The International Development Institute (IDI), in collaboration with the Mulanje-based charity organization Othakarhaka, has constructed a house for an elderly victim of Cyclone Freedy from Traditional Authority(T/A) Nkanda in the district.
Speaking during the house handover ceremony, Ida Mwango, the Executive Director of Othakarhaka, expressed gratitude for the support received from volunteers and IDI in mobilizing funds for the house construction.
She emphasized the urgency of the situation.
“Given the dilapidated state of the elder woman’s previous residence, especially during the rainy season, immediate action was essential,”she explained.
Mwango appealed to well-wishers to extend their helping hand to other Cyclone Freedy victims in the district who are currently have no shelter and food.
87-year-old Gogo Enifer, the beneficiary of the new house, shared her gratitude, expressing disbelief that she would now have a secure home during the rainy season.
Enifer explained that her original house had collapsed in March, and she lacked the financial means to rebuild it.
Additionally,she appealed for assistance with food, mentioning her current reliance on boiling mangoes as a daily sustenance.
“I am immensely thankful to the Othakarhaka Foundation for recognizing my predicament and mobilizing funds to construct my new house,” she said.
In addition to the housing initiative, the International Development Institute (IDI) also contributed by donating a 3-tonner lorry to the Othakarhaka Foundation.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced the appointment of Justice Masauko Msungama into its Appeal Board.
According to a letter from the continental football governing body, signed by its general secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba,the appointment of Msungama, a High Court of Malawi judge, is effective November 18, 2023.
Reads the letter in part: “It is with great pleasure that we formally welcome you to the Confederation of African Football Appeal Board
Masauko Msungama
“The executive committee under the leadership of the CAF president Dr. Patrice Motsepe has unanimously passed a resolution confirming your appointment.
“Your role is pivotal in upholding disciplinary standards of CAF and we are fully committed in supporting you as you transition into this position.”
Meanwhile,Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president, Walter Nyamilandu Manda who is also a CAF executive committee member has congratulated Justice Msungama, saying he has all it takes to ably represent Malawi at such a high position at Caf.
He says:”I would like to congratulate Justice Msungama for this appointment. I wish him all the best as he advances the agenda of African football and ensure that fair play and justice prevails. I have no doubt that he will be a good ambassador of Malawi.
“This is what happens when you are at the high table. I am really pleased that we have a fellow Malawian, a highly distinguished judge as a member of CAF Appeals Board.”
CAF is the governing body of African football and was founded in 1957.
The founding members are Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia and South Africa
Kasungu Municipal Council has described its project, which seeks to install solar-powered floodlights in all local markets surrounding the town as most cost-effective for trade activities.
Speaking after assessing the impacts of the project’s pilot phase, Mayor for the council Heese Nyangu said the project complements the Malawi Secondary Cities Plan, which longs to develop a secondary city in Kasungu.
An installed floodlight at Chayamba Turn-off market
Nyangu said: “We piloted the project at Chayamba turn-off and Kaning’a markets. The floodlights we erected there, have helped to improve security and by implication, encouraged trade activities that happen at night.
“This has encouraged us to proceed with the project in all earmarked markets.”
While appealing to other partners to come in and support the initiative, the Mayor asked the market users to own the project so as to ensure its sustainability.
One of the business operators at Chayamba turn-off market, Amidu Lukiyamu commended the council for the project.
“Before the project, I used to spend MK4,000 per month for torch batteries. Now that we have the lights, I am able to save. This time I do not have any excuse to pay cess to the council because we all have seen how the authorities are using our taxes,”said Lukiyamu.
In August 2023, Kasungu Municipal Council unveiled the plans to implement the project using locally generated revenue.
As the project has rolled to life, albeit on a pilot basis, there is hope amongst both residents and business-persons that the municipality is destined for real growth.
The 37th season of the Super League of Malawi which kick-started on April 15th, concludes this Sunday, December 3rd, when the best of the best between FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and Silver Strikers will be crowned the champion at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
A draw for the People’s team who have so far accumulated 59 points, will see them winning the league for the fifth consecutive season while Silver on the other hand will be fighting to win the match with a 4-0 margin if they are to snatch the title from the defending champions.
The two sides played out to a 1-all draw at the launch of the 2023 season which took place at Bingu National Stadium(BNS) in Lilongwe, with goals from Lanjesi Nkhoma for Bullets and Nickson Mwase for the central bankers.
This time around, Mangochi-based referee Gift Chicco will be in charge of the match as the Center Referee and he will be assisted by Joseph Nyauti and Mark Thunyani.
Mwayi Msungama will be the Fourth Official while Moffat Champiti will be the Match Assessor.
To spice it up, Maso Awards Best Male Artist of the Year, Zeze Kingston will entertain people at the stadium with a music performance.
While Bullets and Silver will be battling for supremacy, Moyale Barracks FC, Ekwendeni Hammers, Mafco FC and Civil Service United will be looking forward to avoid the drop.
One of the above mentioned teams will join Extreme FC and Red Lions who were already relegated from the league.
Moyale will be hoping for a win at home against their fellow soldiers Red Lions while Ekwendeni Hammers are in a must win fixture against seventh placed, Dedza Dynamos at Rumphi Stadium.
Civil Service United will also be looking for a win if they are to survive the chop as they face Mighty Mukuru Wanderers at Civo Stadium.
Mafco FC who are also fighting relegation will be away against Blue Eagles at Nankhaka Stadium.
In other matches, bottom placed Extreme FC will play their last game in the top flight as they host Chitipa United at Chitowe Stadium as sixth placed Bangwe All Stars host Karonga United at Mpira Stadium in Chiwembe, Blantyre.
Elsewhere, Kamuzu Barracks will be looking forward to cement their fourth position on the log table as they face Mighty Tigers who are perched on position 10 with 35 points.
As people will be waiting to see who will be crowned champion and who will be relegated, eyes will also be on Clement Nyondo of Dedza Dynamos and Lanjesi Nkhoma of FCB Nyasa Big Bullets
The two are eyeing for the golden boot award having scored 15 goals and 14 goals and they need to score against Ekwendeni Hammers and Silver Strikers respectively if they are to claim the award.
Mighty Mukuru Wanderers captain Stanley Sanudi is currently leading on the player with the most assists in the league this season having provided 10 assists followed by Patrick Mwaungulu of FCB Nyasa Big Bullets who has 9 assists so far.
Silver Strikers’ Chimwemwe Idana and Stain Davie, Gastin Simkonda of Moyale Barracks and Lameck Gamphani of Dedza Dynamos have 8 assists each.
In the 2022, Bullets who have won the league for 16 times, finished the the season with a 2-1 win over Dedza Dynamos, setting a record for winning the league with 72 points.
After all is said and done, the 2023 season will be remembered as one of the most entertaining seasons with a number of positive changes in the league’s administration.
Cecil Juma who owns Cecil Facebook Page says will from December 3,2023 start offering free additional secondary school education lessons through his Facebook page.
Speaking in an interview,Juma who is a graduate from the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) said he has at heart the desire of contributing innovative ideas and solutions towards the education sector in the country hence the decision to introduce the initiative.
Said Juma :”Online education is a tool that is being used by many developed countries to enhance learning, like in our case we want to simplify learning by bringing the subjects to students, it has to be their reference point.
“Students can enhance their understanding by going through our lessons online.”
He also spoke on the need for students who are in remote areas to acquire the quality education regardless of shortage of teachers in their schools.
Cecil Juma
On the shortage of gadgets to be used in the initiative, Juma said he is aware that many students most especially in rural areas will experience several challenges to access these online lessons because of lack of proper gadgets but in near future his team is expected to work with schools, government and NGOs on how they can make to tackle the challenges.
At the moment,two university graduates have volunteered themselves to deliver the lessons.
The lessons for the whole week will be uploaded at 6:00pm every Sunday.
The initiative is targeting over 100 thousand students from various secondary schools across the country.
Juma also emphasized on the point that students must attend normal lessons from their respective schools saying the initiative is not encouraging anyone to shun the normal lessons in class.
The initiative overview;
Vision : Learning for everyone, anytime, anywhere.
Mission Statement: To make secondary school education fun end easily accessible by every student.
Target Audience:Secondary school students in rural areas.
Specifics Objectives:
a. Creating an online platform for learning b. To ensure that the learning platform is easily accessible by everyone c. To ensure that the online video lessons are fun and easily understood every student d. To ensure that 90% of the lesson is in vernacular language. e. To ensure that video lessons are part of a learner’s school life f. To ensure that there is a detailed coverage of the topics in accordance with the National Education syllabus.
Structure:
1. Project officer: Cecil Juma • Bachelors of Mechanical Engineering, from Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences.(MUBAS) • Honours in Electrical and Electronics Engineering. (MUBAS) • Working as a Mechanical Engineer.
2. Education Manager: Aram Chifundo Nyondo • Bachelors of Education (Technical), from Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS) • Working as a Secondary School Teacher Tutors 1. Cecil Juma 2. Aram Nyondo Length of each lesson video: 10 – 15 minutes
Language of delivery:90% Chichewa, 10% English.
Goals:
1. To reach all students and everyone especially those without access to standard learn structure. 2. National wide Assessment competitions with awards 3. To incorporate the learning platform into study circles in secondary school 4. To establish online learning centres 5. To involve more teachers and experts into the lessons. 6. To ensure that the project becomes self-sustaining 7. To turn all topics in all subjects in secondary into online video lessons.
Source of funds:
– Self- funded – Donations How we will start? • Uploading Mathematical lessons • We will start with first topic in form 3, Quadratic Equations. • The lessons will cover each concept of the topic.
