Teachers and learners from secondary schools around Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa have commended Jesuit Refugee Services, JRS for its Promoting Secondary Education initiative that has improved school retention among girls, availability of Covid-19 preventive materials and text books.
The organisation’s Programs Coordinator, Percy Chikwera, speaking to repoertes said Covid-19 worsened poverty levels in the communities that led to school drop outs among girls hence a donation of over 100 text books to each of the four schools and Covid-19 PPEs.
Headteacher for Mndunje Community Day Secondary School, Agness Kachiwala, hailed JRS for the initiative adding that so far seven girls who dropped out of school have returned to school thanks to the UNHCR’s funded initiative in the four Community Day Secondary schools of Mbalame, Mndunje, Nanthomba and Dzaleka.
Ministry of Gender, Social Welfare and Community Development says effective reporting on gender-based violence (GBV) issues remains key to ending the vice.
Minister responsible Patricia Kaliati made the remarks in Dowa on Thursday during opening of the When the Saints (WtS) Safe Home.
Among others, the home aims at helping girls who have been sexually abused.
Kaliati said parents should protect their children from any harm and that shielding perpetrators will not help Malawi to fight GBV.
She said: “Our main concern remains when it comes to reporting issues of abuse. We need traditional leaders to be in the forefront of fighting the vice and that parents should be responsible for protecting their children.”
She applauded WtS for its commitment to ensuring that Malawian girls who were once abused live in a conducive environment where they are not discriminated against.
“The services at the centre must be able to rehabilitate and counsel the survivors adequately to enable them move forward with their normal life.
“I am optimistic that other organisations will emulate what When the Saints has done here in Dowa, and Malawi in general, because it is clear to me that we need more of these safe homes across Malawi,” said Kaliati.
Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre director Emma Kaliya, who is also WtS board member, said GBV continues to cause discomfort but there is hope of tackling it as people are now talking about GBV.
She said: “Dowa is one of the districts where cases of GBV are on the rise and that is why WtS decided to have the drop-in centre here.
“So far the home has helped about 135 girls and is currently harbouring 52 girls, with the youngest being three years old.”
In his remarks, WtS executive director David Peterka said with resources, the safe home will have both primary and secondary schools for the girls to continue attending school in a safe environment.
“The structure which has been launched was made possible with donations from well wishers and the community at large. There is a great working relationship between WtS and the community which we believe is going to continue and assist us progress as we help the girls,” he said.
Officially launching the centre, First Lady Monica Chakwera said one of the things the country needs to do away with are harmful cultural practices that destroy children instead of building them up.
She commended WtS for including men in its programmes of ending GBV, saying if men are taught how to respect women, issues of rape and other ills in society could decline.
The Bon Kalindo movement was in Mzuzu this Friday where it held demonstrations against the Tonse government and the rising costs of living in the country. This follows similar demos that took place in the cities of Blantyre and Lilongwe few weeks ago. Kalindo has so far given government 7 days to respond
Bon Kalindo led demonstrations that ended peacefully in Mzuzu where City Council Spokesperson MacDonald Gondwe recieved a petition. This is the only demonstration so far that Kalindo has recently led without being teargassed by the police.
Blantyre and Lilongwe demonstrations turned chaotic after police – demonstrators clash.
Hundreds turned up to continue raising their voices against high cost of living and other unfulfilled campaign promises.
Bon Kalindo and his grouping have given Government 7 days to respond to their concerns on the socio economic challenges, the country is facing.
Kalindo says malawians are tired of the rise in the cost of living as such will keep demonstrating until change comes.
Politician and Former UTM Director of Youth Bon Kalindo has emphazised that prices of basic commodities such as sugar, soap, water, cooking oil and others need to be reduced immediately for socio-economic welfare of the majority poor.
He has since given seven days to President Chakwera and his vice Saulos Chilima to address all the concerns.
One of the athletes in the country Shantero Davie has challenged to run 130 Kilometers from Mulanje to Thyolo district in two days to raise funds amounting to K1.5 million that will be used to help poor families.
In an interview, Shantero said the long-run challenge will start from 16 to 17 December this year, to raise funds for buying sanitary pads for the underprivileged adolescent girls in rural areas and 100 bags of maize for 200 poor families in Mulanje, Charadzulu and Phalombe districts.
” Am planning to have a two-day long run challenge starting from 16 to 17 December in some areas of Mulanje district ( chisitu ,Nkhonya and Namisi), and from Mulanje to Thyolo ( Luchenza) where l will run a distance of about 130 KM to raise K1.5 million for buying sanitary pads for adolescent girls in rural areas, fixing broken boreholes, and buy 100 bags of maize to give to poor families”, he said
Shantero said he has come up with the decision after observing that many people in these districts most especially those who live in rural areas are struggling to survive, hence the need to help.
” People are passing through challenges out there. Some are at leas doing better while others are completely struggling to find food and their daily needs. I have been thinking about those who are struggling, trying to find ways on how I can help them. As an athlete, I will use this to raise funds and help these people who are struggling so that at least they can survive”, said Shantero.
He said, athletic sport is one of the most important sporting activities that need to be supported by the government and other responsible stakeholders,saying it contributes a lot in the social economic development of this country.
” To say the true, many athletes are struggling a lot in this country as the government do not fully take this as sporting activity. But now time has come to start supporting athletic sport as it is one of the most important sporting activities which contribute a lot to the social-economic development of this country”, he said.
Shantero called on organizations, well-wishers and interested individuals to join him and support his move so as he raises more funds and reach out many.
In April this year, Shantero had the same long run challenge where he ran 87 KM distance ( from Blantyre ShopRite to Mulanje) and raised about K415,900.00 which he used to buy blankets, soap, sugar and others numerous items for the elderly in Mulanje and Thyolo districts.
He said the organizations, well-wishers and interested individuals can do their donations to 0991318381 ( Airtel Money and 0881752680 ( Mpamba).
Some of the elderly who received the blankets in April.
Malawi Energy Regulatory Authority (MERA) has highlighted the importance of electrical installers in the country to have a permit from them.
Consumer and Public Relations Manager for MERA, Fitina Khonje made the remarks in Dedza on Wednesday during a sensitization meeting with electrical installers in the district.
Khonje said the installers need to have qualifications and a permit from them so as to be able to operate legally.
‘‘Some of these installers are not aware that they have to get a permit from MERA’’.
Khonje explained that MERA is able to follow and inspect works by those who have the permit to ensure they stick to standards, for their customers to be protected.
She said when electrical installation goes wrong, lives and properties are affected.
She added that those who will be found operating without a license from MERA will be fined and imprisoned for 6 months.
‘‘There is a requirement in the law that all people that are doing electrical installation should have a permit from MERA’’.
Commenting on the matter chairperson of Association of Electrical Installers( AEI) in Dedza Christopher Magombo said one of the challenges they are facing is lack of knowledge by consumers on the right procedures to follow when hiring them.
Magombo said now that MERA has enlightened them on the need to have a permit, they will sit down with the members of the Association to make sure they all have the required qualifications to be eligible for the permit.
He said this will help the installers to work freely without fear of being arrested by police.
“This will also help consumers have trust in us”, added Magombo.
