will involve all the relevant structures at district and community level throughout the entire operation.
Lilongwe District Disaster Risk Management Officer Anganile Kalonga hailed Malawi Red Cross Society for the support saying it will alleviate the challenges of the affected households.
“We are very grateful for the support by MRCS to the affected families, this will assist them to recover from the impacts of the heavy rains and strong winds and enable them build back their lives,’’ she said.
Kalonga then urged other organisation to emulate MRCS’s gesture by assisting the affected households with different interventions.
The initiative will run for three months to the tune of MK979 million and will be implemented in three districts namely: Lilongwe, Karonga and Nkhotakota
In Lilongwe the initiative will be carried out in T/A Chitseka and T/A Kalolo.
Social practitioners challenged to change people’s lives
By Beatrice Bangula
Blantyre, April 25, Mana: Social workers in the country have been urged to continue working hard so that they can change the lives of people they serve by promoting social change and development.
President of Association of Social Workers in Malawi (ASWIM) Chisangalalo Ntonio made the call on Tuesday during a social service practitioner’s certification ceremony held at Malawi Sunday Hotel in Blantyre.
Speaking to 49 social workers from Southern and Central region who graduated after undergoing two months training from October to November, 2023, Ntonio said it is imperative that the practitioners should promote and protect the rights of the clientele who are its service users.
He said the training they have attended can only be of importance if they put what they have learnt into practice in order to contribute the development of the country.
"Certificates alone are useless if there is no implementation, use the skills learnt in helping government reduce teenage pregnancies through intervention among others. We need social cohesion, empowerment and liberation of people to be seen from your everyday work,” he said.
On his part, Secretary General for ASWIM Joseph Akuzike Stephano said the social workers training has come at a right time when Malawi continues to be one of the highest in as far as cases of child marriages and teenage pregnancies are concerned.
He said,” with the high rate of child marriages and teenage pregnancies, there is a lot of work for social workers. Having undergone this training, you should ensure that you bring change in the communities. You can team up and open firms where you can provide counselling, talk to other youths about issues of sexual reproductive health.
One of the participants, Praise Sinkhonde said the training has expanded her knowledge and deepened her understanding of issues of sexuality.
"One of the impactful part of this programme was learning about the right of sexuality education and the legal frame work. I have gained as a front line officer and this knowledge has empowered me to be a better advocate for those I will serve," she said.
The training focused on capacitating professionals with the knowledge, skills and principles pertaining to sexuality education in pursuit to prevent teenage pregnancy and gender based violence.
ASWiM is a registered membership-based organization aimed at improving the delivery of social welfare services to vulnerable and disadvantaged groups of people.
The organization has chapters in the northern, central, eastern, and southern regions of Malawi with membership throughout the country, working in both rural and urban areas.
Feature: CZ disaster-hit households find solace in CRI
By Kondwani Magombo
Lilongwe, April 25, Mana: At the age of 84, Veronica Sintchaya has a deceiving gait and agility of a 50-year-old. She's a retired teacher, having bidden farewell to chalk, board, and duster in 1996, three years after she lost her husband in 1993.
Upon retirement, Sintchaya went to settle at her home village, Chimpesa, Group Village Headman Kumitete, Traditional Authority Onga, Chiradzulu, where she's a member of a small scale farmers’ club called Nthambi.
During a recent media visit, the octogenarian’s shared secret to her enviable fitness, even at 84: “A balanced diet, comprising the six food groups and, most importantly, a ‘decent’ breakfast in form of porridge.”
But during the 2023 consumption year, Sintchaya did not have the luxury of having as much balanced meals, and as much ‘decent’ breakfasts due to Tropical Cyclone Freddy, which eroded the old woman’s cropland away and left her with too little to live on.
“It was one of the worst disasters I’ve ever witnessed,” explained Sintchaya. “Most of our crop fields were washed away just a couple of weeks ahead of harvesting period.”
The senior citizen was not alone in this predicament; scores of people in her village, and Chiradzulu as a whole, suffered the same blow and they were left with very little, or nothing at all, for their survival.
But this 2024 consumption season, Sintchaya, like many others in her club, is among thousands of smallholder farmers in the district who have beaten the El Nino odds and they have harvested enough maize to get them beyond the next consumption year.
The old woman, alone, has yielded 20 bags of the staple grain, including yellow maize, and she is happy to have restored her favourite breakfast back on the daily menu.
All this abundance is courtesy of Crisis Response Initiative (CRI), a one-year window that the government of Malawi successfully created in 2023 with funds from the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD).
The project is initially aimed to support 73,850 rural farmers (among them 50 percent women, and 25 percent youth) that were highly affected by the Tropical Cyclone Freddy in three Sustainable Agriculture Production Programme (SAPP) districts of Blantyre, Balaka, and Chiradzulu.
According to the project’s documents, IFAD pumped US$5.06m (MK8.68bn) into CRI to complement government’s effort of ensuring that the targeted rural farmers are able to access inorganic fertilizer through the Affordable Input Programme (AIP).
The development saw the identification and formation of clubs in the affected areas through the Ministry of Agriculture structures, for them (clubs) to access fertilizer, seed (maize, soybean, and maize), and livestock (goats, chickens and rabbits), depending on assessment of individual club members’ needs.
The 20-member Nthambi Club got six bags of fertilizer (three NPK and three Urea), and 100kg of maize seed, including thikinya (yellow maize).
Since the fertilizer was not enough for the 20 members, with the help of Martha Sitolo, Agricultural Extension Development Officer (AEDO) for Thumbwe Extension Planning Area (EPA) under which the Nthambi Club falls, the club produced more bags of organic fertilizer popularly known as Mbeya.
“From the three bags of NPK, and the three bags of Urea, we produced 15 bags of NPK, and 15 bags of Urea, and we shared amongst ourselves such that each member got 35kg of each type of fertilizer,” explained the youngest member of the club, Chimwemwe Bakali, 23.
Like Sintchaya, the oldest member of Club, Bakali, a form 3 student at Masalani Community Day Secondary School in the area, has, this 2024 consumption season, harvested 20 bags of maize from a 0.5ha piece of land using the Mbeya fertilizer.
“I’m very excited with my harvest,” explains Bakali, who had been left to look after a family home and siblings in 2023 as the parents were residing in Blantyre where they were working.
“Before the Cyclone, I used to get a maximum of 15 bags from the family’s total cropland, most of which was affected by Cyclone Freddy. After the cyclone, last year, our yield dropped to less than 5 bags, but with the use of Mbeya this year, I’ve harvested 20 bags of maize, just on a 0.5ha piece of land!”
Such stories of success are also shared by the rest of the members of Nthambi Club, including the chairperson, Rhoda Kazembe, who also speaks highly of the Mbeya fertilizer and accompanying new technologies that the AEDO, Martha Sitolo, equipped them with.
Elsewhere, within Thumbwe EPA in Chikamgwere Village, GVH Kumitete, TA Onga, members of another club, Mlambe, have all the reasons to stand and walk tall as the groundnut seed they received from the CRI project has promised a good harvest.
According to the AEDO, every member was given 30kg of groundnut seed which can give each one of them at least nine bags of shelled groundnuts.
One such happy members of Thumbwe Club is Maria Yakobe who is expecting to get not less than 10 bags of shelled groundnuts from her 0.3ha piece of land.
“The 10 bags of shelled groundnuts will give me a lot of money, enough to enable me buy a number of bags of fertilizer and multiply it using the Mbeya method, and make a kill of a harvest next year,” Yakobe outlines her plans.
Some clubs under Thumbwe EPA received goats while some got chickens in a pass-on program to reach out to as many rural farmers, who were affected by Cyclone Freddy, as possible.
According to the Sitolo, the clubs are all doing fine and the benefits of the CRI project are in plain sight for all to see.
“We are also training the club members to go into loans and savings practice so that, come next growing season, they should be able to buy more fertilizer and other related inputs with the proceeds from the savings,” explained the AEDO.
According to Director of Agriculture Services (DAS) for Chiradzulu district council, Cyclone Freddy washed away 14,000ha of the district’s 50,000ha cropland; thousands of livestock; property and lives.
Over 3,000 hard-hit households from the district’s three EPAs; Thundwe, Mombezi, and Mbulumbuzi, were identified to participate in the CRI project, and they have all registered success in their various interventions – be it livestock, or crops, according to Zingeni.
“The households that are participating in CRI’s various interventions are doing fine,” explained Zingeni. “For instance, we are expecting a yield of 4,000MT of maize from CRI participating households – that is on top of the estimated 30,000MT of maize that we are expecting from the district as a whole,” he added.
Within the additional 4,000 MT of maize that CRI households will contribute to the district’s grain stock is the 1MT (twenty 50kg-bags) for the 84-year-old Sitnchaya, the oldest member for Nthambi Club.
Perhaps, the little contribution – yet huge at individual level – explains the excitement that Sitchaya displayed on the day the media team visited the Club,
“I’m short of words: With my plentiful thikinya stock, I’m able to take my breakfast porridge every day, and this has also improved my sight!” explained the senior citizen of Chimpesa Village.
“Cyclone Freddy left us in dilemma, but CRI has rescued us: the new task that we have, now, is to consume the food that the project has heaped on us!” said the old woman lightly, her face awash with joy.
Railway construction project takes shape in Nsanje
By Robert Nayeja
Nsanje, April 24, Mana: Authorities in Nsanje have expressed satisfaction with the progress of the Bangula-Marka railway construction project.
Nsanje District Commissioner Dominic Mwandira said there is good progress and people in the district were geared to have project completed on time.
"The project is expected to open up a lot of business opportunities in the district once completed and people are happy to see that the project is taking shape," Mwandira added.
Mwandira, therefore, appealed to the communities to continue providing support to the contractor so the project should be implemented smoothly.
Senior Chief Chimombo also echoed Mwandira's sentiments, saying the economic status of his subjects has improved as some people have secured casual work at the project site.
"Those that have been employed by the contractor are able to support themselves and their families. We know that once this project is completed there will be a lot of activities taking place that will empower communities at large.
“There will be cargo from Mozambican port of Beira coming here to Malawi. This project will benefit all Malawians, not only the people from Lower Shire," Chimombo added.
Chimombo said the construction of the railway line has driven many to engage in various economic activities in the district as people are investing in construction of lodges and other businesses.
"People of Nsanje would like to thank President Lazarus Chakwera for making this project a reality.
"I'm very delighted that the project is making good progress and this will help to revive the lost economic glory of our beloved district," Chimombo added.
Group Village Head Ndenguma concurred with Chimombo, adding that the damage of the railway line fueled poverty in the district.
"In those days at least four trains were coming to Nsanje and four trains were leaving Nsanje before the civil war in Mozambique broke out. I recall that I used to go to railway station to see the train. There were a lot of business activities taking place at the station," Ndenguma said.
He added: “Some people were sailing clothes from Mozambique and others were selling chickens and goats. In fact, it was a market day when a passenger train was coming to the district."
Ndenguma, therefore, appealed to communities to take ownership of the project and refrain from theft of construction materials.
Government is constructing a 72-kilometre railway line in the district, which is connecting to Mozambique, a project that is designed to end within 18 months.
