Ten-year-old Malawian boy residing in Dublin, Ireland, Kennedy Mhango, has emerged as the top winner in the Association of Malawians in Ireland (AMAI) Kids Got Talent Cultural competition announced on Saturday, December 14, 2024, at the AMAI Gala Awards.
According to one of the competition judges Brian Mwenelupembe, Mhango was voted the winner due to his impressive presentation of Malawian culture, including ingoma dancing skills, knowledge of Malawi football, and language proficiency.
Kennedy Mhango
“He deserves to be the top winner. He has displayed amazing skills, and it is clear he got talent,” Mwenelupembe said.
In an interview,AMAI President Henry Mkumbira Phiri explained that the association organized the competition to promote Malawian culture among Malawian children living in Ireland.
“We plan to conduct a similar competition next year,” said Phiri.
Mhango, through his mother Lumbani, expressed gratitude to AMAI for organizing the competition, which encourages Malawian kids in Ireland to learn about their heritage.
“We are thankful to AMAI for introducing this wonderful competition.It helps us expose our hidden talents and skills,” Mhango said.
A total of four children participated in this year’s competition.
Malawi’s only Gemological Institute of America (GIA) gemologist graduate, Yamikani Jimusole,has been awarded a merit-based scholarship to study Jewelry Design at GIA’s London campus.
The announcement, made on December 7, 2024, marks another milestone in Jimusole’s mission to elevate Malawi’s gemstone industry.
The scholarship, valued at £4,698, will cover part of the tuition for the 8-week Jewelry Design Certificate Program, which costs a total of £7,227.
Jimusole will personally fund the remaining £2,529, alongside his accommodation, travel, and living expenses during the course, which begins in June 2025.
ENHANCING EXPERTISE IN MALAWI’S GEMSTONE SECTOR
Already a seasoned gemologist with over a decade of experience, Jimusole aims to combine his gemological expertise with jewelry design skills to unlock new opportunities for Malawi’s gemstone industry.
Once certified as a jewelry designer, he will address a significant gap in Malawi’s gemstone value chain, as the country currently lacks professionals in this critical field.
Jewelry designers play a pivotal role in the gemstone industry, transforming raw materials into high-value, market-ready pieces.
They utilize their creative and technical skills to design, draft, and render unique jewelry.
Certified designers often work as custom designers, hand renderers, business owners, or consultants, collaborating with clients and businesses to add value to gemstones and craft exquisite jewelry.
YAGLE’S TRANSFORMATIVE VISION
As the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Yamikani Gemstone Lab & Exports Pvt Ltd (YAGLE) , Jimusole is spearheading efforts to transform Malawi’s gemstone sector.
His plans include establishing:
A state-of-the-art gemological laboratory to ensure accurate grading and certification.
A Gemological and Entrepreneurship Institute to train future professionals.
A gemstone and jewelry museum to promote Malawi’s rich gemstone heritage.
These initiatives aim to strengthen Malawi’s position as a key player in the global gemstone market while creating jobs and empowering local communities.
Malawi has over 25 types of gemstones, including rubies, tourmalines, zircons, aquamarines, and more, with the potential to generate billions of dollars annually.
However, the lack of proper grading, certification, and appraisal systems limits the country’s ability to realize this potential.
Gemstones are often exported undervalued, reducing their economic impact.
Jimusole has been a vocal advocate for the introduction of these systems, emphasizing that such measures will not only increase revenue but also boost investor confidence in Malawi’s gemstone sector.
SCHOLARSHIPS: A PATHWAY TO INDUSTRY GROWTH
GIA’s merit-based scholarships are highly competitive and awarded based on academic performance and professional potential.
This opportunity enables students like Jimusole to access world-class training while reducing financial barriers.
The Jewelry Design program will equip him with skills in design theory, technical drawing, rendering, and portfolio development, preparing him to add immense value to Malawi’s gemstone exports.
Jimusole has encouraged other Malawians to pursue scholarships or self-fund studies in gemology and jewelry design, highlighting the endless opportunities available in the sector.
A PIONEER FOR MALAWI
Having graduated as a gemologist from GIA’s Thailand campus in 2017, Jimusole is a trailblazer in Malawi’s gemstone industry.
His certification as a jewelry designer will further solidify his leadership, allowing him to create bespoke, high-value jewelry that meets international standards.
With his dual expertise, Jimusole envisions a future where Malawi’s gemstone industry can thrive, competing on a global scale while benefiting local communities.
His story is an inspiring example of how education and innovation can transform an entire sector.
MOVING FORWARD
Jimusole’s scholarship is more than a personal achievement; it’s a step toward revolutionizing Malawi’s gemstone sector.
By integrating gemology and jewelry design, he is paving the way for a brighter, more lucrative future for Malawi’s natural resources.
The Ministry of Education has announced the suspension of classes for Primary and Secondary schools in 17 districts of Malawi’s southern region, effective Monday, December 16, 2024, due to the impending arrival of Tropical Cyclone Chido.
The districts affected include Machinga, Mangochi, Zomba, Phalombe, Mulanje, Thyolo, Chiradzulu, Nsanje, Chikwawa, Blantyre, Neno, Mwanza, Balaka, Ntcheu, Dedza, and others.
The decision to suspend classes was made to ensure the safety of learners and teachers in these districts.
The Ministry has advised all schools to monitor the situation in their localities and only resume classes on December 18, 2024, if deemed safe.
District Education officers have been instructed to ensure strict adherence to this notification by all schools and stakeholders.
Students in Boarding Schools within the affected areas have been advised to remain in their schools, while School Management is urged to exercise necessary caution to keep students safe during this time.
The Ministry has also provided contact details for further information, including the Public Relations Desk on 01 789 422 or 0995 72 27 22.
According to the Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, Tropical Cyclone Chido is forecasted to bring significant rainfall to Malawi from Sunday, December 15, through Monday, December 16, 2024, potentially leading to flash flooding.
The storm’s impact is expected to be severe, with heavy rains and strong winds predicted.
The Ministry’s decision to suspend classes comes as a precautionary measure to protect the lives of learners and teachers.
Malawi has experienced devastating effects from previous cyclones, including Cyclones Ana and Freddy, which caused widespread destruction and loss of life.
The suspension of classes is a necessary measure to ensure the safety of all stakeholders involved.
The Ministry’s swift action demonstrates its commitment to prioritizing the well-being of learners and teachers during this challenging time.
As the situation unfolds, the Ministry will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates on the resumption of classes.
In the meantime, learners and teachers are advised to remain vigilant and follow all instructions from authorities to ensure their safety.
The journey for Second tier Chipiku Central Region Football League side Panthers FC in the Castel Challenge Cup, came to an end on Sunday following a 3-0 defeat against Mighty Mukuru Wanderers at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre.
Panthers reached the semi-finals of the Castel Cup after defeating four Super League clubs namely Mafco FC, Chitipa United, Super League champions Silver Strikers and another capital city giant Civil Service United.
Oozing with confidence, the team came to Blantyre carrying the hopes of their followers and they managed to hold Wanderers to a goalless first half to the excitement of some football fanatics who began to believe that Panthers were on the verge of writing another story in the book of Malawian football history.
In the second half, the home side looked more hungry for goals, creating a number of scoring opportunities and they were rewarded in the 56th minute when Clement Nyondo connected home a cross from Emmanuel Nyirenda.
Players in action
Blessings Singini doubled the lead for the Nomads in the 68th minute as he scored with a powerful shot outside the penalty box.
Gaddie Chirwa sealed the victory for Wanderers two minutes before the end of the regulation time as his shot was deflected into the net by a Panthers defender.
This was the end of the road for Panthers FC, a team that won the hearts of many for their impressive performance in the tournament.
After the match, Nomads midfielder Blessings Singini was voted man of the match and received a cheque of MK 150,000 from Smile Life Insurance Company.
Mighty Mukuru Wanderers who have just been voted the Best team of the year at Malawi Broadcasting Corporation-MBC’s Entertainer of the Year program, will face the winner between FCB Nyasa Big Bullets and Mzuzu City Hammers who are playing in the semi-finals on Tuesday.
Wanderers players celebrating their first goal: Phot Credit: Mighty Mukuru Wanderers mediaPanthers FCBlessings Singini for Wanderers receiving thean of the match award
Authorities of Blantyre City Council have been asked to spare a little money for maintenances of various services the council is providing in the city and surrounding areas for public use.
For months now, traffic lights at Nandos in the heart of the City of Blantyre are functioning properly with all the lights indicating their colors but are not pointing directly for road users to see when to cross the road and what to do.
As a result of this, Nandos has turned out to be a prone to accident area as motorists and pedestrians do move and cross the road unknowingly due to the bend of the traffic robots.
Interestingly, officials of Blantyre City Council do cross the Nandos traffic robots but no one has recognized that the robots are bend making road users to wonder the negligence of the officials with an underlined statement, they are not aware of the bend.
In a food for thought to Blantyre City Council officials, Muvi wa Chilingamo Revolutionary Party(MRP) Secretary General Greyson Mikuwa, has asked the authorities to take their time off or delegating officers to monitor the services the council is providing to the public in the City.
Mikuwa said it is sad that the traffic robots bend at Nandos has been there for months without the authorities doing something over it or rectifying the problem clearly speaking for itself that some service deliveries are not maintained due to officer’s negligence.
” It is the duty of each and every responsible citizen to hold duty bearers accountable for any negligence,” he said.
The MRP Secretary General said maintenance of Nandos traffic robots will not require millions of Kwachas observing that the council has support staff to do the work without getting allowances.
He has warned Blantyre City Council authorities that failure to maintain the robots will lead him to condemn the officials in strongest terms possible for their negligence.
