Approved Men are Not Ashamed (Awana) Ministry, an integrated evangelism and discipleship programme that started in the US in 1941, is making in roads in Malawi, following its introduction in 1999, the country’s programme overseer has disclosed.
Reports of Awana ministry’s growth locally comes just after a national survey in the US found that Awana’s activities were as important to its alumni’s spiritual foundations as other church programmes. Among the alumni who participated in its programmes for, at least, six years, 92 out of every one hundred were still attending to church at least weekly.
Each week, over 12, 000 churches in the US and more than 10,000 internationally-run Awana programmes, in addition to the 1.5 million youth, 250, 000 volunteers and 170 field staff who take part in its activities the world over.
Awana programmes overseer in Malawi, Pastor Rusten Kalenga, revealed in an interview that the local programme has registered tremendous growth since its establishment in 1999.
“The programme is growing at a faster pace, with three churches establishing children’s spiritual clubs. So far, the programme is being run independently in the Baptist Church, Faith in God and the Evangelical Church of Malawi. In terms of clubs, there are 138, which points to growth,” said Kalenga.
Kalenga said the programme, which targets young people from the age of two to 18, has so far distributed various materials to nine orphanages. He added that Awana Malawi was still interested in establishing partnerships with orphanages in all parts of the country.
“Through the programme, we distribute spiritual books to children, apart from instilling a sense of discipline in them. We also share what we have with the less privileged. Because this is an inter-denominational programme, it also helps foster unity among churches,” Kalenga said.
Speaking in a separate interview, Awana Ministry programme director at Blantyre Baptist Church, McNovance Potani, hailed the programme for changing children’s lives in the church.
“Experience has shown that children who take part in Awana programmes are disciplined and do well in class. For example, all Awana child members at Blantyre Baptist Academy passed their Primary School Leaving Certificate examinations, an indication that the programme really changes children and makes them more responsible,” Potani said.
Awana began as a children's program at the North Side Gospel Center in Chicago in 1941. Lance Latham, North Side's senior pastor, collaborated with the church's youth director, Art Rorheim, to develop weekly clubs that would appeal to churched and non-churched kids, lead them to trust Christ for salvation and grow them in enduring faith and service to God.
Other churches learned about the success of the program and inquired about its availability. In 1950, Latham and Rorheim founded Awana as a parachurch organization. By 1960, 900 churches had started Awana programs and, by 1972, the programme established its first international club.
Potani said founders of Awana derived the name from the first letters of "Approved workmen are not ashamed" as taken from 2 Timothy 2:15 of the Bible.
Today, more than 12,000 U.S. churches run Awana with programs in all 50 states. Awana can also be found in over 10,000 churches in 109 other countries, with Jack Eggar as the President and Art Rorheim serving as Co-Founder and President Emeritus.
“Churches that are yet to join are free to come. Let us unite for a better tomorrow,” Kalenga said.
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Monday, December 26, 2011
Religion and Maternal Health in Malawi
Somewhere along the way, the majority somehow learned of, and fell
into, this ‘trap’; a trap experts say is commendable and in tune with
human passions of the day. This ‘trap’ is religion, a world of belief
in the existence of a supreme being.
“We need religion and spirituality in life,” says College of
Medicine’s Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor, Dr. Chiwoza
Bandawe. “We learn from Psychology of religion studies that faith
promotes good health.”
Without religion, says Dr. Bandawe, human beings are bound to be
gnawed constantly by a sense of inadequacy, frustration and failure.
This explains why, globally, most people are caught in the web of
religious orientation.
Religion is, in other words, the easy, straight path to a fulfilling life.
“The benefits of religion far outweigh the negatives. Religion helps
people become focused, and is critical in mental health because it
helps them navigate from challenges,” says Dr. Bandawe.
However, religion is not always a faultless paragon of virtue, he
notes; it sometimes renders its fanatics emotional in their
deliberations, vituperative in their denunciations, and prone to
engage in bitter, exaggerated personal attacks instead of
concentrating their fire upon the merits of an issue.
“This leads to self-guilt, and may lead to condemnation of others,” he says.
This is where religion turns into a trap because such individuals
cannot be swayed from negative practices, even in the midst of such
tragedies as poverty and disease.
A good example pertains to the issue of HIV and AIDS. As Malawi
teetered on the edge of a health- collapse between 1989 and 2004, some
religious leaders were raising the torch of faith as a cure for HIV
and AIDS.
“This proved to be a hindrance to national efforts to contain HIV and
AIDS. We had people who died after stopping taking ARVs. Others died,”
says Dr. Mary Shawa, Principal Secretary for Nutrition, HIV and AIDS
in the Office of the President and Cabinet.
In the end, government officials were prompted to incorporate prayer
as part of Malawi’s three-tier response to HIV and AIDS, and Shawa is
impressed with results of the Nutrition, ARVS and Prayer HIV and AIDS
response model.
So well for HIV and AIDS efforts, but the same cannot be said of best
Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) practices campaigns.
Take, for instance, the case of Ketula Frank, Rose Thauzeni and Olive
Nsona of Chilomoni Township in Blantyre.
Frank, a mother of four, says she has never delivered at the hospital
and sees no value in seeking prenatal and antenatal services from
health centres.
“Prayer, and not the SRH clinic, helps me deliver at home, without any
hassles whatsoever. In fact, I deliver without those doctors and
nurses. To me, faith in God serves as the best SRH clinic,” she says.
The same applies to Thauzeni, who answers with questions.
“Have you ever heard of cattle seeking SHR services at the clinic? I
have two children I delivered without health officials and will do
that again,” says Thauzeni.
Dr. Chiwoza Bandawe and (below) Dr. Fatsani Ngwalangwa-Kasinja
Their story of faith does not end without Olive Nsona, a mother of
four. “If hospitals are safe places for child deliveries, why do they
have mortuaries close by? Have you heard of a church building that is
adjoined to a mortuary?”
Theirs is a world of questions whose answer is always prayer.
Chances are that they may not be the only women who do not believe in
modern SRH practices. Chikhwawa district is one other place, according
to T/A Katunga.
“Fortunately, only a handful of my subjects are stopping their
pregnant wives from visiting hospitals for maternal health services,”
says Katunga.
Chikhwawa District’s Health Officer, Dr. Fatsani Ngwalangwa-Kasinja,
observes that, other than religion, cultural practices pose a
challenge to maternal health services.
For Fred Kwacha, head of Malawi’s traditional church, “imported
religion” is to blame for maternal deaths.
“’Foreign’ religion is to blame for all our problems, including
maternal deaths. This never happened in the past, when we used to
worship our ancestral spirits. Now the spirits are angry because
people have lost touch with culture,” says Kwacha.
While his conservationism has a strong strain of pragmatism, it also
points to the fact that religion could under siege in Malawi.
This is evident in a joint May 2011 Ministry of Health and UNFPA
report released in May 2011. The ‘Abortion in Malawi: Results of a
Study of Incidents and Magnitude of Complications due to Unsafe
Abortions’ report, the product of 2009 research, reveals that
religious women constitute 85.2 percent of people who carry out unsafe
abortions.
Although Henry Chimbali, Ministry of Health’s spokesman, says the
findings are not an attack on religion, the truth remains that they
(results) forced some people to go home in silence- weighing the
significance of such words.
into, this ‘trap’; a trap experts say is commendable and in tune with
human passions of the day. This ‘trap’ is religion, a world of belief
in the existence of a supreme being.
“We need religion and spirituality in life,” says College of
Medicine’s Clinical Psychologist and Associate Professor, Dr. Chiwoza
Bandawe. “We learn from Psychology of religion studies that faith
promotes good health.”
Without religion, says Dr. Bandawe, human beings are bound to be
gnawed constantly by a sense of inadequacy, frustration and failure.
This explains why, globally, most people are caught in the web of
religious orientation.
Religion is, in other words, the easy, straight path to a fulfilling life.
“The benefits of religion far outweigh the negatives. Religion helps
people become focused, and is critical in mental health because it
helps them navigate from challenges,” says Dr. Bandawe.
However, religion is not always a faultless paragon of virtue, he
notes; it sometimes renders its fanatics emotional in their
deliberations, vituperative in their denunciations, and prone to
engage in bitter, exaggerated personal attacks instead of
concentrating their fire upon the merits of an issue.
“This leads to self-guilt, and may lead to condemnation of others,” he says.
This is where religion turns into a trap because such individuals
cannot be swayed from negative practices, even in the midst of such
tragedies as poverty and disease.
A good example pertains to the issue of HIV and AIDS. As Malawi
teetered on the edge of a health- collapse between 1989 and 2004, some
religious leaders were raising the torch of faith as a cure for HIV
and AIDS.
“This proved to be a hindrance to national efforts to contain HIV and
AIDS. We had people who died after stopping taking ARVs. Others died,”
says Dr. Mary Shawa, Principal Secretary for Nutrition, HIV and AIDS
in the Office of the President and Cabinet.
In the end, government officials were prompted to incorporate prayer
as part of Malawi’s three-tier response to HIV and AIDS, and Shawa is
impressed with results of the Nutrition, ARVS and Prayer HIV and AIDS
response model.
So well for HIV and AIDS efforts, but the same cannot be said of best
Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) practices campaigns.
Take, for instance, the case of Ketula Frank, Rose Thauzeni and Olive
Nsona of Chilomoni Township in Blantyre.
Frank, a mother of four, says she has never delivered at the hospital
and sees no value in seeking prenatal and antenatal services from
health centres.
“Prayer, and not the SRH clinic, helps me deliver at home, without any
hassles whatsoever. In fact, I deliver without those doctors and
nurses. To me, faith in God serves as the best SRH clinic,” she says.
The same applies to Thauzeni, who answers with questions.
“Have you ever heard of cattle seeking SHR services at the clinic? I
have two children I delivered without health officials and will do
that again,” says Thauzeni.
Dr. Chiwoza Bandawe and (below) Dr. Fatsani Ngwalangwa-Kasinja
Their story of faith does not end without Olive Nsona, a mother of
four. “If hospitals are safe places for child deliveries, why do they
have mortuaries close by? Have you heard of a church building that is
adjoined to a mortuary?”
Theirs is a world of questions whose answer is always prayer.
Chances are that they may not be the only women who do not believe in
modern SRH practices. Chikhwawa district is one other place, according
to T/A Katunga.
“Fortunately, only a handful of my subjects are stopping their
pregnant wives from visiting hospitals for maternal health services,”
says Katunga.
Chikhwawa District’s Health Officer, Dr. Fatsani Ngwalangwa-Kasinja,
observes that, other than religion, cultural practices pose a
challenge to maternal health services.
For Fred Kwacha, head of Malawi’s traditional church, “imported
religion” is to blame for maternal deaths.
“’Foreign’ religion is to blame for all our problems, including
maternal deaths. This never happened in the past, when we used to
worship our ancestral spirits. Now the spirits are angry because
people have lost touch with culture,” says Kwacha.
While his conservationism has a strong strain of pragmatism, it also
points to the fact that religion could under siege in Malawi.
This is evident in a joint May 2011 Ministry of Health and UNFPA
report released in May 2011. The ‘Abortion in Malawi: Results of a
Study of Incidents and Magnitude of Complications due to Unsafe
Abortions’ report, the product of 2009 research, reveals that
religious women constitute 85.2 percent of people who carry out unsafe
abortions.
Although Henry Chimbali, Ministry of Health’s spokesman, says the
findings are not an attack on religion, the truth remains that they
(results) forced some people to go home in silence- weighing the
significance of such words.
Post Natal Care in Malawi
The majority of Malawian women do not return to the hospital for postnatal care after delivery, a development that has contributed towards high maternal death rates both locally and globally, research findings by two leading Malawian health experts indicate.
These findings are contained in the ‘Evidence Based Midwifery (EBM)’ Magazine edition of December. This is a quarterly journal published by the Royal College of Midwives And features academic research findings from around the world.
Presenting the findings after analyzing factors that influence utilization of postnatal care (PNC) between the first and sixth week of delivery among mothers at Zomba Central Hospital, Head of the Midwifery Department at Malawi College of Health Sciences, Betty Sakala, and Abigail Kazembe- a lecturer in Maternal and Child Health at Kamuzu College of Nursing- say most urban women shun PNC.
“Two-thirds of all women that deliver in urban hospitals in Malawi do not return for PNC care at one and six weeks,” reads part of their report.
Sakala and Kazembe warn that this situation could impact negatively on Malawi’s maternal statistics because, after delivery, both the genital and the urinary tract are prone to infections arising from the labour process.
“Follow up of the mother within the first week is critical for detecting postpartum infections. Although postnatal services are free, 69 percent do not return for one week and six weeks PNC,” observes Sakala and Kazembe in the report.
The 2011 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey indicates that the country’s maternal mortality rate is at 6.7 per 1000 live births. However, a 2008 United Nations Children’s Fund and National Statistical Office report partly attributed Malawi’s high mortality rate to women’s failure to attend PNC.
However, the study- which was approved by the College of Medicine’s Ethical Review Board and had a sample of 154 women- has placed the blame on midwives’ failure to advise women on the importance of attending to PNC, lack of awareness on postnatal services, low levels of education among most women and poor enforcement of growth-monitoring mechanisms.
The report suggests that, as part of the solutions, medical training institutions should emphasise the importance of PNC at between one and six weeks of delivery. It also suggests that midwives’ supervisors should ensure that mothers are advised and booked for postnatal care.
This is not the first time that research findings have revealed that most Malawian women shun PNC services. For instance, the Malawi Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey report of 2006 reported that the mothers’ age and education levels had a positive influence on PNC services, citing the “increased reasoning capacity of older women”, as opposed to younger girls, as one of the factors that promotes access to PNC services.
The report also noted that women with secondary education or higher were more likely to go for PNC within 42 hours after delivery (54.0%), compared to women with no education (29.0%). It also said working women are more empowered to make decisions on when to go for PNC due to their financial independence.
These findings are contained in the ‘Evidence Based Midwifery (EBM)’ Magazine edition of December. This is a quarterly journal published by the Royal College of Midwives And features academic research findings from around the world.
Presenting the findings after analyzing factors that influence utilization of postnatal care (PNC) between the first and sixth week of delivery among mothers at Zomba Central Hospital, Head of the Midwifery Department at Malawi College of Health Sciences, Betty Sakala, and Abigail Kazembe- a lecturer in Maternal and Child Health at Kamuzu College of Nursing- say most urban women shun PNC.
“Two-thirds of all women that deliver in urban hospitals in Malawi do not return for PNC care at one and six weeks,” reads part of their report.
Sakala and Kazembe warn that this situation could impact negatively on Malawi’s maternal statistics because, after delivery, both the genital and the urinary tract are prone to infections arising from the labour process.
“Follow up of the mother within the first week is critical for detecting postpartum infections. Although postnatal services are free, 69 percent do not return for one week and six weeks PNC,” observes Sakala and Kazembe in the report.
The 2011 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey indicates that the country’s maternal mortality rate is at 6.7 per 1000 live births. However, a 2008 United Nations Children’s Fund and National Statistical Office report partly attributed Malawi’s high mortality rate to women’s failure to attend PNC.
However, the study- which was approved by the College of Medicine’s Ethical Review Board and had a sample of 154 women- has placed the blame on midwives’ failure to advise women on the importance of attending to PNC, lack of awareness on postnatal services, low levels of education among most women and poor enforcement of growth-monitoring mechanisms.
The report suggests that, as part of the solutions, medical training institutions should emphasise the importance of PNC at between one and six weeks of delivery. It also suggests that midwives’ supervisors should ensure that mothers are advised and booked for postnatal care.
This is not the first time that research findings have revealed that most Malawian women shun PNC services. For instance, the Malawi Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey report of 2006 reported that the mothers’ age and education levels had a positive influence on PNC services, citing the “increased reasoning capacity of older women”, as opposed to younger girls, as one of the factors that promotes access to PNC services.
The report also noted that women with secondary education or higher were more likely to go for PNC within 42 hours after delivery (54.0%), compared to women with no education (29.0%). It also said working women are more empowered to make decisions on when to go for PNC due to their financial independence.
Malawians and Blood Donation
The Malawi Blood Transfusion Service (MBTS) says prevalent myths on blood donation are hindering people’s willingness to donate blood.
MBTS Medical Officer, Dr. Bridon M’baya, revealed this Thursday during a science café jointly organized by MBTS and the Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust in Blantyre.
M’baya, who suspected that Malawians might have developed cold feet due to the famous ‘Chilobwe (township) Murders’ that took place between 1968 and 1973, said myths have contributed directly towards the country’s blood shortage problem.
The Chilobwe murders led to the death of over 20 people, and the subsequent arrest and conviction of two government officials.
“This is evident in the fact that, out of 80,000 units of blood that the country needs annually, the best we have achieved is (to) collect 42,000 units in 2010. Many people are not willing to donate blood,” said M’baya.
M’baya described this as an act of selfishness as “the 450 millilitres of blood we draw from an individual person can save the lives of four children”, apart from contributing towards medical research and disease diagnosis.
M’baya’s sentiments were shared by Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital-based Hematologist-consultant Dr. Steve McKew and College of Medicine’s Hematology lecturer, Dr. Ben Chosamata.
McKew said he found Malawians’ reluctance to donate blood “a little bit strange” because in such countries as The United Kingdom blood banks are always almost full “due to the increased number of people who show willingness to, and actually, donate blood”.
On his part, Chosamata urged Malawians to embrace the culture of blood donation, saying donated blood helps medical personnel come up with answers to complex health situations.
“In which case, it is not only the individual (blood) donor who benefits but mankind. Blood gives us an insight into many issues pertaining to an individual’s health status,” said Chosamata.
The three experts also answered participants’ questions on blood, among them why, on average, women have 4.8 litres of blood while men have 5.7 litres. The other questions hinged on intervals between one blood donation and another.
M’bawa said women have, on average, less blood than men due to issues such as menstruation. He, however, added that people’s blood volumes also varied with one’s height and body weight.
Chosamata said, on the other hand, that medical experts recommend that men donate blood after three months while women are given four months- again, due to menstruation issues.
This forced one participant to loudly suggest that men should be having their own monthly periods as well in order to level the playing field.
MBTS Medical Officer, Dr. Bridon M’baya, revealed this Thursday during a science café jointly organized by MBTS and the Malawi-Liverpool Wellcome Trust in Blantyre.
M’baya, who suspected that Malawians might have developed cold feet due to the famous ‘Chilobwe (township) Murders’ that took place between 1968 and 1973, said myths have contributed directly towards the country’s blood shortage problem.
The Chilobwe murders led to the death of over 20 people, and the subsequent arrest and conviction of two government officials.
“This is evident in the fact that, out of 80,000 units of blood that the country needs annually, the best we have achieved is (to) collect 42,000 units in 2010. Many people are not willing to donate blood,” said M’baya.
M’baya described this as an act of selfishness as “the 450 millilitres of blood we draw from an individual person can save the lives of four children”, apart from contributing towards medical research and disease diagnosis.
M’baya’s sentiments were shared by Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital-based Hematologist-consultant Dr. Steve McKew and College of Medicine’s Hematology lecturer, Dr. Ben Chosamata.
McKew said he found Malawians’ reluctance to donate blood “a little bit strange” because in such countries as The United Kingdom blood banks are always almost full “due to the increased number of people who show willingness to, and actually, donate blood”.
On his part, Chosamata urged Malawians to embrace the culture of blood donation, saying donated blood helps medical personnel come up with answers to complex health situations.
“In which case, it is not only the individual (blood) donor who benefits but mankind. Blood gives us an insight into many issues pertaining to an individual’s health status,” said Chosamata.
The three experts also answered participants’ questions on blood, among them why, on average, women have 4.8 litres of blood while men have 5.7 litres. The other questions hinged on intervals between one blood donation and another.
M’bawa said women have, on average, less blood than men due to issues such as menstruation. He, however, added that people’s blood volumes also varied with one’s height and body weight.
Chosamata said, on the other hand, that medical experts recommend that men donate blood after three months while women are given four months- again, due to menstruation issues.
This forced one participant to loudly suggest that men should be having their own monthly periods as well in order to level the playing field.
Malawi's Traditional Church
Head of Malawi’s Chipembedzo Chamakolo (Traditional Religion), Fred Kwacha, explains his religious beliefs: Excerpts:
When we say Chipembedzo Chamakolo, what do we talk about?
Chipembedzo Chamakolo is a religion that believes in the worship of ancestral spirits. There are two types of spirit, namely: ‘family’ and ‘national’ spirits. Family spirits are those of people who were members of a household or clan. Their spirits are consulted in cases of child sickness and rains.
The Biblical Adam and Eve are not related to us: Fred Kwacha, Head of Malawi's Traditional Church
Then, we have ‘national’ spirits- spirits of people who were national figures. These are Individuals who performed great works in society. These include Mbona, Chauta, Makewana, Bimbi and Chikang’ombe in the Northern region.
Before you go any further, what is the name of your religion in English?
What? English? (Laughs). Our ancestors don’t understand English. This is why we are speaking in Chichewa; we want them to understand what we are saying. English, just like these other forms of religion, is a foreign thing.
You seem to emphasise on the point of ‘foreign’ and ‘alien’ when referring to other religions. Can you elaborate?
Yes, Malawians have their true religion: Chipembedzo Chamakolo. We are all members of this religion, whether we want or not. Unfortunately, most Malawians have joined foreign religions. It’s all because Missionaries would go to communities with guns and holy books, and people, naturally, were afraid of death and joined their religions. Our people chose life. And that is how foreign religion interrupted our ‘original way of life’.
I am not saying that people from other countries should not worship freely here. All I am saying is that Malawians should not waste time with foreign gods and prophets because they have their own religion, Chipembedzo Chamakolo. In fact, all these problems we have, you talk of erratic rains, unnecessary deaths, plagues- it’s because we have forsaken our religion and our ancestral spirits. These spirits are angry.
Now, back to the issue of ‘family’ and ‘national’ spirits. In which places were they worshipped?
Don’t say where ‘were’ they worshipped. They are still worshiped. Of course, some placed have ceased to be shrines, places like Pambalale (at Michiru). However, we still have other places that used to serve as shrines, and continue to do so. Places like Khulubvi.
When did you join Chipembedzo Chamakolo?
You don’t join Chipembedzo Chamakolo; you take over from your ancestors. All of us are part of it.
How many members do you have at the moment?
That question, too, does not arise. All Malawians are members of Chipembedzo Chamakolo. So long as one is an indigenous Malawian. So, talking of membership, we have over 14 million members.
Where do all these 14 million members meet?
In Chipembedzo Chamakolo, you don’t meet anyhow. You meet when need arises. You don’t even have a specific meeting day during the week. When the rains are a problem. When plague strikes. When a nation is going through problems. That is when people meet, and sacrifice offerings.
Religion has, for a long time, been associated with miracles. What miracles, if any, have you performed?
You may wish to remember that Malawi went through a dry spell between 2004 and 2005. Other religions prayed to their foreign gods and prophetsbut rains did not come. That is when I, as head of Chipembedzo Chamakolo in Malawi, decided to consult Senior Chief Lundu (of Chikhwawa) on what we needed to do, in terms of offering sacrifices to our ancestral spirits. I consulted Lundu because he (Lundu) is Mbona’s grandson through the lineage of M’dzakula. Along with Chipembedzo Chamakolo friends from Mwanza, Zomba and other districts, we bought food, goats, and black clothes. Lundu advised us to abstain from sexual intercourse for some two weeks and we did that. Miracles started happening mid-way through our offering at Khulubvi. By the time we reached Ngabu (in Chikhwawa), I tell you that the whole landscape was filled with rain water. I tell you, all other religions failed to bring rains, and it was us who finally did it. Since then, Malawi has been registering bumper harvests.
Do you believe that Adam and Eve are our original parents?
No, Adam and Eve have nothing to do with us. We don’t owe our parentage to them.
People believe that there will be punishment for sinners in the end. What’s your take on this?
There is nothing like fire, or any form of punishment, after this life. Tell me: Is there any ‘normal’ father who, after bearing children, prepares a fire for them? What for?
M'bona the rain-maker: One of the people whose spirits are worshipped in Malawi's Traditional Religion (Chipembedzo Chamakolo). Portlait by Chileka-based artist Ngalamila
So, there is no fire after this life. What happens is that, after you die, your spirit may be there to represent your people, and help them in times of trouble.
Any last words?
Malawians should learn to respect their leaders. Nobody will come and honour them for us. After all, these leaders are part of us, and share similar blood with us. These are the only leaders we have in the world.
When we say Chipembedzo Chamakolo, what do we talk about?
Chipembedzo Chamakolo is a religion that believes in the worship of ancestral spirits. There are two types of spirit, namely: ‘family’ and ‘national’ spirits. Family spirits are those of people who were members of a household or clan. Their spirits are consulted in cases of child sickness and rains.
The Biblical Adam and Eve are not related to us: Fred Kwacha, Head of Malawi's Traditional Church
Then, we have ‘national’ spirits- spirits of people who were national figures. These are Individuals who performed great works in society. These include Mbona, Chauta, Makewana, Bimbi and Chikang’ombe in the Northern region.
Before you go any further, what is the name of your religion in English?
What? English? (Laughs). Our ancestors don’t understand English. This is why we are speaking in Chichewa; we want them to understand what we are saying. English, just like these other forms of religion, is a foreign thing.
You seem to emphasise on the point of ‘foreign’ and ‘alien’ when referring to other religions. Can you elaborate?
Yes, Malawians have their true religion: Chipembedzo Chamakolo. We are all members of this religion, whether we want or not. Unfortunately, most Malawians have joined foreign religions. It’s all because Missionaries would go to communities with guns and holy books, and people, naturally, were afraid of death and joined their religions. Our people chose life. And that is how foreign religion interrupted our ‘original way of life’.
I am not saying that people from other countries should not worship freely here. All I am saying is that Malawians should not waste time with foreign gods and prophets because they have their own religion, Chipembedzo Chamakolo. In fact, all these problems we have, you talk of erratic rains, unnecessary deaths, plagues- it’s because we have forsaken our religion and our ancestral spirits. These spirits are angry.
Now, back to the issue of ‘family’ and ‘national’ spirits. In which places were they worshipped?
Don’t say where ‘were’ they worshipped. They are still worshiped. Of course, some placed have ceased to be shrines, places like Pambalale (at Michiru). However, we still have other places that used to serve as shrines, and continue to do so. Places like Khulubvi.
When did you join Chipembedzo Chamakolo?
You don’t join Chipembedzo Chamakolo; you take over from your ancestors. All of us are part of it.
How many members do you have at the moment?
That question, too, does not arise. All Malawians are members of Chipembedzo Chamakolo. So long as one is an indigenous Malawian. So, talking of membership, we have over 14 million members.
Where do all these 14 million members meet?
In Chipembedzo Chamakolo, you don’t meet anyhow. You meet when need arises. You don’t even have a specific meeting day during the week. When the rains are a problem. When plague strikes. When a nation is going through problems. That is when people meet, and sacrifice offerings.
Religion has, for a long time, been associated with miracles. What miracles, if any, have you performed?
You may wish to remember that Malawi went through a dry spell between 2004 and 2005. Other religions prayed to their foreign gods and prophetsbut rains did not come. That is when I, as head of Chipembedzo Chamakolo in Malawi, decided to consult Senior Chief Lundu (of Chikhwawa) on what we needed to do, in terms of offering sacrifices to our ancestral spirits. I consulted Lundu because he (Lundu) is Mbona’s grandson through the lineage of M’dzakula. Along with Chipembedzo Chamakolo friends from Mwanza, Zomba and other districts, we bought food, goats, and black clothes. Lundu advised us to abstain from sexual intercourse for some two weeks and we did that. Miracles started happening mid-way through our offering at Khulubvi. By the time we reached Ngabu (in Chikhwawa), I tell you that the whole landscape was filled with rain water. I tell you, all other religions failed to bring rains, and it was us who finally did it. Since then, Malawi has been registering bumper harvests.
Do you believe that Adam and Eve are our original parents?
No, Adam and Eve have nothing to do with us. We don’t owe our parentage to them.
People believe that there will be punishment for sinners in the end. What’s your take on this?
There is nothing like fire, or any form of punishment, after this life. Tell me: Is there any ‘normal’ father who, after bearing children, prepares a fire for them? What for?
M'bona the rain-maker: One of the people whose spirits are worshipped in Malawi's Traditional Religion (Chipembedzo Chamakolo). Portlait by Chileka-based artist Ngalamila
So, there is no fire after this life. What happens is that, after you die, your spirit may be there to represent your people, and help them in times of trouble.
Any last words?
Malawians should learn to respect their leaders. Nobody will come and honour them for us. After all, these leaders are part of us, and share similar blood with us. These are the only leaders we have in the world.
Nurses: there, when life matters
The Malawian health facility remains, largely, a net- catching up committed workers in a trap of adverse ‘circumstances’. These workers include nurses, midwives, medical assistants, clinical technicians, doctors, among others.
But what are the circumstances?
“Human resource constraints, failure to retain staff and disparities between number of workers in rural and urban areas,” says Martha Kwataine, national coordinator for the Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN).
These circumstances have particularly pinned one medical worker, the nurse, down. In rural health facilities, the nurse is the ‘doctor’, and often triples as nurse, midwife and medical assistant.
Not that no one cares, though; just that policymakers still drop, from time to time, in a vacuum of policy objectives that take us nowhere, enthuses Kwataine.
Indicators are that, unless Malawi presents better ‘Commitment Deeds’ towards its 13,066,320 population, it will be tough to fill this vacuum. On one hand, MHEN estimates that Malawi only has half the required number of nurses.
Against the national requirement of 10,000 nurses, for example, Malawi has 5000. One mind does the work of two.
It has been like this since independence that, in 2007, the Ministry of Health had 54 out of every 100 posts for nurses unfilled, a health system the Malawi Health Report described as “…close to collapse.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), on the other hand, indicates that Malawi is nursing a medical personnel crisis because, instead of 100 nurses serving 100,000 patients, 59 Malawian nurses serve 100,000 patients.
“This is why the nurse’s role remains unappreciated in our society,” says Dorothy Ng’oma, National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives (Nonm) executive director.
She says moral courage of nurses alone is insufficient to register national success unless it is executed as part of that greater entity called ‘collective action’.
Health Minister, Dr. Jean Kalirani, claims just that. She says Malawi has recently been taking the right direction, as seen by increased enrollment numbers. Over the past five six years, the intake to Kamuzu College of Nursing and Christian Health Association of Malawi training colleges has doubled.
This comes against the background of the national scare of 2009, when The Sector Wide Approach programme for medical students ended, and government officials were forced to withdraw student scholarships. Consequently, the majority of nursing students withdrew due to failure to raise K350, 000 for one year’s learning.
It was a temporary predicament, though, because, during the 2010/2011 Fiscal Year, government rescinded its decision and channeled K398 million towards tuition scholarships meant to benefit 1,200 medical students.
“This administration is very much committed to improve the situation, as seen by high level involvement in Safe Motherhood issues. The First Lady’s initiative is a sign of commitment on government’s part,” says Dr. Kalirani.
But Ng’oma maintains that nurses continue to face enormous challenges. She adds, however, that, against all these odds, Malawian nurses still play the lamb, and resist the human urge to make inconsistent demands for all their unsatisfied grievances.
“The nurse is the bastion of love and compassion,” says Ng’oma. “The issue of compromise also comes into play.”
Indeed, for the Malawian nurse, being there is a compromise because job opportunities abound Western countries, rife with better salaries and conditions. Ng’oma says local nurses do a ‘sacrificial and commendable’ job
Go to Mulanje Mission Hospital to get the real meaning of ‘commendable’. There, Blantyre C.C.A.P. Synod’s Health and Development Commission (BSHDC) is running a programme on Safe Motherhood.
Before October 2010, Mulanje District Health Office’s reports were awash with statistics of deaths that could be avoided, adding on to Malawi’s tally of 675 deaths per 100,000 live births. But a 30 September 2011 report points to positive changes.
By working with 250 safe motherhood committee members in 25 villages, the initiative has strengthened referral systems for SRH services by increasing health-seeking behaviour among pregnant women.
Says Anthony Kanyoma, BSHDC Programmes Manager: “Among other outcomes, we have reduced community members’ dependence on Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs). We have also engaged nurses to follow up on hospital attendance while midwives follow up on home deliveries,” says Kanyoma.
One of the success points is that TBAs have been incorporated, and serve as ‘referral agents’ who refer women to health facilities for proper care. To ensure compliance, Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) are monitoring the TBAs.
So far, 72 traditional leaders in T/A Mabuka, Chikumbu and Mkanda have joined the campaign. In T/A Chikumbu’s area, for instance, women choose between K500 and a goat in fines for home deliveries.
“However, because Mulanje Mission Hospital serves both Malawian and Mozambican women, TBAs continue to carry out deliveries on Mozambican women. They argue that Malawian laws cannot apply to Mozambicans,” says Kanyoma.
But not all community members are happy. One of the dissatisfied is Maxwell Nazombe of Salamba village.
“We are disappointed that HSAs are not trained in midwifery. I have seen pregnant women die from labour complications in HSAs’ presence. I fear for their (HSAs) lives because people may beat them up one day,” says Nazombe.
The situation is, however, different in Mangochi district, where a College of Medicine’s Centre for Reproductive Health (CRH) initiative has unveiled new type of ‘nurses’- community members.
Andrew Ngwira, CRH Research Officer and project assistant on youth affairs, says cases of early marriages leading into teen-age pregnancies used to be common, chocking services at Lungwena Health Centre and St. Martin’s Hospital.
“This has changed now following our intervention to improve the maternal mortality situation in Malindi, Lungwena and Makanjira by promoting contraceptives’ use,” says Ngwira.
The Community-Based Distribution Agents’ approach, which engages community volunteers in promoting best SRH practices, has reduced burdens associated with nurse-to-patients ratio.
“We have trained nurses in customer care, so that they may cordially handle clients. Early marriage incidences have been reduced. Fish-for-sex practices have been minimized and, so, have cases of fistula- issues that contributed to high maternal mortality rates,” says Ngwira.
However, as the situation improves in Mulanje and Mangochi, an SRH disaster rooms in other parts of Malawi, according SRH expert, Timothy Bonyonga.
“Good SRH practices will not lead into improved conditions because young people continue to get pregnant before the right age. This is creating a wave of mentally disturbed children, children who show signs of poor physical development as well,” says Bonyonga.
Bonyonga warns that this situation could turn Malawi into a nation of “stubborn, selfish, irrational individuals”.
“Nobody wants this to happen to Malawi,” says Bonyonga.
But what are the circumstances?
“Human resource constraints, failure to retain staff and disparities between number of workers in rural and urban areas,” says Martha Kwataine, national coordinator for the Malawi Health Equity Network (MHEN).
These circumstances have particularly pinned one medical worker, the nurse, down. In rural health facilities, the nurse is the ‘doctor’, and often triples as nurse, midwife and medical assistant.
Not that no one cares, though; just that policymakers still drop, from time to time, in a vacuum of policy objectives that take us nowhere, enthuses Kwataine.
Indicators are that, unless Malawi presents better ‘Commitment Deeds’ towards its 13,066,320 population, it will be tough to fill this vacuum. On one hand, MHEN estimates that Malawi only has half the required number of nurses.
Against the national requirement of 10,000 nurses, for example, Malawi has 5000. One mind does the work of two.
It has been like this since independence that, in 2007, the Ministry of Health had 54 out of every 100 posts for nurses unfilled, a health system the Malawi Health Report described as “…close to collapse.
The World Health Organisation (WHO), on the other hand, indicates that Malawi is nursing a medical personnel crisis because, instead of 100 nurses serving 100,000 patients, 59 Malawian nurses serve 100,000 patients.
“This is why the nurse’s role remains unappreciated in our society,” says Dorothy Ng’oma, National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives (Nonm) executive director.
She says moral courage of nurses alone is insufficient to register national success unless it is executed as part of that greater entity called ‘collective action’.
Health Minister, Dr. Jean Kalirani, claims just that. She says Malawi has recently been taking the right direction, as seen by increased enrollment numbers. Over the past five six years, the intake to Kamuzu College of Nursing and Christian Health Association of Malawi training colleges has doubled.
This comes against the background of the national scare of 2009, when The Sector Wide Approach programme for medical students ended, and government officials were forced to withdraw student scholarships. Consequently, the majority of nursing students withdrew due to failure to raise K350, 000 for one year’s learning.
It was a temporary predicament, though, because, during the 2010/2011 Fiscal Year, government rescinded its decision and channeled K398 million towards tuition scholarships meant to benefit 1,200 medical students.
“This administration is very much committed to improve the situation, as seen by high level involvement in Safe Motherhood issues. The First Lady’s initiative is a sign of commitment on government’s part,” says Dr. Kalirani.
But Ng’oma maintains that nurses continue to face enormous challenges. She adds, however, that, against all these odds, Malawian nurses still play the lamb, and resist the human urge to make inconsistent demands for all their unsatisfied grievances.
“The nurse is the bastion of love and compassion,” says Ng’oma. “The issue of compromise also comes into play.”
Indeed, for the Malawian nurse, being there is a compromise because job opportunities abound Western countries, rife with better salaries and conditions. Ng’oma says local nurses do a ‘sacrificial and commendable’ job
Go to Mulanje Mission Hospital to get the real meaning of ‘commendable’. There, Blantyre C.C.A.P. Synod’s Health and Development Commission (BSHDC) is running a programme on Safe Motherhood.
Before October 2010, Mulanje District Health Office’s reports were awash with statistics of deaths that could be avoided, adding on to Malawi’s tally of 675 deaths per 100,000 live births. But a 30 September 2011 report points to positive changes.
By working with 250 safe motherhood committee members in 25 villages, the initiative has strengthened referral systems for SRH services by increasing health-seeking behaviour among pregnant women.
Says Anthony Kanyoma, BSHDC Programmes Manager: “Among other outcomes, we have reduced community members’ dependence on Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs). We have also engaged nurses to follow up on hospital attendance while midwives follow up on home deliveries,” says Kanyoma.
One of the success points is that TBAs have been incorporated, and serve as ‘referral agents’ who refer women to health facilities for proper care. To ensure compliance, Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) are monitoring the TBAs.
So far, 72 traditional leaders in T/A Mabuka, Chikumbu and Mkanda have joined the campaign. In T/A Chikumbu’s area, for instance, women choose between K500 and a goat in fines for home deliveries.
“However, because Mulanje Mission Hospital serves both Malawian and Mozambican women, TBAs continue to carry out deliveries on Mozambican women. They argue that Malawian laws cannot apply to Mozambicans,” says Kanyoma.
But not all community members are happy. One of the dissatisfied is Maxwell Nazombe of Salamba village.
“We are disappointed that HSAs are not trained in midwifery. I have seen pregnant women die from labour complications in HSAs’ presence. I fear for their (HSAs) lives because people may beat them up one day,” says Nazombe.
The situation is, however, different in Mangochi district, where a College of Medicine’s Centre for Reproductive Health (CRH) initiative has unveiled new type of ‘nurses’- community members.
Andrew Ngwira, CRH Research Officer and project assistant on youth affairs, says cases of early marriages leading into teen-age pregnancies used to be common, chocking services at Lungwena Health Centre and St. Martin’s Hospital.
“This has changed now following our intervention to improve the maternal mortality situation in Malindi, Lungwena and Makanjira by promoting contraceptives’ use,” says Ngwira.
The Community-Based Distribution Agents’ approach, which engages community volunteers in promoting best SRH practices, has reduced burdens associated with nurse-to-patients ratio.
“We have trained nurses in customer care, so that they may cordially handle clients. Early marriage incidences have been reduced. Fish-for-sex practices have been minimized and, so, have cases of fistula- issues that contributed to high maternal mortality rates,” says Ngwira.
However, as the situation improves in Mulanje and Mangochi, an SRH disaster rooms in other parts of Malawi, according SRH expert, Timothy Bonyonga.
“Good SRH practices will not lead into improved conditions because young people continue to get pregnant before the right age. This is creating a wave of mentally disturbed children, children who show signs of poor physical development as well,” says Bonyonga.
Bonyonga warns that this situation could turn Malawi into a nation of “stubborn, selfish, irrational individuals”.
“Nobody wants this to happen to Malawi,” says Bonyonga.
Gambling in Malawi
Gambling has finally found a home in Malawi, with industry players
generating K3.26 billion in revenues over the past seven years, Malawi
Gaming Board (MGB) statistics indicate.
The statistics also show that the gaming industry has contributed K270
million in Pay As You Earn, corporate tax, withholding tax and fringe
benefits, a development MGB chief executive officer Master Maliro
said has boosted Malawi’s economic standing.
“There is growth in the industry (as) more gaming sites are being
opened as evidenced by number of gambling sites which provide
entertainment to Malawians , (there is) increased investment in terms
of gaming equipment and, on the part of MGB, increased regulatory
costs due to expansion of the industry, ,” Maliro said.
This comes after Parliament passed the Gaming Act in 1996 with the aim
of legalizing gaming in Malawi. Before that, the country was replete
with illegal gambling activity as evidenced by the proliferation of
‘Wachiona ndani? and ’Kakuda Kali Pati’? games on the streets and in
community hideouts.
Unscrupulous gamblers would target women going to buy produce at
Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation outlets and trading
centres and defraud them of their cash and material possessions.
Maliro said, however, that since enactment of the same, gaming has
become a cash spinner for the country.
“Its spin-off benefits include increased revenue to government,
development of tourism infrastructure, and job creation. 167 Malawians
have been employed directly into gambling occupations and many others
in support services such as transport, security, food and beverage,”
Maliro said.
Maliro added that, through legal gambling, MGB has managed to donate
food and other items worth K563, 000 to Mary’s View School (for the
deaf, blind and special children) in Chiradzulu. The Board has also
funded Tourism Desks at Chileka and Kamuzu International Airports,
sponsored the Lake Malawi Yachting Marathon, a tourism marketing
entourage to Egypt, and refurbishment of tourism offices in Blantyre.
He added that gambling has boosted local entrepreneurship, with eight
sites and three gaming machines being run by locals.
Sunday Times investigations reveal that Malawi has, for the past five
years, been making a fortune out of gaming. For example, statistics
indicate that, in 2006, MGB generated K48, 716, 000, of which K27,
464,000 was used for operations and K21, 252 was surplus.
However, income levels declined slightly in 2007 when the Board
generated K42, 463, 000 in income. Of this, K40, 405, 000 was used in
operations, with the remaining K2, 058, 000 as surplus.
MGB then went back to winning ways in 2008, when it generated K47,
523, 000 in income, spent K46, 148, 000 on its operations, and posted
a K1, 375, 000 surplus.
In 2009, the Board managed to generate K59, 920, 000 in income, used
K44, 256, 000 in operations, and registered K15, 663, 000 as surplus.
MGB’s income then rose by over K30 million in 2010, when it posted
K82, 062, 000 in income, spend K58, 429, 000 on operations and
corporate social responsibility campaigns, to register a K23, 633, 000
surplus.
Maliro said Malawians have become the biggest beneficiaries of legal
gaming because, while MGB collects revenue from gaming operators,
Malawi Revenue Authority also collects other taxes. These include
excise, PAYE, and Corporate taxes.
“Part of the levies that are collected by the Board are used for
operations of the Board and its secretariat. The other part of the
proceeds is used for the development and promotion of tourism related
activities, responsible gaming and rehabilitation. Surplus registered
is invested in the money market,” said Maliro.
The Gaming Act, No. 26 of 1996 (as amended in 1998) provides for the
regulation of gaming, control and licensing of gaming premises,
imposition and the recovery of tax on gaming.
Meanwhile, Maliro has parried aside fears that illegal gambling could
be eating away part of government’s revenue. He said the Board has
been running massive campaigns against unlicensed gambling.
“We have closed down illegal gambling operations. We work with the
Malawi Police Service to eliminate street gambling. Following a series
of sensitization programmes on street gambling, number of prosecuted
cases has increased and incidences of street gambling have declined,”
said Maliro.
MGB started its operations in 2002, after appointment of its first
board by the Minister of Tourism. The Board was responsible for
developing modalities for the local gaming industry as well as
creation of a secretariat which serves as the functional arm of the
Board.
However, the Tourism Ministry seconded some of its officers to the
Board’s secretariat, which started its operations in 2002 as part of
the ministry. The secretariat was finally de-linked from the Ministry
in 2003 and, since then, MGB operates autonomously from its Blantyre
offices.
generating K3.26 billion in revenues over the past seven years, Malawi
Gaming Board (MGB) statistics indicate.
The statistics also show that the gaming industry has contributed K270
million in Pay As You Earn, corporate tax, withholding tax and fringe
benefits, a development MGB chief executive officer Master Maliro
said has boosted Malawi’s economic standing.
“There is growth in the industry (as) more gaming sites are being
opened as evidenced by number of gambling sites which provide
entertainment to Malawians , (there is) increased investment in terms
of gaming equipment and, on the part of MGB, increased regulatory
costs due to expansion of the industry, ,” Maliro said.
This comes after Parliament passed the Gaming Act in 1996 with the aim
of legalizing gaming in Malawi. Before that, the country was replete
with illegal gambling activity as evidenced by the proliferation of
‘Wachiona ndani? and ’Kakuda Kali Pati’? games on the streets and in
community hideouts.
Unscrupulous gamblers would target women going to buy produce at
Agriculture Development and Marketing Corporation outlets and trading
centres and defraud them of their cash and material possessions.
Maliro said, however, that since enactment of the same, gaming has
become a cash spinner for the country.
“Its spin-off benefits include increased revenue to government,
development of tourism infrastructure, and job creation. 167 Malawians
have been employed directly into gambling occupations and many others
in support services such as transport, security, food and beverage,”
Maliro said.
Maliro added that, through legal gambling, MGB has managed to donate
food and other items worth K563, 000 to Mary’s View School (for the
deaf, blind and special children) in Chiradzulu. The Board has also
funded Tourism Desks at Chileka and Kamuzu International Airports,
sponsored the Lake Malawi Yachting Marathon, a tourism marketing
entourage to Egypt, and refurbishment of tourism offices in Blantyre.
He added that gambling has boosted local entrepreneurship, with eight
sites and three gaming machines being run by locals.
Sunday Times investigations reveal that Malawi has, for the past five
years, been making a fortune out of gaming. For example, statistics
indicate that, in 2006, MGB generated K48, 716, 000, of which K27,
464,000 was used for operations and K21, 252 was surplus.
However, income levels declined slightly in 2007 when the Board
generated K42, 463, 000 in income. Of this, K40, 405, 000 was used in
operations, with the remaining K2, 058, 000 as surplus.
MGB then went back to winning ways in 2008, when it generated K47,
523, 000 in income, spent K46, 148, 000 on its operations, and posted
a K1, 375, 000 surplus.
In 2009, the Board managed to generate K59, 920, 000 in income, used
K44, 256, 000 in operations, and registered K15, 663, 000 as surplus.
MGB’s income then rose by over K30 million in 2010, when it posted
K82, 062, 000 in income, spend K58, 429, 000 on operations and
corporate social responsibility campaigns, to register a K23, 633, 000
surplus.
Maliro said Malawians have become the biggest beneficiaries of legal
gaming because, while MGB collects revenue from gaming operators,
Malawi Revenue Authority also collects other taxes. These include
excise, PAYE, and Corporate taxes.
“Part of the levies that are collected by the Board are used for
operations of the Board and its secretariat. The other part of the
proceeds is used for the development and promotion of tourism related
activities, responsible gaming and rehabilitation. Surplus registered
is invested in the money market,” said Maliro.
The Gaming Act, No. 26 of 1996 (as amended in 1998) provides for the
regulation of gaming, control and licensing of gaming premises,
imposition and the recovery of tax on gaming.
Meanwhile, Maliro has parried aside fears that illegal gambling could
be eating away part of government’s revenue. He said the Board has
been running massive campaigns against unlicensed gambling.
“We have closed down illegal gambling operations. We work with the
Malawi Police Service to eliminate street gambling. Following a series
of sensitization programmes on street gambling, number of prosecuted
cases has increased and incidences of street gambling have declined,”
said Maliro.
MGB started its operations in 2002, after appointment of its first
board by the Minister of Tourism. The Board was responsible for
developing modalities for the local gaming industry as well as
creation of a secretariat which serves as the functional arm of the
Board.
However, the Tourism Ministry seconded some of its officers to the
Board’s secretariat, which started its operations in 2002 as part of
the ministry. The secretariat was finally de-linked from the Ministry
in 2003 and, since then, MGB operates autonomously from its Blantyre
offices.
Museum of Malawi: Uniting cultures through exhibits
He is old enough to understand that both culture and dead matter, having no living cells, are stripped of the ability to reproduce. Yet, despite the great weight of evidence in favour of this reality, he still wants them to attain the status of immortality.
“This is achievable,” says Mike Gondwe.
He is Education Co-ordinator for the Museums of Malawi, one of the rarest local places where human beings live and intermingle freely with the dead. All this happens in a plain building strategically located next to Blantyre Civic Centre offices along the Masauko-Chipembere Highway.
Welcome to Chichiri Museum, but do not be tempted to conclude that the seemingly tranquil environment that prevails in this place is a tell-tale sign of peace. Chichiri Museum is a battleground, a place where people like Gondwe wedge a daily war against the possible loss of citizens’ memory about the things that make Malawians unique when drawn against the rest of the world.
“Preservation of all things that have helped create our belief system and way of life is the only way to achieve immortality. That is what we do at the museum,” says Gondwe.
Those who visit the museum at Chichiri, and appreciate the many preserved exhibits in stock, go back home full of admiration for his fortitude, his faith, courage and dedication towards artifacts.
But Gondwe reveals that, these days, the territorial scope (of the battle ground) is uncharacteristically changing. He says the museum no longer fights against one enemy (loss of memory and appreciation for our cultural heritage); it now has to fight against “wrong perceptions” in the minds of those who have not yet fallen into the pit of forgetfulness.
“These are people who understand the concept of establishing museums but (still) fail to pay visits because of misperceptions that we only keep old, lifeless materials that offer modern society little value. The truth is that there is more to a museum than static exhibits. The museum offers vast opportunities for recreation activities and can be used as an educational and tourism tool,” says Gondwe.
Adds Gondwe: “In countries such as Kenya, governments are generating significant income in terms of foreign exchange because they have discovered ways of making money out of their cultural heritage. Places of tourist attraction work with museums to promote local cultures. They literally have the whole calendar filled up with activities.”
He describes museums as multi-faceted places that mean so many things to so many people. They are places bustling with recreational, tourism and educational facilities. What matters is the way these opportunities are communicated to all parts of the world,” he points out.
Gondwe describes museums as vehicles through which cultural values are passed from one generation to another, one nation to another; and that one of the many benefits to patrons is the chance to appreciate a multiplicity of cultures gathered together in an exhibition room. These cultures, he says, are portrayed by cultural exhibits different districts in Malawi.
“As an institution, we try our best to promote local cultural practices. We have different cultures portrayed through exhibits. But we also realise that exhibits are static; and, so, we have cultural troupes that perform live at the museum. These groups have undergone special training on how to promote Malawian cultural dances,” said Gondwe.
The only challenge facing the museum is that of lack of space.
“We don’t have enough space to showcase everything we have. This means we have not done as much as we want. We have not even reached half our potential and more needs to be done,” bemoans Gondwe.
Malawi has one of the oldest museums in Africa, following establishment of the National Museum in June 1960. Malawi’s first President, Ngwazi Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, opened the museum long before he became the country’s president in 1964.
However, the institution has gone through a metamorphosis process since its establishment.
It forms part of the museum’s on-going effort to adapt to scientific and technological advancements. A visit to Chichiri, for instance, reveals a plethora of science and technological exhibits. But these, too, are just a drop of the downpour the museum can offer; the rest remain under lock somewhere, prevented from making it to the exhibition room due to space constraints.
Among the few exhibits are Blantyre’s first fire-fighting brigade machines, traditional clay ovens, a pond of slow-swimming fish, among the limited offers on display.
But, at least, the museum is more than a dead place. For one, there are many fascinating objects, among them absorption spectrophotometers, motorized wheel chairs, gas coolers, cookers and cultural relics. The museum also plays host to a variety of masks and Liguria used in such traditional dances as Ingoma, Gule wamkulu, and Tchopa.
There is also an array of bows, arrows and spears- remnants of the stone and middle ages, when our ancestors counted on hunting to meet their daily needs. Not that all the arrows on display were used during the stone and middle ages, though, as some were used as lately as between the late 1890s and early 1900s during tribal wars- long before guns and bombs took all the fun out of warfare.
Chichiri is also home to other important exhibits, including traditional salt containers (zigulu), Malawi’s maiden decimal coinage, a picture completed by exhibition of the first banknote of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Also on display are some common insect families and fauna species found in Malawi, and a cross-section of game found in some of the country’s National Parks and Game Reserves.
“We receive people from different places. Some visit to learn about science, technology, animals, plants and culture. On average, we receive 5,000 visitors every month. They come to appreciate our wide range of cultural and scientific objects. It is interesting to note that some people visit the museum just to see the Bible Dr. Hasting Kamuzu Banda used during his swearing-in ceremony in 1964,” said Gondwe.
This confirms that the museum has become more of a baking machine than dead place. This machine needs the raw materials of culture, tourism, education, science, technology and curiosity to produce human food called unity. The unity of all cultures.
“This is achievable,” says Mike Gondwe.
He is Education Co-ordinator for the Museums of Malawi, one of the rarest local places where human beings live and intermingle freely with the dead. All this happens in a plain building strategically located next to Blantyre Civic Centre offices along the Masauko-Chipembere Highway.
Welcome to Chichiri Museum, but do not be tempted to conclude that the seemingly tranquil environment that prevails in this place is a tell-tale sign of peace. Chichiri Museum is a battleground, a place where people like Gondwe wedge a daily war against the possible loss of citizens’ memory about the things that make Malawians unique when drawn against the rest of the world.
“Preservation of all things that have helped create our belief system and way of life is the only way to achieve immortality. That is what we do at the museum,” says Gondwe.
Those who visit the museum at Chichiri, and appreciate the many preserved exhibits in stock, go back home full of admiration for his fortitude, his faith, courage and dedication towards artifacts.
But Gondwe reveals that, these days, the territorial scope (of the battle ground) is uncharacteristically changing. He says the museum no longer fights against one enemy (loss of memory and appreciation for our cultural heritage); it now has to fight against “wrong perceptions” in the minds of those who have not yet fallen into the pit of forgetfulness.
“These are people who understand the concept of establishing museums but (still) fail to pay visits because of misperceptions that we only keep old, lifeless materials that offer modern society little value. The truth is that there is more to a museum than static exhibits. The museum offers vast opportunities for recreation activities and can be used as an educational and tourism tool,” says Gondwe.
Adds Gondwe: “In countries such as Kenya, governments are generating significant income in terms of foreign exchange because they have discovered ways of making money out of their cultural heritage. Places of tourist attraction work with museums to promote local cultures. They literally have the whole calendar filled up with activities.”
He describes museums as multi-faceted places that mean so many things to so many people. They are places bustling with recreational, tourism and educational facilities. What matters is the way these opportunities are communicated to all parts of the world,” he points out.
Gondwe describes museums as vehicles through which cultural values are passed from one generation to another, one nation to another; and that one of the many benefits to patrons is the chance to appreciate a multiplicity of cultures gathered together in an exhibition room. These cultures, he says, are portrayed by cultural exhibits different districts in Malawi.
“As an institution, we try our best to promote local cultural practices. We have different cultures portrayed through exhibits. But we also realise that exhibits are static; and, so, we have cultural troupes that perform live at the museum. These groups have undergone special training on how to promote Malawian cultural dances,” said Gondwe.
The only challenge facing the museum is that of lack of space.
“We don’t have enough space to showcase everything we have. This means we have not done as much as we want. We have not even reached half our potential and more needs to be done,” bemoans Gondwe.
Malawi has one of the oldest museums in Africa, following establishment of the National Museum in June 1960. Malawi’s first President, Ngwazi Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, opened the museum long before he became the country’s president in 1964.
However, the institution has gone through a metamorphosis process since its establishment.
It forms part of the museum’s on-going effort to adapt to scientific and technological advancements. A visit to Chichiri, for instance, reveals a plethora of science and technological exhibits. But these, too, are just a drop of the downpour the museum can offer; the rest remain under lock somewhere, prevented from making it to the exhibition room due to space constraints.
Among the few exhibits are Blantyre’s first fire-fighting brigade machines, traditional clay ovens, a pond of slow-swimming fish, among the limited offers on display.
But, at least, the museum is more than a dead place. For one, there are many fascinating objects, among them absorption spectrophotometers, motorized wheel chairs, gas coolers, cookers and cultural relics. The museum also plays host to a variety of masks and Liguria used in such traditional dances as Ingoma, Gule wamkulu, and Tchopa.
There is also an array of bows, arrows and spears- remnants of the stone and middle ages, when our ancestors counted on hunting to meet their daily needs. Not that all the arrows on display were used during the stone and middle ages, though, as some were used as lately as between the late 1890s and early 1900s during tribal wars- long before guns and bombs took all the fun out of warfare.
Chichiri is also home to other important exhibits, including traditional salt containers (zigulu), Malawi’s maiden decimal coinage, a picture completed by exhibition of the first banknote of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Also on display are some common insect families and fauna species found in Malawi, and a cross-section of game found in some of the country’s National Parks and Game Reserves.
“We receive people from different places. Some visit to learn about science, technology, animals, plants and culture. On average, we receive 5,000 visitors every month. They come to appreciate our wide range of cultural and scientific objects. It is interesting to note that some people visit the museum just to see the Bible Dr. Hasting Kamuzu Banda used during his swearing-in ceremony in 1964,” said Gondwe.
This confirms that the museum has become more of a baking machine than dead place. This machine needs the raw materials of culture, tourism, education, science, technology and curiosity to produce human food called unity. The unity of all cultures.
Culture: Malawi’s untapped commodity
There is a battle going on, started- like many before- by the machinations of Western governments. It all started as an unofficial report, over 13 years ago, to the effect that Western governments wanted to depose one of Africa’s market ‘leaders’: ‘Sir’ tobacco.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) then confirmed the reports, saying the ‘culprit’ was a dictator out to kill ‘his’ own subjects with a barrage of health complications that were causing preventable deaths among people who called his name from the shelves willingly, and inhaled him leisurely.
It has turned into a battle because WHO and most Western governments have stood their ground. Canada has, for instance, become the lead soldier in throwing a dagger at Africa’s, and therefore Malawi’s, economy by declaring a ban on barley imports. Tobacco is Malawi’s top forex earner.
This battle is truly on because affected countries such as Malawi and Zimbabwe have stood their ground by not relenting on ‘Sir’ Tobacco’s production levels. Every year, more tones of tobacco continue to grace the Auction Flours.
However, nobody doubts that, when all this confusion comes to an end, Malawi’s Africa will lose. This sense of imminent defeat is sufficient to send tongues wagging, with experts talking in different tongues- a day of Pentecost for crop strategists.
Their new language in face of defeat has no verbs, adverbs, conjunctions, or pronouns; it is comprised of nouns: cotton, tea, coffee, sugar, soya beans, macadamia nuts, ground nuts, pigeon peas, paprika, and cassava.
The Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mzuzu Coffee Planters Association, Thyolo/Mulanje Smallholder Tea Growers Association and Farmers Union of Malawi will always pick their favourite noun from the list. Each of them chooses a different noun from the other. Only one point draws them into a unity of convenience, though: none mentions culture!
Is culture so difficult a commodity to sell?
Symon Vuwa-Kaunda, Minister responsible for Youth Development, Sports and Culture says culture can be tooled to contribute towards Malawi’s socio-economic development.
Kaunda adds that other African countries have invested in promoting their culture that, today, tourists travel across the vast oceans just to appreciate some African cultures.
“I don’t think that culture is not marketable. We already have countries that have capitalized on their unique cultures to influence the world. Culture, if well marketed, can help generate income for a country,” says Kaunda.
The minister adds that Malawi is more advantaged because every human activity seems to have some attachment to one or two traditional practices.
“We are one people with a diversity of cultures. You talk of dances, practices, events, and countless other interesting features. The potential is great,” says Kaunda.
Kaunda added that even the State President, Bingu wa Mutharika, realizes the effect of culture in shaping lives, hence his continued support towards the Ministry of Youth Development, Sports and Culture.
“You can appreciate this when you attend any international conference held here in Malawi. Delegates are always mesmerized by our colourful dances,” Vuwa-Kaunda adds.
His sentiments are echoed by Mike Gondwe, Education Coordinator for the Museums of Malawi.
Gondwe says culture- as expressed through dances, cooking, dressing, eating and pottery methods- has the potential to put Malawi on the map, and even generate foreign exchange.
“But the problem is that we do not take advantage of existing opportunities. A good example is that of the Five-Star International Hotel in Lilongwe. Are we going to have a section where local artwork, traditional implements, dances, and our history will be displayed for tourists’ sampling and appreciation? Very often, we miss opportunities like these,” observes Gondwe.
Gondwe says Malawi’s culture is marketable, adding, however, that the country has missed out on this goldmine because of too much obsession with foreign concepts.
“I find it sad that our places of tourists’ attraction have no sections where our cultural endowments are displayed. In countries like Kenya, you will find hotels running cultural sections. Tourists patronize these places and pay United States Dollars, Euros and British Pounds. Tourism destinations are making millions in foreign exchange, thereby fostering socio-economic development,” notes Gondwe.
Financial constraints, he says, should not be the excuse sold by tourism industry players.
Francis Mbilizi, executive director for the National Lotteries Board (NLB) - the body mandated to licence lottery operators in the country- says culture plays a crucial role in the development of any nation.
Mbilizi says this is the reason NLB has, through the National Lottery Distribution Fund (found in Section 34 of the Lotteries Act) disbursed part of generated funds towards sports, environment and culture, among other areas.
“We have supported cultural activities a number of times, and we continue to support culture. This is why NLB has in the past channeled part of its revenue to cultural efforts,” says Mbilizi.
NLB falls under the ambit of the Ministry of Tourism.
The section in question (34) reads:”The Minister, in consultation with the Board, shall prescribe the amount of money and the manner in which the money in the Fund shall be allocated to different sectors, and other good causes for the welfare of the general public and contribution to the national economy.”
Tourism Minister, Daniel Liwimbi, says Malawi is exploring all possible ways of raising the contribution of tourism towards Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and that culture could be one of these.
“At the moment, tourism is only contributing between 10 percent and 11 percent of GDP. We can do better than this,” says Liwimbi.
But Traditional Authority Chekucheku of Mwanza warns that “careless commercialization” of culture could lead to a decay of cultural values.
“What will happen when these (foreign) tourists demand that we change this, or that, practice? We should be careful and avoid what happened to Gule wamkulu. Missionaries said it was evil, and most of our people abandoned it,” says Chekucheku.
It is an inevitable question.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) then confirmed the reports, saying the ‘culprit’ was a dictator out to kill ‘his’ own subjects with a barrage of health complications that were causing preventable deaths among people who called his name from the shelves willingly, and inhaled him leisurely.
It has turned into a battle because WHO and most Western governments have stood their ground. Canada has, for instance, become the lead soldier in throwing a dagger at Africa’s, and therefore Malawi’s, economy by declaring a ban on barley imports. Tobacco is Malawi’s top forex earner.
This battle is truly on because affected countries such as Malawi and Zimbabwe have stood their ground by not relenting on ‘Sir’ Tobacco’s production levels. Every year, more tones of tobacco continue to grace the Auction Flours.
However, nobody doubts that, when all this confusion comes to an end, Malawi’s Africa will lose. This sense of imminent defeat is sufficient to send tongues wagging, with experts talking in different tongues- a day of Pentecost for crop strategists.
Their new language in face of defeat has no verbs, adverbs, conjunctions, or pronouns; it is comprised of nouns: cotton, tea, coffee, sugar, soya beans, macadamia nuts, ground nuts, pigeon peas, paprika, and cassava.
The Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry, Mzuzu Coffee Planters Association, Thyolo/Mulanje Smallholder Tea Growers Association and Farmers Union of Malawi will always pick their favourite noun from the list. Each of them chooses a different noun from the other. Only one point draws them into a unity of convenience, though: none mentions culture!
Is culture so difficult a commodity to sell?
Symon Vuwa-Kaunda, Minister responsible for Youth Development, Sports and Culture says culture can be tooled to contribute towards Malawi’s socio-economic development.
Kaunda adds that other African countries have invested in promoting their culture that, today, tourists travel across the vast oceans just to appreciate some African cultures.
“I don’t think that culture is not marketable. We already have countries that have capitalized on their unique cultures to influence the world. Culture, if well marketed, can help generate income for a country,” says Kaunda.
The minister adds that Malawi is more advantaged because every human activity seems to have some attachment to one or two traditional practices.
“We are one people with a diversity of cultures. You talk of dances, practices, events, and countless other interesting features. The potential is great,” says Kaunda.
Kaunda added that even the State President, Bingu wa Mutharika, realizes the effect of culture in shaping lives, hence his continued support towards the Ministry of Youth Development, Sports and Culture.
“You can appreciate this when you attend any international conference held here in Malawi. Delegates are always mesmerized by our colourful dances,” Vuwa-Kaunda adds.
His sentiments are echoed by Mike Gondwe, Education Coordinator for the Museums of Malawi.
Gondwe says culture- as expressed through dances, cooking, dressing, eating and pottery methods- has the potential to put Malawi on the map, and even generate foreign exchange.
“But the problem is that we do not take advantage of existing opportunities. A good example is that of the Five-Star International Hotel in Lilongwe. Are we going to have a section where local artwork, traditional implements, dances, and our history will be displayed for tourists’ sampling and appreciation? Very often, we miss opportunities like these,” observes Gondwe.
Gondwe says Malawi’s culture is marketable, adding, however, that the country has missed out on this goldmine because of too much obsession with foreign concepts.
“I find it sad that our places of tourists’ attraction have no sections where our cultural endowments are displayed. In countries like Kenya, you will find hotels running cultural sections. Tourists patronize these places and pay United States Dollars, Euros and British Pounds. Tourism destinations are making millions in foreign exchange, thereby fostering socio-economic development,” notes Gondwe.
Financial constraints, he says, should not be the excuse sold by tourism industry players.
Francis Mbilizi, executive director for the National Lotteries Board (NLB) - the body mandated to licence lottery operators in the country- says culture plays a crucial role in the development of any nation.
Mbilizi says this is the reason NLB has, through the National Lottery Distribution Fund (found in Section 34 of the Lotteries Act) disbursed part of generated funds towards sports, environment and culture, among other areas.
“We have supported cultural activities a number of times, and we continue to support culture. This is why NLB has in the past channeled part of its revenue to cultural efforts,” says Mbilizi.
NLB falls under the ambit of the Ministry of Tourism.
The section in question (34) reads:”The Minister, in consultation with the Board, shall prescribe the amount of money and the manner in which the money in the Fund shall be allocated to different sectors, and other good causes for the welfare of the general public and contribution to the national economy.”
Tourism Minister, Daniel Liwimbi, says Malawi is exploring all possible ways of raising the contribution of tourism towards Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and that culture could be one of these.
“At the moment, tourism is only contributing between 10 percent and 11 percent of GDP. We can do better than this,” says Liwimbi.
But Traditional Authority Chekucheku of Mwanza warns that “careless commercialization” of culture could lead to a decay of cultural values.
“What will happen when these (foreign) tourists demand that we change this, or that, practice? We should be careful and avoid what happened to Gule wamkulu. Missionaries said it was evil, and most of our people abandoned it,” says Chekucheku.
It is an inevitable question.
President Bingu wa Mutharika Sees Positive 2012
Malawi's President, Bingu wa Mutharika, sees Malawi's fortunes changing for the better in 2012.
This is indicated in his Christmas and New Year message to Malawians.
The President has since blamed Malawi's pressing problems- fuel shortage, forex shortage, power outages, drying donor inflows- on the devil.
Mutharika notes, however, that "Satan has failed..."
Analysts say Mutharika's speech is the hall-mark of the political blame-game that has characterised his regime since 2004.
This is indicated in his Christmas and New Year message to Malawians.
The President has since blamed Malawi's pressing problems- fuel shortage, forex shortage, power outages, drying donor inflows- on the devil.
Mutharika notes, however, that "Satan has failed..."
Analysts say Mutharika's speech is the hall-mark of the political blame-game that has characterised his regime since 2004.
Some Facts about Malawian Crops
Tea is grown extensively in Malawi, particularly in the South, and “is the second largest producer of tea in Africa after Kenya.
Malawi produced 41.6 million kilograms of tea in 2001, and the crop contributes, at least,7.9 percent of total export earnings.
Over 25 000 hectares of land is used for growing the crop in Thyolo and Mulanje districts, mainly grown for its green leaf which is processed into black tea.
Macadamia Nuts. Malawi produces an average of 5 metric tonnes of macadamia nuts every year, with the crop forming part of the country's crop arsenal.
The current total area for macadamia cultivation is 2,200 hectares, used for both small-scale and large-scale cultivation.
These nuts are taken from the field and, then, shelled and hulled through factory processing. These ( shell and hull) are the waste products, though experts say they have proven to be most effective in a thermal process due to their high calorific value of around 10 000BTU/lbs.
Tobacco: Malawi produced a record 124.7 million kilograms of tobacco in 2001, and the crop continues to account for 70 percent total exports and it has continued to dominate the trade returns for Malawi.
Maize: Maize is a staple food in Malawi so it is likely that current figures are relatively similar. This gives an idea of the quantity of maize that Malawians consume, especially as Malawi is generally a net importer of maize.
In the 2002/3 maize season, 1.983 million tonnes of maize was produced in Malawi and in the 2003/4 season, 1.733 million tonnes was produced.
Malawi produced 41.6 million kilograms of tea in 2001, and the crop contributes, at least,7.9 percent of total export earnings.
Over 25 000 hectares of land is used for growing the crop in Thyolo and Mulanje districts, mainly grown for its green leaf which is processed into black tea.
Macadamia Nuts. Malawi produces an average of 5 metric tonnes of macadamia nuts every year, with the crop forming part of the country's crop arsenal.
The current total area for macadamia cultivation is 2,200 hectares, used for both small-scale and large-scale cultivation.
These nuts are taken from the field and, then, shelled and hulled through factory processing. These ( shell and hull) are the waste products, though experts say they have proven to be most effective in a thermal process due to their high calorific value of around 10 000BTU/lbs.
Tobacco: Malawi produced a record 124.7 million kilograms of tobacco in 2001, and the crop continues to account for 70 percent total exports and it has continued to dominate the trade returns for Malawi.
Maize: Maize is a staple food in Malawi so it is likely that current figures are relatively similar. This gives an idea of the quantity of maize that Malawians consume, especially as Malawi is generally a net importer of maize.
In the 2002/3 maize season, 1.983 million tonnes of maize was produced in Malawi and in the 2003/4 season, 1.733 million tonnes was produced.
Anonymous Yaps Lyric on Graig Sieben
thanks chilombo
for letting us know
you are really the ears and eyes of Malawi
uh uh
Of africa
Since I'm in Zambia for now
Thanks to sieben
It it good to have such a kind man in malawi
More especially at this time
....................................................................
END-NOTE FROM THE MODERATOR: Some say Chilombo. Others say Chirombo. There are running arguments that a name is a name, and should not be subjected to Grammar rules.
Talking of Grammar rules- Chichewa Grammar Rules, for that matter. It is standard practice in Chichewa that, when a writer faces the possibility of using the consonant "R' or "L' after either of the vowels 'E' or 'I', the correct consonant is 'R'.
Chichewa Grammar Rules also dictate to us that if a writer is faced with the possibility of employing the consonants 'L' or 'R' in a sentence, the best consonant to use after vowels 'O', 'U' and 'A' is L.
Therefore, 'L' should be used (as a Chichewa Grammar thumb-rule) after 'O', 'U', and 'A' as a matter of necessity.
Likewise, 'R' should be used after 'I' and 'E' all the time.
Taking these factors into consideration, my surname is 'ChiRombo' and not 'ChiLombo'.
I must admit, though, that my younger brother uses the surname 'ChiLombo' and not 'ChiRombo'.
My two sisters have gone a step further; they don't use the name 'ChiRombo' at all and, instead, prefer our clan name 'Phiri'. They. thus, call themselves 'Phiris'.
Of course, Phiri is a good name- especially for a Ngoni like me. Whenever I go to my home village in Dedza, old women are always happy to see me, and pave the way for me, while clasping their hands (Ngoni-style): Dutsani we Phiri! (Pass ye, pass ye- Mr. Phiri).
That is why it is great- so great- to be a Malawian!
for letting us know
you are really the ears and eyes of Malawi
uh uh
Of africa
Since I'm in Zambia for now
Thanks to sieben
It it good to have such a kind man in malawi
More especially at this time
....................................................................
END-NOTE FROM THE MODERATOR: Some say Chilombo. Others say Chirombo. There are running arguments that a name is a name, and should not be subjected to Grammar rules.
Talking of Grammar rules- Chichewa Grammar Rules, for that matter. It is standard practice in Chichewa that, when a writer faces the possibility of using the consonant "R' or "L' after either of the vowels 'E' or 'I', the correct consonant is 'R'.
Chichewa Grammar Rules also dictate to us that if a writer is faced with the possibility of employing the consonants 'L' or 'R' in a sentence, the best consonant to use after vowels 'O', 'U' and 'A' is L.
Therefore, 'L' should be used (as a Chichewa Grammar thumb-rule) after 'O', 'U', and 'A' as a matter of necessity.
Likewise, 'R' should be used after 'I' and 'E' all the time.
Taking these factors into consideration, my surname is 'ChiRombo' and not 'ChiLombo'.
I must admit, though, that my younger brother uses the surname 'ChiLombo' and not 'ChiRombo'.
My two sisters have gone a step further; they don't use the name 'ChiRombo' at all and, instead, prefer our clan name 'Phiri'. They. thus, call themselves 'Phiris'.
Of course, Phiri is a good name- especially for a Ngoni like me. Whenever I go to my home village in Dedza, old women are always happy to see me, and pave the way for me, while clasping their hands (Ngoni-style): Dutsani we Phiri! (Pass ye, pass ye- Mr. Phiri).
That is why it is great- so great- to be a Malawian!
By the Way, Let Me E-Mail Graig Sieben
And Learn about Progress and His Where-About.
Oops! I have left his business card at home.
That means it's tomorrow!
Oops! I have left his business card at home.
That means it's tomorrow!
Friday, December 23, 2011
Remembering December 1, 2011: Graig Sieben arrives in Malawi
South African citizen Graig Sieben, who started walking on foot and
hitchhiking from Pretoria in South Africa 77 days ago, and plans to
reach Egypt’s Capital City, Cairo, by April 26 2012 in a campaign
aimed to raise awareness about the plight of people with disabilities
in Africa, arrived in Malawi on Monday.
Sieben, who has dubbed his sojourn the ‘Walk4Wheels’ campaign, plans
to pass through 15 countries within 222 days- covering a total
distance of 16,000 kilometres.
After arriving in Lilongwe on Monday, the philanthropist walked and
hitch-hiked to Blantyre, where he arrived on Wednesday. He was on his
way to Mulanje as we went to press on Friday, and plans to return to
Blantyre and pass through the Lakeshore road on his way to Egypt
through Tanzania.
Speaking in an interview on Thursday, when he visited Malawi against
Physical Disabilities (Map) premises in Blantyre, where he donated a
wheelchair worth 7,000 Rand (about K140, 000) using the money he has
fundraised, Sieben said he was saddened with the challenges faced by
people with physical challenges in Malawi.
“Although I would say I am happy that I am in Blantyre on the 75th day
of my journey, I am sad to note that physically challenged people face
a lot of problems, most of which hinge on resource constraints. The
situation in Malawi, and most African countries I have passed through,
is not very different from that of South Africa,” said Sieben.
Sieben, who has already been to South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and
Zambia and wants to raise enough money to purchase 222 wheelchairs,
said he decided to embark on his campaign after being touched by the
plight of a 17 year-old South African girl called Chaeli some five
months ago.
“Chaeli, who has just won an international peace prize, developed a
health condition that made her lose her ability to walk. However, she
and her relatives did not have money for a wheelchair, and this forced
her to launch a public appeal for a wheelchair,’ said Sieben.
Chaeli soon found the wheelchair but donations kept coming in, said
Sieben, a development that prompted Chaeli to launch the Chaeli
Campaign- a Cape Town-based Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) that
focuses on mobilizing the minds and bodies of children with
disabilities.
This, according to Sieben, makes the Chaeli Campaign the only NGO in
the world to be duly registered by children between six and 12 years
old. The NGO now runs other initiatives such as the Therapy programme,
Inclusive Education programme, Pay-it-Forward Ambassadors programme,
and Chaeli Sports and Recreation Club.
Speaking after the wheelchair presentation ceremony, Map
Rehabilitation Services Manager, Alex Dzinkambani, said it was
disheartening that people with physical disabilities in Malawi have to
rely on foreign nationals for help, “when we, as Malawians, can do
equally well by donating such things as wheelchairs and crutches”.
Dzinkambani said Map currently has 2000 people who need wheelchairs
and tricycles.
“The demand for wheelchairs, tricycles, calipers, baby-walkers,
walking frames and crutches is huge. This is so because we help about
10,000 people every year,” said Dzinkambani.
He added that some wheelchairs also needed replacement, since a
wheelchair’s lifespan is 10 years.
Map started giving out wheelchairs in 1970, and helps rehabilitate
people with physical challenges at its four centres in Blantyre,
Lilongwe, Rumphi, and Zomba. It needs K300 million annually to
carry out its activities, but has received on K100 million to run its
operations this year.
hitchhiking from Pretoria in South Africa 77 days ago, and plans to
reach Egypt’s Capital City, Cairo, by April 26 2012 in a campaign
aimed to raise awareness about the plight of people with disabilities
in Africa, arrived in Malawi on Monday.
Sieben, who has dubbed his sojourn the ‘Walk4Wheels’ campaign, plans
to pass through 15 countries within 222 days- covering a total
distance of 16,000 kilometres.
After arriving in Lilongwe on Monday, the philanthropist walked and
hitch-hiked to Blantyre, where he arrived on Wednesday. He was on his
way to Mulanje as we went to press on Friday, and plans to return to
Blantyre and pass through the Lakeshore road on his way to Egypt
through Tanzania.
Speaking in an interview on Thursday, when he visited Malawi against
Physical Disabilities (Map) premises in Blantyre, where he donated a
wheelchair worth 7,000 Rand (about K140, 000) using the money he has
fundraised, Sieben said he was saddened with the challenges faced by
people with physical challenges in Malawi.
“Although I would say I am happy that I am in Blantyre on the 75th day
of my journey, I am sad to note that physically challenged people face
a lot of problems, most of which hinge on resource constraints. The
situation in Malawi, and most African countries I have passed through,
is not very different from that of South Africa,” said Sieben.
Sieben, who has already been to South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe and
Zambia and wants to raise enough money to purchase 222 wheelchairs,
said he decided to embark on his campaign after being touched by the
plight of a 17 year-old South African girl called Chaeli some five
months ago.
“Chaeli, who has just won an international peace prize, developed a
health condition that made her lose her ability to walk. However, she
and her relatives did not have money for a wheelchair, and this forced
her to launch a public appeal for a wheelchair,’ said Sieben.
Chaeli soon found the wheelchair but donations kept coming in, said
Sieben, a development that prompted Chaeli to launch the Chaeli
Campaign- a Cape Town-based Non Governmental Organisation (NGO) that
focuses on mobilizing the minds and bodies of children with
disabilities.
This, according to Sieben, makes the Chaeli Campaign the only NGO in
the world to be duly registered by children between six and 12 years
old. The NGO now runs other initiatives such as the Therapy programme,
Inclusive Education programme, Pay-it-Forward Ambassadors programme,
and Chaeli Sports and Recreation Club.
Speaking after the wheelchair presentation ceremony, Map
Rehabilitation Services Manager, Alex Dzinkambani, said it was
disheartening that people with physical disabilities in Malawi have to
rely on foreign nationals for help, “when we, as Malawians, can do
equally well by donating such things as wheelchairs and crutches”.
Dzinkambani said Map currently has 2000 people who need wheelchairs
and tricycles.
“The demand for wheelchairs, tricycles, calipers, baby-walkers,
walking frames and crutches is huge. This is so because we help about
10,000 people every year,” said Dzinkambani.
He added that some wheelchairs also needed replacement, since a
wheelchair’s lifespan is 10 years.
Map started giving out wheelchairs in 1970, and helps rehabilitate
people with physical challenges at its four centres in Blantyre,
Lilongwe, Rumphi, and Zomba. It needs K300 million annually to
carry out its activities, but has received on K100 million to run its
operations this year.
Three ideas for economic democracy and economic success
...Employee directors, union pension funds & staff share bonuses
Peter Tatchell
Britain is in the midst of the biggest economic crisis since the 1930s depression - a crisis that has been dragging on for the last four years. Even now, politicians are offering no clear solutions; just tinkering here and there with minor adjustments to a failed system.
We've got to get out of the current mess and take steps to prevent a repeat economic disaster in the future. One way of doing this is by ensuring greater economic democracy - more participation, transparency, decentralisation and accountability in the way the economy is run.
We expect political democracy, why not economic democracy too?
There are still insufficient checks and balances on big business. We can't carry on as usual, with the system that caused the present meltdown.
Britain needs solutions that can secure economic stability and success, together with social justice and the public good.
There are three proposals for economic democracy that are worth considering: industrial democracy and co-determination in the boardroom, trade union administration of their member's pension funds and share bonuses to reward employees for greater productivity and profitability.
First, a system of industrial democracy, based on the German model but better. This would require the boards of all private and public enterprises with 50 or more employees to establish equal representation and joint control between management and elected staff representatives; creating a partnership between the two constituents of economic success: capital and labour.
Under an independent chairperson acceptable to both sides, these boards with employee representatives would have full access to all corporate information and the final say over all corporate decisions, including investment, technology, wages, prices and so on. This system of economic co-determination would apply to private companies and also to public bodies like the NHS and local councils.
The result? A form of workplace democracy. This would shift the balance of economic power; constraining the remit of capital and expanding the influence of employees; forging a more co-equal partnership. This would be fairer and would also be good for the economy because shop floor worker directors could offer independent oversight of corporate operations and bring to the boardroom practical, often cost-saving, insights from their direct day-to-day, hands-on experience.
Not motivated by the profit motive and private gain, they would be more likely to blow the whistle on reckless risk-taking and on decisions that damage the consumer and the environment. Having employee directors would also ensure that disputes got addressed and solved quicker; leading to more harmonious industrial relations and to improved productivity. This would be good for individual enterprises and for the whole economy.
Second, trade union control of their member's pension funds - the value of which totals around £900 billion. This is a way to decentralise, diversify, and democratise the economy.
It could be accomplished by legislatively re-assigning the administration of pension fund assets to financial experts appointed by, and accountable to, individual trade unions who would act as trustees of the funds on behalf of their members all across the country. Or, alternatively, the funds could be placed in the hands of a regional union pension fund, acting for all the trade unions and their members in a particular region. This would localise and decentralise investment decisions and allow the funds to be used to meet particular local and regional needs.
Either version of this pension fund scheme would give employees direct power over a massive wedge of public and private investment capital; amounting to a third of the entire stock market.
It could then direct these funds into specific investments corresponding to the interests of union members and to broader social and environmental needs, such as the development of renewable energy and the conversion of arms industries to socially-useful civilian manufacture.
With unions more likely to be mindful of ethical issues, their pension fund investments would be less likely to be directed to speculative, get-rich quick portfolios. These tend to be bad for the economy, so this might be a way to ensure wiser, more moral investments that are also better for the economy.
Third, the progressive transfer of share ownership into trade union-administered employee share funds. This idea is a variation on the 'wage-earner funds' proposed by Rudolf Meidner of the Swedish trade union federation, the LO, in the 1970s.
It would obligate all private share capital companies to assign to a union-controlled employee fund a proportion of their annual profits in the form of a new share issue. This scheme would gradually, over many decades, give employees, through their unions, a controlling interest in their firms - eventually transforming them into self-governing workers' co-operatives. The great strength of this scheme is that it incentivises and rewards employees for economic success, which is good for the economy. The more productive and profitable a company, the more shares it has to issue to the employees' fund and the sooner employees gain a controlling stake. They have an incentive to work hard and contribute to their company's success.
In contrast to the traditional reformist economic doctrines of Keynesianism and Welfare Statism, which merely seek to redistribute wealth more fairly within the confines of the existing free market, private ownership system, these three ideas for economic democracy are mechanisms for the structural transformation of capitalism. If implemented, they would alter, fundamentally, the distribution of wealth and power, in favour of employees and the wider public. And they'd help rebalance, stabilise and reinvigorate the economy. It's plain commonsense.
We need both radical and practical solutions to the economic crisis - a crisis that has arisen, in large part, from concentrated and unaccountable economic power. This means challenging the system of economic dictatorship by the mega rich and setting out a new model of economic participation, accountability, decentralisation and transparency. The interests of employees, consumers and the wider public welfare demand it. The time for economic democracy is now.
Peter Tatchell
Britain is in the midst of the biggest economic crisis since the 1930s depression - a crisis that has been dragging on for the last four years. Even now, politicians are offering no clear solutions; just tinkering here and there with minor adjustments to a failed system.
We've got to get out of the current mess and take steps to prevent a repeat economic disaster in the future. One way of doing this is by ensuring greater economic democracy - more participation, transparency, decentralisation and accountability in the way the economy is run.
We expect political democracy, why not economic democracy too?
There are still insufficient checks and balances on big business. We can't carry on as usual, with the system that caused the present meltdown.
Britain needs solutions that can secure economic stability and success, together with social justice and the public good.
There are three proposals for economic democracy that are worth considering: industrial democracy and co-determination in the boardroom, trade union administration of their member's pension funds and share bonuses to reward employees for greater productivity and profitability.
First, a system of industrial democracy, based on the German model but better. This would require the boards of all private and public enterprises with 50 or more employees to establish equal representation and joint control between management and elected staff representatives; creating a partnership between the two constituents of economic success: capital and labour.
Under an independent chairperson acceptable to both sides, these boards with employee representatives would have full access to all corporate information and the final say over all corporate decisions, including investment, technology, wages, prices and so on. This system of economic co-determination would apply to private companies and also to public bodies like the NHS and local councils.
The result? A form of workplace democracy. This would shift the balance of economic power; constraining the remit of capital and expanding the influence of employees; forging a more co-equal partnership. This would be fairer and would also be good for the economy because shop floor worker directors could offer independent oversight of corporate operations and bring to the boardroom practical, often cost-saving, insights from their direct day-to-day, hands-on experience.
Not motivated by the profit motive and private gain, they would be more likely to blow the whistle on reckless risk-taking and on decisions that damage the consumer and the environment. Having employee directors would also ensure that disputes got addressed and solved quicker; leading to more harmonious industrial relations and to improved productivity. This would be good for individual enterprises and for the whole economy.
Second, trade union control of their member's pension funds - the value of which totals around £900 billion. This is a way to decentralise, diversify, and democratise the economy.
It could be accomplished by legislatively re-assigning the administration of pension fund assets to financial experts appointed by, and accountable to, individual trade unions who would act as trustees of the funds on behalf of their members all across the country. Or, alternatively, the funds could be placed in the hands of a regional union pension fund, acting for all the trade unions and their members in a particular region. This would localise and decentralise investment decisions and allow the funds to be used to meet particular local and regional needs.
Either version of this pension fund scheme would give employees direct power over a massive wedge of public and private investment capital; amounting to a third of the entire stock market.
It could then direct these funds into specific investments corresponding to the interests of union members and to broader social and environmental needs, such as the development of renewable energy and the conversion of arms industries to socially-useful civilian manufacture.
With unions more likely to be mindful of ethical issues, their pension fund investments would be less likely to be directed to speculative, get-rich quick portfolios. These tend to be bad for the economy, so this might be a way to ensure wiser, more moral investments that are also better for the economy.
Third, the progressive transfer of share ownership into trade union-administered employee share funds. This idea is a variation on the 'wage-earner funds' proposed by Rudolf Meidner of the Swedish trade union federation, the LO, in the 1970s.
It would obligate all private share capital companies to assign to a union-controlled employee fund a proportion of their annual profits in the form of a new share issue. This scheme would gradually, over many decades, give employees, through their unions, a controlling interest in their firms - eventually transforming them into self-governing workers' co-operatives. The great strength of this scheme is that it incentivises and rewards employees for economic success, which is good for the economy. The more productive and profitable a company, the more shares it has to issue to the employees' fund and the sooner employees gain a controlling stake. They have an incentive to work hard and contribute to their company's success.
In contrast to the traditional reformist economic doctrines of Keynesianism and Welfare Statism, which merely seek to redistribute wealth more fairly within the confines of the existing free market, private ownership system, these three ideas for economic democracy are mechanisms for the structural transformation of capitalism. If implemented, they would alter, fundamentally, the distribution of wealth and power, in favour of employees and the wider public. And they'd help rebalance, stabilise and reinvigorate the economy. It's plain commonsense.
We need both radical and practical solutions to the economic crisis - a crisis that has arisen, in large part, from concentrated and unaccountable economic power. This means challenging the system of economic dictatorship by the mega rich and setting out a new model of economic participation, accountability, decentralisation and transparency. The interests of employees, consumers and the wider public welfare demand it. The time for economic democracy is now.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Think of The Poor: CfSC Statement on The Current Economic Slowdown.
It is no doubt that Malawi is facing an economic slowdown. That Malawians are struggling to make ends meet due to the current economic turmoil is now a mutually agreed fact. In his “Statement on the Status of Economy” in Parliament, the Minister of Finance Honourable Dr. Ken Lipenga, MP indicated that the economy would slowdown by 0.9, from 6.9% to 6% in the current fiscal year. The International Monetary Fund (IMF, 2011) projections paint even a grimmer picture, hinting that the economy will grow just by 2% compared to a 6% growth rate the previous years. Equally, the Minister of Foreign Affairs Honourable Peter Wa Mutharika, MP during a mass rally in Mzuzu, acknowledged that “the country is going through an economic crisis” albeit attributing the crisis to global trends. All these assertions, though a good development, fall short of inspiring hope among Malawians because government has not yet outlined clear and prudent policy prescriptions to bring the economy back on track.
Proposals to borrow money from foreign banks in a bid to boost forex import cover to solve the fuel crisis, suggestions to further re-align the kwacha to reflect its true market value, proposition to further hike fuel prices and a contentment to perpetuate a taxation regime that hits the low-income earners harder remain artificial moves, as they do not address the underlying issues affecting the economy. Actually, such measures only postpone problems to future generations which will eventually bear the brunt. Malawi ought to create a positive economic environment influenced by improvements in macroeconomic policies and structural reforms. The estimated growth equation indicates that per capita real GDP growth is positively influenced by economic policies that raise the ratio of private investment to GDP, promote human capital development, lower the ratio of the budget deficit to GDP, avoid overvalued exchange rates, and stimulate export volume growth. Of vital importance is also the promotion of alternative sustainable eco-friendly sources of energy. In the absence of these, promises by the Minister of Finance that 2012 will be a good year may be conceived as aspirational.
Great uncertainty exists as to what policies can and should be pursued in the context of the current crisis. People need solutions to the problems they are in. Parliament, currently sitting, should seize the opportunity to ask profound questions pertaining to the values and priorities to be adopted to guide the nation through these difficult times. What future do we want to emerge from the current crisis? What choices need to be made now to ensure that such a future will come about? What values will shape this period of our history – those that represent self-interest and sectional concerns, or those which reflect the common good and the protection of the weakest?
The recent UNDP Human Development Index Report (HDI, 2011) which measures “the expansion of people’s freedoms and capabilities to lead lives that they value and have reason to value” has ranked Malawi at 171 from 153 in 2010. The slump in the index is largely attributed to more countries entering the index this year; however an analysis of the movement of the actual indices reveals that Malawi has not registered much progress in view of the county’s economic growth for the past years which was at 6%. According to the Programme Officer for Social Conditions Programme, Mr. Alex Nkosi, “This means that the economic gains that Malawi has garnered in the recent past are not making a real dent in the pervasive poverty to enable significant improvements in social conditions.” Correspondingly, the Centre for Social Concern (CfSC) Urban Basic Needs Basket for November shows that the cost of living on essential food items continues to skyrocket. CfSC has noted that in the month of November 2011 certain products in the food basket like Maize, Beans, Usipa, Utaka, Kapenta and Bread have increased tremendously from the previous month, while others have maintained or slightly gone up.
For instance, the price of maize has surged upwards tremendously. Mzuzu, the hardest hit, has witnessed an average maize price rise by 28.2% (K2, 200 per 50kg bag) in November as compared to average price in October which was at K1580. On average, the same trend has been observed in all the major cities: in Lilongwe it went up by 11%, Zomba 13% and in Blantyre maize registered an increase of 10%. Most sellers in the market attribute the increase to scarcity of the commodity and an increase in the cost of transportation.
In Zomba the price of bread has gone up by 27.8%. In October (on average) a loaf of bread was at K153 and in November it went up to K212. The survey has revealed a similar price tendency in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu where prices have gone up by 25%, 20% and 11.4% respectively. According to Bread Bakers, the price increase is attributed to an increase of wheat flour (most of which is imported) and transportation costs in delivering the commodity. All in all, the average cost of the CfSC food basket for a family of six rose by 10.9% from K29, 470 in October to K33, 107 in November. The average total Basic Needs Basket comprising food and no-food items for a family of six for Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Zomba and Blantyre has increased to K61, 778 in November from K57, 407 in October, 2011. Of great concern is the rise in the price of maize, a staple food for Malawians and bread, a commodity mostly used by urban dwellers.
These are figures. But behind the statistics are millions of lives of Malawians that are struggling to eke-out a living. As Alex Nkosi observes, “The increasing gap between people’s income and the cost of living invokes a question as to how poor Malawians are making ends meet. As the figures indicate; the obvious consequence of the rising costs of food items is that the purchasing power of low-income and middle-income consumers continues to deteriorate resulting to diminishing levels of disposable income. Lack of disposable income has adverse effects on the economy since its people’s ability to spend that stimulates the market. Being a rainy season, low-income earners will be hit hard by this sharp rise in the cost of living because most households will have to buy farm inputs in the midst of nonexistent disposable income”.
“Now, more than ever”, asserts Mr. Nkosi, “we need to reassert the importance of the value of uMunthu - social solidarity, fairness, and compassion. We need to see ourselves as citizens with a shared responsibility for the common good. And most significantly as servants of the people, our politicians must recognise the symbolic importance of their being willing to sacrifice some of the considerable financial benefits they enjoy, in a context where millions of Malawians are unable to meet their minimum food requirements to live a dignified life. Forfeiting the proposed unprecedented salary increase for the MPs would be a good gesture in the right direction!”
For more information and feedback, please contact:
Alex Nkosi,
Social Conditions Programme Officer
Center for Social Concern, P.O. Box 40049, Lilongwe, Malawi
Tel: 265-1-715-632 Fax: 260-1-716-136 E-mail: alex.nkosi@cfscmalawi.org or alexnkosi@yahoo.com / cfsc@malawi.net
Location: Next to St. Francis Catholic Parish, Area 25C, Kanengo Website: www.cfscmalawi.org
Proposals to borrow money from foreign banks in a bid to boost forex import cover to solve the fuel crisis, suggestions to further re-align the kwacha to reflect its true market value, proposition to further hike fuel prices and a contentment to perpetuate a taxation regime that hits the low-income earners harder remain artificial moves, as they do not address the underlying issues affecting the economy. Actually, such measures only postpone problems to future generations which will eventually bear the brunt. Malawi ought to create a positive economic environment influenced by improvements in macroeconomic policies and structural reforms. The estimated growth equation indicates that per capita real GDP growth is positively influenced by economic policies that raise the ratio of private investment to GDP, promote human capital development, lower the ratio of the budget deficit to GDP, avoid overvalued exchange rates, and stimulate export volume growth. Of vital importance is also the promotion of alternative sustainable eco-friendly sources of energy. In the absence of these, promises by the Minister of Finance that 2012 will be a good year may be conceived as aspirational.
Great uncertainty exists as to what policies can and should be pursued in the context of the current crisis. People need solutions to the problems they are in. Parliament, currently sitting, should seize the opportunity to ask profound questions pertaining to the values and priorities to be adopted to guide the nation through these difficult times. What future do we want to emerge from the current crisis? What choices need to be made now to ensure that such a future will come about? What values will shape this period of our history – those that represent self-interest and sectional concerns, or those which reflect the common good and the protection of the weakest?
The recent UNDP Human Development Index Report (HDI, 2011) which measures “the expansion of people’s freedoms and capabilities to lead lives that they value and have reason to value” has ranked Malawi at 171 from 153 in 2010. The slump in the index is largely attributed to more countries entering the index this year; however an analysis of the movement of the actual indices reveals that Malawi has not registered much progress in view of the county’s economic growth for the past years which was at 6%. According to the Programme Officer for Social Conditions Programme, Mr. Alex Nkosi, “This means that the economic gains that Malawi has garnered in the recent past are not making a real dent in the pervasive poverty to enable significant improvements in social conditions.” Correspondingly, the Centre for Social Concern (CfSC) Urban Basic Needs Basket for November shows that the cost of living on essential food items continues to skyrocket. CfSC has noted that in the month of November 2011 certain products in the food basket like Maize, Beans, Usipa, Utaka, Kapenta and Bread have increased tremendously from the previous month, while others have maintained or slightly gone up.
For instance, the price of maize has surged upwards tremendously. Mzuzu, the hardest hit, has witnessed an average maize price rise by 28.2% (K2, 200 per 50kg bag) in November as compared to average price in October which was at K1580. On average, the same trend has been observed in all the major cities: in Lilongwe it went up by 11%, Zomba 13% and in Blantyre maize registered an increase of 10%. Most sellers in the market attribute the increase to scarcity of the commodity and an increase in the cost of transportation.
In Zomba the price of bread has gone up by 27.8%. In October (on average) a loaf of bread was at K153 and in November it went up to K212. The survey has revealed a similar price tendency in Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu where prices have gone up by 25%, 20% and 11.4% respectively. According to Bread Bakers, the price increase is attributed to an increase of wheat flour (most of which is imported) and transportation costs in delivering the commodity. All in all, the average cost of the CfSC food basket for a family of six rose by 10.9% from K29, 470 in October to K33, 107 in November. The average total Basic Needs Basket comprising food and no-food items for a family of six for Mzuzu, Lilongwe, Zomba and Blantyre has increased to K61, 778 in November from K57, 407 in October, 2011. Of great concern is the rise in the price of maize, a staple food for Malawians and bread, a commodity mostly used by urban dwellers.
These are figures. But behind the statistics are millions of lives of Malawians that are struggling to eke-out a living. As Alex Nkosi observes, “The increasing gap between people’s income and the cost of living invokes a question as to how poor Malawians are making ends meet. As the figures indicate; the obvious consequence of the rising costs of food items is that the purchasing power of low-income and middle-income consumers continues to deteriorate resulting to diminishing levels of disposable income. Lack of disposable income has adverse effects on the economy since its people’s ability to spend that stimulates the market. Being a rainy season, low-income earners will be hit hard by this sharp rise in the cost of living because most households will have to buy farm inputs in the midst of nonexistent disposable income”.
“Now, more than ever”, asserts Mr. Nkosi, “we need to reassert the importance of the value of uMunthu - social solidarity, fairness, and compassion. We need to see ourselves as citizens with a shared responsibility for the common good. And most significantly as servants of the people, our politicians must recognise the symbolic importance of their being willing to sacrifice some of the considerable financial benefits they enjoy, in a context where millions of Malawians are unable to meet their minimum food requirements to live a dignified life. Forfeiting the proposed unprecedented salary increase for the MPs would be a good gesture in the right direction!”
For more information and feedback, please contact:
Alex Nkosi,
Social Conditions Programme Officer
Center for Social Concern, P.O. Box 40049, Lilongwe, Malawi
Tel: 265-1-715-632 Fax: 260-1-716-136 E-mail: alex.nkosi@cfscmalawi.org or alexnkosi@yahoo.com / cfsc@malawi.net
Location: Next to St. Francis Catholic Parish, Area 25C, Kanengo Website: www.cfscmalawi.org
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
HIV-Positive Man Sprayed With Lysol at Work
James White's lawyers in Michigan call his case "the worst case of HIV discrimination we've ever seen." It's hard to believe how much James had to endure:
...When James disclosed his HIV status to his boss at a Great Expressions Dental Center -- where James worked as an office assistant -- James' boss told everyone in the office that James had HIV.
.For months, James' coworkers followed him around with cans of Lysol. They sprayed James, refused to let him touch doorknobs, and wiped down furniture after he touched it.
...James was finally admitted to the hospital to deal with the toll of months of stress from the situation at work -- he was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
...On his last night in the hospital, James got a call saying that he was fired.
Jim Harris is a junior at the University of Oklahoma who has dedicated his time on campus to educating his fellow students about HIV. When Jim read about what happened to James, he was outraged -- so he started a petition on Change.org demanding that Great Expressions Dental Centers apologize for how James was treated and pay him reparations.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission attempted to mediate this situation, but Great Expressions refused the proposed settlement. So the EEOC gave James a letter supporting his right to sue Great Expressions -- but a lawsuit will be costly and could take years.
James shouldn't have to wait years for an apology or compensation. Great Expressions is a large chain of dental centers, with locations in seven different states -- bringing large-scale public pressure is exactly the right way to force a quick resolution rather than letting the company wait it out and hope James runs out of money.
Now, People are asking Great Expressions Dental Centers to apologize and pay reparations for the egregious treatment of James White.
...When James disclosed his HIV status to his boss at a Great Expressions Dental Center -- where James worked as an office assistant -- James' boss told everyone in the office that James had HIV.
.For months, James' coworkers followed him around with cans of Lysol. They sprayed James, refused to let him touch doorknobs, and wiped down furniture after he touched it.
...James was finally admitted to the hospital to deal with the toll of months of stress from the situation at work -- he was diagnosed with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.
...On his last night in the hospital, James got a call saying that he was fired.
Jim Harris is a junior at the University of Oklahoma who has dedicated his time on campus to educating his fellow students about HIV. When Jim read about what happened to James, he was outraged -- so he started a petition on Change.org demanding that Great Expressions Dental Centers apologize for how James was treated and pay him reparations.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission attempted to mediate this situation, but Great Expressions refused the proposed settlement. So the EEOC gave James a letter supporting his right to sue Great Expressions -- but a lawsuit will be costly and could take years.
James shouldn't have to wait years for an apology or compensation. Great Expressions is a large chain of dental centers, with locations in seven different states -- bringing large-scale public pressure is exactly the right way to force a quick resolution rather than letting the company wait it out and hope James runs out of money.
Now, People are asking Great Expressions Dental Centers to apologize and pay reparations for the egregious treatment of James White.
Inside Cyprus' Migrant Detention Centres
By Giorgos Kosmopoulos, Amnesty International’s Greece and Cyprus campaigner
Hundreds of migrants awaiting deportation from Cyprus are being held for months in squalid conditions with limited access to legal and medical aid.
A few muted rays of light seep through the barred cell windows of block ten of Nicosia’s Central Prison.
Not many miles down the road, a light breeze sweeps over long sandy beaches and tourists wander at their leisure, free to enjoy the fresh air and winter sunshine.
Nicosia's Central Prison is used as a detention centre for rejected asylum seekers and migrants ©Amnesty International
But inside Nicosia’s prison, the air is stuffy and the scruffy walls reverberate with the sounds of heavy doors being slammed shut and shouts from staff and detainees. Arabic music blares out from a television set.
For several years, two wings of the prison have been used as a detention centre for rejected asylum seekers and migrants awaiting deportation.
Up to three people sleep inside the draughty, minute cells. Some of the cell windows are broken and inmates have stuffed pieces of cloth in the gaps to prevent cold air from entering.
At the time of our visit in early December, some 56 migrants are being held in the prison. About 200 migrants – most of them from sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East- are currently detained in Cyprus, a considerable number for such a small island. Even though the application numbers have recently fallen dramatically according to the UNHCR, Cyprus ranked first among 44 reviewed countries as regards asylum applications per inhabitant.
Sitting by a table next to the only window in the room , we meet Osman Kane, a Sierra Leonean migrant who has spent the past eleven months inside block ten of the Nicosia prison.
During Sierra Leone’s decade-long civil war, Osman worked as a chauffeur to the wife of the leader of one of the warring parties, he says.
Because of his job, he was tortured and persecuted by supporters of the opposition, he tells me. He fled the country, and arrived in Cyprus in 2000.
He applied for asylum, but in 2005 his file was closed after the authorities claimed they could not locate him to examine his claim.
During a few short periods of freedom, he was often left destitute and forced to take illegal work.
A few months later he was arrested and a total of five failed deportation attempts took place over the next three years, most of which he spent in detention in block ten.
In August this year, Osman challenged the legality of the length of his detention before the Supreme Court of Cyprus.
He won, and the court ordered his immediate release. He thought he was free at last but before even leaving the court premises he was arrested and detained once again.
His morale and his faith in justice were shattered, he says.
‘’In 2000, I was tricked by smugglers to believe I was safely in a European Union country’’ he adds.
“Now I have been tricked again, this time by the authorities. What is there left for me to do?’’, he asks.
Amnesty International raised its concerns with the Cypriot immigration authorities regarding the legality and the length of his detention already in 2007.
Amnesty International delegates visited three different detention facilities on the island and almost every detainee we talked to, spoke of lack of legal aid, poor conditions and insufficient medical care.
Bawa Kerimu is from Nigeria and has been in block 10 for over four months.
He claims he gradually lost his sight while in detention. The doctors wrote something in Greek on his papers, but he currently receives no adequate medical care, just some eye drops.
He described to me how his eyes swell up; he is often unable to sleep for days on end and moving around feels like torture. During our interview it was evident that he couldn’t really see me, for him I was only a blurry shape asking questions. He now fears that he will be blind for the rest of his life.
Amnesty International is urging the Cypriot authorities to fulfill their international obligations and respect the rights of asylum seekers and migrants.
The organization believes that detaining migrants for deportation should take place only as a last resort and only after other less restrictive alternatives to detention have been explored.
If detention takes place, effective safeguards should be in place and adequate medical care must be ensured. Those who cannot be deported must be released.
Hundreds of migrants awaiting deportation from Cyprus are being held for months in squalid conditions with limited access to legal and medical aid.
A few muted rays of light seep through the barred cell windows of block ten of Nicosia’s Central Prison.
Not many miles down the road, a light breeze sweeps over long sandy beaches and tourists wander at their leisure, free to enjoy the fresh air and winter sunshine.
Nicosia's Central Prison is used as a detention centre for rejected asylum seekers and migrants ©Amnesty International
But inside Nicosia’s prison, the air is stuffy and the scruffy walls reverberate with the sounds of heavy doors being slammed shut and shouts from staff and detainees. Arabic music blares out from a television set.
For several years, two wings of the prison have been used as a detention centre for rejected asylum seekers and migrants awaiting deportation.
Up to three people sleep inside the draughty, minute cells. Some of the cell windows are broken and inmates have stuffed pieces of cloth in the gaps to prevent cold air from entering.
At the time of our visit in early December, some 56 migrants are being held in the prison. About 200 migrants – most of them from sub-Saharan Africa and the Middle East- are currently detained in Cyprus, a considerable number for such a small island. Even though the application numbers have recently fallen dramatically according to the UNHCR, Cyprus ranked first among 44 reviewed countries as regards asylum applications per inhabitant.
Sitting by a table next to the only window in the room , we meet Osman Kane, a Sierra Leonean migrant who has spent the past eleven months inside block ten of the Nicosia prison.
During Sierra Leone’s decade-long civil war, Osman worked as a chauffeur to the wife of the leader of one of the warring parties, he says.
Because of his job, he was tortured and persecuted by supporters of the opposition, he tells me. He fled the country, and arrived in Cyprus in 2000.
He applied for asylum, but in 2005 his file was closed after the authorities claimed they could not locate him to examine his claim.
During a few short periods of freedom, he was often left destitute and forced to take illegal work.
A few months later he was arrested and a total of five failed deportation attempts took place over the next three years, most of which he spent in detention in block ten.
In August this year, Osman challenged the legality of the length of his detention before the Supreme Court of Cyprus.
He won, and the court ordered his immediate release. He thought he was free at last but before even leaving the court premises he was arrested and detained once again.
His morale and his faith in justice were shattered, he says.
‘’In 2000, I was tricked by smugglers to believe I was safely in a European Union country’’ he adds.
“Now I have been tricked again, this time by the authorities. What is there left for me to do?’’, he asks.
Amnesty International raised its concerns with the Cypriot immigration authorities regarding the legality and the length of his detention already in 2007.
Amnesty International delegates visited three different detention facilities on the island and almost every detainee we talked to, spoke of lack of legal aid, poor conditions and insufficient medical care.
Bawa Kerimu is from Nigeria and has been in block 10 for over four months.
He claims he gradually lost his sight while in detention. The doctors wrote something in Greek on his papers, but he currently receives no adequate medical care, just some eye drops.
He described to me how his eyes swell up; he is often unable to sleep for days on end and moving around feels like torture. During our interview it was evident that he couldn’t really see me, for him I was only a blurry shape asking questions. He now fears that he will be blind for the rest of his life.
Amnesty International is urging the Cypriot authorities to fulfill their international obligations and respect the rights of asylum seekers and migrants.
The organization believes that detaining migrants for deportation should take place only as a last resort and only after other less restrictive alternatives to detention have been explored.
If detention takes place, effective safeguards should be in place and adequate medical care must be ensured. Those who cannot be deported must be released.
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