![Hilda Chapota, PACHI Project Coordinator.]()
A local NGO, Parent And Child Health Initiative (PACHI) has engaged rural communities on the blood donation exercise to complement the Malawi Blood Transfusion Services (MBTS) initiative of reaching out to secondary and college students.
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![Hilda Chapota, PACHI Project Coordinator.]()
Hilda Chapota, PACHI Project Coordinator.[/caption]
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![Some of the blood donors being briefed at MBTS offices]()
Some of the blood donors being briefed at MBTS offices[/caption]
The model is a component of Social Mobilization and Accountability Project which is in 12 districts, Mzimba south and north, Mangochi, Zomba, Thyolo and Lilongwe rural.
On Thursday, PACHI organized a tour for blood diners from TA Chitukula, Lilongwe to MBTS offices and Bwaila district hospital.
"The tour was organized to give our rural blood donors a picture on how their blood is treated from the time of donation to MBTS and finally to the hospitals. As you know, there are a lot of perceptions out there on blood donation some which associate it with satanic rituals and many things. This contributes to dwindling numbers of blood donors.
"So our aim is to increase the blood base in rural communities by turning them into ambassadors once they familiarize themselves with the process as we want a lot of people to start donating blood," said PACHI Project Coordinator Hilda Chapota.
She added, "As you know, children nowadays start school at a very tender age therefore by the time they reach graduate to secondary level, they are still young and not in the blood donation age group something which contributes to low blood collected by MBTS, so we want to fill that gap."
According to Lilongwe Blood Transfusion Service Head James Palapandu, MBTS has a target of
80000 units of blood collection per year but only manages to collect
50000units.
"We only have districts campaigns through open days, clusters where a number of schools meet and we are intensifying media campaigns as one way of expanding our blood doner base.
"With PACHI Project there is we have seen some improvement as a lot of people from the rural areas are now donating blood," he said.
In Lilongwe rural, PACHI had targeted 150 units during the last exercise but managed to get 90 units, which are shared between MBTS and Bwaila District hospitals.
TA Chitukula Blood Donation Committee Chairperson Frackson Mamba hailed PACHI for the tour saying it's an eye opener.
"We have had problems to convince our fellows as there are a lot of things associated with blood donation. Some say it's related to satanic rituals while other say that the blood is sold once collected. Now, we will go back and teach them the whole process and the importance of donating blood which save a lot of lives, some of them our own relations," he said.
Currently, Malawi is hit by blood shortage in the country's main hospitals.
Recently, Kamuzu Central Hospital (KCH)- the country’s second largest referral facility— public relations officer Mable Chinkhata confirmed that thousands of people in need of blood risk dying following the depletion of the hospital’s blood bank.
The paper reports that the development has forced medics at the facility to start rationing, giving just a pint (450millilitres-ml) to an adult in need of blood and 300ml to children in a similar situation regardless of how much blood they need.
Chinkhata said the hospital is giving blood to “patients who really need blood and also those who need blood on emergency cases only.”
She said their only source of getting blood is through Malawi Blood Transfusion Service [MBTS].
PACHI was set up in
2009 as part of a Wellcome Trust Strategic Award for population based surveillance for maternal and new-born health in Malawi, Bangladesh, India and Nepal.
PACHI is committed to providing maternal and child health through sustainable, innovative and evidence-based programmes and interventions, capacity building and research.
As an initiative, PACHI seeks to influence policy making, service delivery, and community engagement and involvement for sustainable programmes and interventions to reduce morbidity and mortality for mothers and children
Jalakasi of Malawi Oilseed Sector Transformation[/caption]
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Participants viewing the trailer movie of the video at Crossroads Hotel. Pic. by Mac Neil Kalowekamo-[/caption]
The video titled “Tukukani ndi Mpendadzuwa” (Develop with Sunflower) documents the process of sunflower production and post-harvest management information.
Speaking during the launch at Crossroads Hotel in Lilongwe, Intervention Manager for MOST, Towera Jalakasi said the video provides up-to-date information on proper growth of the crop and its benefits.
“The video will be helpful to farmers as it provides information to enhance production of good quality seed and meet the demand in the booming oilseed production industry,” said Jalakasi.
She further said the video fills in the information gap and serve as an alternative in an era of shrinking number of physically available extension workers.
One of the sunflower farmers Alice Malika said lack of information on the growth of the crop was stifling her efforts to grow a high quality crop and add value to it.
“With this video, I think these problems are a thing of the past now. I will go back and follow the procedures documented in this video,” she said.
Malika added that the production of the video is timely as it will help farmers to meet the demand of a high quality raw material required by oilseed processing companies.
Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water Development Dr. Allan Chiyembekeza was the guest of honour at the ceremony.
In his speech, the minister said apart from increasing knowledge and awareness, the video will enhance the adoption and use of new improved science and technologies of sunflower production.
The 36-minute video is in Chichewa and it covers most important aspects in sunflower production from land preparation, crop husbandry, harvesting and post-harvesting handling. -Mana
Kamoto: App Mchikumbe 212[/caption]
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Chiyembekeza launches the agriculture mobile app for Airtel[/caption]
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Dr Allan Chiyembekeza officially launched the product in Lilongwe.
He said Mchikumbe212 would be handy in reaching out to most small holder farmers to access critical information that can boost their knowledge on agriculture and finances.
"As a Ministry we are proud of Mchikumbe 212 product since it is a dynamic and comprehensive mobile agriculture and financial service aimed at transforming smallholder farmer’s life by providing vital farming information that can enhance farming as business whilst promoting improved financial literacy and cash security awareness," he said adding that Airtel Malawi deserves a pat on the back for continuous innovations that are hatched to provide instant solutions within our society and communities across the country.
He then said the Ministry of Agriculture shall monitor the progress and performance of the product with keen interest and provide feedback to Airtel.
"We are looking forward to utilizing this product to assist agricultural extension development offices work in extension message dissemination.
"Let us always remember that an informed farmer is an empowered farmer. Information is power as it empowers," he explained.
In his remarks, Airtel Malawi's Acting Managing Director Charles Kamoto said Mchikumbe212 is a platform for sound agriculture content and access to market information so that farmers really take their farming as a business.
"The Mchikumbe 212 service offers information in dramatized and dialogue form format for greater engagement with farmers. “Users can access the service by simply dialling the short-code 212. In addition, users will be able to access the first 3 calls for free each month and will thereafter pay MK40 only for the fourth Call. All subsequent calls made thereafter in that month will be free of charge," he explained.
Kamoto further said Mchikumbe212 is a basic application that will be accessible on simple mobile phones for people in rural areas across the country.
Among other things, Mchikumbe 212 will enable farmers to access good agricultural practices information on five different crops and livestock, namely maize, soya, groundnuts, poultry and sweet potatoes. Farmers can also access information about Airtel Money and will in the near future, also access basic financial literacy information which will assist them to calculate gross margins and determine the profitability of their farming as a business.
"This Mchikumbe212 product is evidence of our acknowledgement, as a brand, of the farmers need to access relevant information on essential agricultural practices aimed at consequently improving and increasing their yields," Kamoto observed.
Chikaonda: Retires December 31, 2016[/caption]
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Chikaonda: PCL advertises his CEO job[/caption]
Chikaonda is set to retire from PCL on December 31, 2016 after being at the helm for the dual listed company for 14 years as its Group Chief Executive Officer.
KPMG started flying full page advertisements in both of Malawi’s daily newspapers, on Wednesday calling for submissions for the post which will close on February 29, 2016.
“The position requires in-depth knowledge of how businesses operate and of the financial, economic, cultural, political and social structures of Malawi. Similar knowledge of the surrounding regions would be an added advantage,” reads the advert on the professional, technical knowledge, skill and personal attributes of Chikaonda’s successor.
The position is considered one of the ‘best jobs’ in the country as PCL and its subsidiaries contribute to almost 30% to the economy through its investments in telecommunications, energy, financial services, food and beverages and consumer goods sectors.
Dr Chikaonda holds BA Finance & Economics (Hons), Diploma in Business Studies (Distinction), MBA (Finance) and Ph.D (Finance).
He joined the PCL Group in April 2002 as Group Chief Executive. Prior to this, he served as Assistant Professor of Finance and Associate Professor of Finance (tenured) from 1988 to 1991, and 1992 to 1994, respectively, at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada before serving as Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi from August 1994.
In January 1995, Dr Chikaonda was appointed Governor of the Reserve Bank of Malawi and served in this post until March 2000 when he was appointed to the Cabinet and served in the Government of Malawi as Minister of Finance and Economic Planning until January 2002.
In his own right, Dr Chikaonda is a Director of Illovo Sugar (Malawi) Limited and he is also a member of the Leadership Council for the US-based Initiative for Global Development (IGD).
TNM's Jonazi: Smart challenge[/caption]
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Jonazi: TNM opens voting in smart challenge game[/caption]
Voting commenced on February 1 and this voting window will be closed on February 28, according to TNM Marketing Manager Madalitso Jonazi.
TNM launched Smart challenge competition in October 2015 targeting students to showcase innovation in ICT (mobile) application development.
The competition challenged ICT students to come up with an innovation that would take ICT or mobile application to greater heights, apart from promoting and exposing ICT talents amongst the youth.
TNM’s Marketing Manager Madalitso Jonazi said submission of entries has so far been completed and 30 entries have made the final list which enters the voting phase.
“The public can now start voting for their favorite application in different categories by sending a participant’s code to 575 or online by visiting our website, 
Bamusi addressing the gathering[/caption]
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The shopping portal, launched Friday has features like tracking orders online as well as prices in local currency – the Malawi Kwacha.
Success Group initiative CEO, Sam Silumbu, told Nyasa Times on Friday that he was excited to be launching the site.
“Our technical team has worked round the clock in the last three months developing the website. Our customers will find shopping internationally easy, cheaper and exciting,” said Silumbu.
He said Success Series Group which has headquarters in Blantyre, and branches in Mzuzu, Lilongwe and Xinyu (China) has since its launch last year helped more than 3 000 mega clients order goods internationally.
“The beauty is that we don’t only work with huge business personalities. One can order even a single item be it a phone, a sofa set or a refrigerator.
“Our mode of payment system is also manageable even for an average earning Malawian. Our customers can choose to pay in up to three installments,” explained Silumbu.
Some of the products that can now be accessed on the site include kids, men suits, mobile phones, women tops, men shoes and trousers.
“But those aren’t the only products on offer. A client can order anything from China once they get in contact with us,” said Silumbu.
According to the Group’s media relations manager, Pius Nyondo, there “is going to be an official launch of the website in a number of strategic places in the country.”
Nyondo said it was “time” for the “country to start stamping her foot on international business deals.”
Nyasa Times has learnt that the Group has offices at the Trade Fair Grounds in the country’s commercial capital Blantyre at Stand 31B.
Silumbu said they can be contacted via watsapp on 
A customer admiring Airtel services.j[/caption]
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Starving people looking for maize[/caption]
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In search for food[/caption]
The raise has come amid assurances from the government that the country has in its reserves enough food in stock to last until the next harvesting season – around April.
On the contrary, people in Karonga have literally no food; and, according to those that spoke to Nyasa Times they have “resorted to natural vegetables” instead of staple nsima or rice.
Senior Chief of Wasambo of Karonga disclosed that most of his subjects “especially those whose pockets cannot afford to buy maize to from vendors are surviving on Bonongwe (Amaranthus/Bonongwe) and mushrooms.”
Said Wasambo: “Hunger is indeed biting. And this is because of shortage of maize in our ADMARC depots.”
Nyasa Times understands that for weeks now the ADMARC depot in the district has been non-operational. There is reportedly no maize.
Karonga district council vice chairperson, Ernest Mwalughali, has since asked stakeholders to take immediate action.
He said all depots had been closed “for no reason and without explanation.”
Vincent Ghambi, Member of Parliament (MP) for Karonga North and deputy education minister, much as admitting the problem was quick to say that the problem was transportation to get the maize to the depots.
“Our ADMARC depots are really empty but this doesn’t mean that the country has no maize.
"I’ve been talking to ADMARC officials at the headquarters and they have told me that the problem is transport,” said Ghambi.
Over 2.8 million Malawian are food insecure currently, according to the Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (Mvac) but the threat of El Nino which is hitting southern Africa has heightened fears that many more will join the long list in need of food aid.
Raiply Malawi Limited CEO Thomas Oomen (right), Pic by McCarthy Mwalwimba -Man[/caption]
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Trees cut by illegal sawyers in Chikangawa concession, Pic by McCarthy Mwalwimba -Mana[/caption]
On Tuesday, last week, the millers held demonstrations to force Raiply to return the 2,000 hectares of trees they said the company harvested from an area belonging to the millers.
But speaking to journalists on Saturday, Raiply's CEO Thomas Oomen said the company has never harvested trees beyond its concession area of 20, 000 hectares and challenged the millers to bring evidence of the alleged theft.
“Let them come and show us the area which they say is theirs and we have harvested their trees. Let them produce documents for the 2,000 hectares they are talking about,” Oomen said.
“We are working within the law and we have not broken any law of this country," he added.
Instead, Oomen lamented that Raiply has lost 800 hectares of forest to illegal sawyers who harvest trees in the company's concession area.
“Fourteen places within our concession area have been encroached and the value of the 800 hectares, today, is K2.1 billion,” he said.
A media visit to Kalungulu, 20 kilometres from the Raiply factory, and Lucheremu showed vast areas of cleared forest. The illegal sawyers camp right inside the forest as evidenced by some shacks.
Some sawyers were seen running away from their shacks when they saw vehicles' arriving in the area.
“It is not only Raiply that is losing out. Government is also losing out on this because the encroachers are not paying anything to the government,” Oomen said.
Meanwhile, government through the Department of Forestry deployed Malawi Defence Force (MDF) soldiers who are patrolling the Chikangawa forest and confiscating illegal sawyers' equipment and timber.
However, the illegal sawyers are still camping within the forest and reportedly cut trees even at night.
Raiply's Assistant Forestry Manager Elester Mando, who accompanied journalists on a tour of the forest, said the illegal sawyers have a good network of informants who alert one another whenever security personnel come close to their shacks.
“Each time they see us come here, they inform one another and vacate the area to safety. During the night if you come here, I'm sure you will find people [illegal sawyers] working.
“As a way forward, we need to tighten security in the plantation by making sure that nobody operates within the concession area apart from Raiply as a legal concessionaire,” Mando said.
Maize prices have shot to the roof due to scarcity in Malawi[/caption]
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Minister of Agriculture Chiyembekeza(centre) with Ambasador Nishioka and Jakhura at the signing ceremony-picture by Manasse Nyirenda[/caption]
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From left Abdul Gaffar Jakhura and Shuichiro Nishioka signing the grant contract whilst Chiyembekeza looks on[/caption]
The project was unveiled on Tuesday, during the signing ceremony at the Japanese Embassy in Lilongwe.
Speaking to the media after the ceremony, the Japanese Ambassador to Malawi Shuichiro Nishioka said Irrigation is crucial to the economy of the country which is mostly dependent on agriculture.
“Climate change has adversely affected rain-fed agriculture with almost 3million affected by hunger in the country, that’s why the Government of Japan decided to help with this grant,” said Shuichiro.
The grant will be utilized for construction of irrigation facilities as well as erection of overhead tanks for provision of water from submersible electric pumps.
Minister of Agriculture and Water Development, Dr Allan Chiyembekeza thanked the Japanese Government for continued support in various projects.
He further thanked Gift of the Givers for their innovative ideas in dealing with various challenges affecting communities in the country.
“The project will lead to better crop production in the absence of normal rains and will also provide clean and potable water for drinking purposes,” said Gaffar Jakhura, Chairman of Gift of the Givers.
The scheme will incorporate 100 farmers from each of the two districts and about 1200 people will directly benefit in Lirangwe, Blantyre and Nakuyu in Chiradzulu in terms of food availability and access to clean and potable water. At least 30,000 others will benefit indirectly from the catchment areas of the beneficiary villages.
Minister of Labour, Henry Mussa with UN Resident Coordinator, Mia Seppo during the launch of Human Development Report at BICC in Lilongwe-(c) Abel Ikiloni, Mana[/caption]
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Economics Advisor, UNDP, Alka Bhatia gives her Presentation on the launch of the Human Development Report at BICC in Lilongwe-(c) Abel Ikiloni, Mana[/caption]
Minister of Labour, Youth and Manpower Development, Henry Mussa made the call at Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe, at the launch of Human Development Report 2015.
Malawi is ranking at 173 out of 188 countries ahead of Ethiopia, Mozambique, Democratic Republic of Congo and Ethiopia among others according to 2015 Human Development Report.
“You cannot talk about employment if one is not educated. You cannot talk about employment if one is sick. So issues of education and health for the nation are key. The girl child issues and gender inequality have to be addressed,” said Mussa.
He said work is the means for unleashing human potential, creativity and innovation which are key to development, but could not be addressed in isolation.
“Work enables people to earn a living, gives them a means to participate in social and economic development in society and provides them with security and gives them a sense of dignity. Work is thus inherently and intrinsically linked to human development,” said Mussa.
He said the report highlights impressive progress that has been made since its inception 25 years ago.
The Minister also said it was important for the country to pay attention to voluntary, unpaid care and creative work which also contributes to development.
Mussa said the report is relevant to Malawi and its theme has relevance across all development work in the country.
“As the report suggests’, the approach to tackling the endemic poverty and inequality is through a multi-sectoral approach with carefully planned investments and targeted activities that yield the maximum return on investment and the greatest transformation in the lives of the poorest of the poor,” he explained.
Mussa said so far government has made some remarkable progress, ratified all eight core International Labour Conventions. It has in place Decent Work Country Program, a Draft Child Labour Policy and Draft National Employment and Labour Policy.
He said government will build on these initiatives to promote employment creation, safeguard rights at work, enhance social protection and social dialogue and link these with the Human development concept.
UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative Mia Seppo said the report call for meaningful and dignified work for all and is an important contribution to the discussion about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
She said the report makes a strong case that women are disadvantaged in the world of both paid and unpaid work.
“They not only have fewer opportunities for paid work they also shoulder a greater burden of unpaid work. Addressing gender inequality in both paid and unpaid work is crucial to ensure well-being of workers and advancing human development,” said Seppo.
She said this resonates well with the situation in Malawi, where a large proportion of women are in unpaid work.
Minister of Finance and Economic planning Goodall Gondwe , Ambassodor of Egypt to Malawi Maher Adel El-Adawy (C) and his Deputy present during Cheque presentation at the (C) Stanley Makuti[/caption]
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Minister of Finance and Economic planning Goodall Gondwe shakes hands with Ambassodor of Egypt to Malawi Maher Adel El-Adawy (C) Stanley Makuti[/caption]
Speaking during a cheque presentation ceremony in Lilongwe, Egyptian Ambassador to Malawi, Maher Adel El-Adawy said the food crisis facing the country is worrisome and that support from friends is highly required.
Adel El-Adawy said, despite that Egypt is an African country facing almost similar challenges, it felt compelled to assist Malawians in need of food.
“We deemed it necessary to respond to the President’s appeal for food support. This is our second part of the three donations we promised to make to the country,” the Ambassador explained.
He added, “next week we will be making another donation, but this time, it will be in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP)”
The Ambassador also said Egypt is now in the United Nation Security Council as well as in the peace and Security Council of the African Union the positions that qualify her to help countries that are passing through critical situations.
The Ambassador then appealed to other countries to join hands and help Malawi alleviate the hunger situation.
“The MK20 Million is not enough but we have done so to demonstrate to other countries that it is possible to help with the very little resources at our disposal. We therefore expect other countries to come in and assist,” he said.
Minister of Finance, Goodal Gondwe commended the Egyptian Government for the support which he said will save lives of million people.
Gondwe said unlike earlier announced that only 1 million people would be affected by hunger, the figures have now risen, a situation he described to be tricky and could not be handled by the Malawi government alone.
“This is the first time in the history of independence, for our country to experience, the dry spell, floods and decrease in maize production, “explained Gondwe.
He added, “We would like to salute the Egyptian Government for the support.”
Jere: MERA chair[/caption]
The Forestry Office in Machinga have impounded tons of charcoal, firewood and timber but communities at Matandika and Ndaje villages (along the main road) are continuing trading in such forest products.
The district forestry officer therefore commended MERA for providing seedlings to communities as Machinga intends to plant 2 million seedlings this forest season.
Muhosha however called on the people of Napwanga Village to protect the newly planted seedlings from the current drought and wild fire to realize higher survival rate.
Apart from MERA, Shire River Basin Management Programme is also supporting tree planting and other environmental protection and conservation projects in the Shire River basin districts that stretch from Mangochi all the way to Nsanje.
The Shire River, streams and the land they all drain from, combine to form the Shire River Basin whose catchment measures 3.1 million hectares, about third of Malawi, according to Shire River Basin Management Programme magazine called Our Shire.
Over 5.5 million Malawians live, work and depend on the Shire River Basin which provide water for many purposes including generating 98 per cent of Malawi’s electricity through hydro power.
Charles Pukuta on his hospital bed - pic by LINA[/caption]
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Charity Mughogho: Standard Bank launches Funeral Cover Plans[/caption]
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Pupils being briefed on the CEAR locomotive....Photo Jeromy Kadewere[/caption]
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Unending maize ques at Admarc[/caption]
Malawi is currently experiencing maize shortage and the food shortage situation is worsening as people are being forced to spend nights at Admarc depots just to access the grain.
The situation has forced government to take restrict measures in how the maize is sold in Admarc depots and has since deployed police officers in all depots to monitor and manage the situation.
And on Wednesday the law-enforcers in Mulanje arrested Jefrey Maliyango, 22, and Steven Mahaya, 35, for buying maize bulks from the government-owned grain marketer.
Mulanje police Public Relations Officer, Gresham Ngwira said the two hired some women to buy maize for them at Mulanje Admarc depot.
“They were paying each woman K800 for every 20kgs bought. Officially 20kgs costs K2, 200. When officers monitoring the sales noted this, they immediately arrested the two who by then had bought 7 bags weighing 60kgs each,'' explained Ngwira.
The two will appear in court soon after police investigations.
''We wish to warn the public against this malpractice. Anyone found will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly. We will not relent, officers are in all Admarc selling points to monitor the situation''.
Currently over 2 million are about to face food shortage, according to government's assessment done last year.
The country is experiencing food shortage and there is no hope from authorities that the situation will improve any time soon.