ORMER Chard community nurse Claire Bowie has again thanked everyone for their support of an HIV/-AIDS project in Malawi.
Each year Claire likes to put a big thank-you in the News to all those local people who have donated money to help with her continued work in the poverty-ridden African nation.
Claire said it had been another busy 12 months in which the Malawi project has grown to start initiatives in four more large townships where she has helped train more nurses, health assistants and volunteers to care for the chronically sick.
"Our number of registered patients is in the region of 1,000, illustrating the need for community support," she said.
"HIV/AIDS continues to devastate the country, al-though evidence suggests the incidence has peaked.
"The young are always the worst affected, leaving huge numbers of single parent families, over burdened grandparents, orphans and child-headed households."
Claire said her annual ret-urn to England each year was a "salutary reminder" of how poor and in need the people of Malawi are.
Some 65% of the population of Malawi live below the poverty line, life expectancy is 37 and malnutrition is common in children.
"When you live on less than 50p a day it's a luxury to own a bicycle or radio, or to eat more than twice a day," she said.
"Yet the people retain a common dignity, courtesy and cheerfulness which I find inspiring and humbling."
Claire would like to thank everyone for their continued interest and support, especially Helen Ridgers and the staff and patients at Essex House and Tawstock Medical Centres, Chard Rotary Club, Lloyds Pharmacy, Wadeford Isle Group, and all her family and friends who have contributed so generously over the past year.
She said: "Every donation helps enormously to alleviate suffering and strengthen the fight against HIV/AIDS.
"It's an uphill struggle, but so worthwhile and appreciated."
Thursday, 26 July 2007
Malawi’s bumper harvest fails to wipe away food insecurity
Despite bumper yields Malawi has enjoyed in the past two crop seasons, there are areas where people will still experience food insecurity due to chronic problems, the Famine Early Warning Network (FEWS) warned here Wednesday.
FEWS, which monitors food production in the Southern African region, said over 500,000 people across Malawi will need to be watched as any worsening economic conditions could reduce entitlements below their needs.
The reduction in both cash crop and food by private traders will push entitlements below their needs, thereby calling for some kind of support, FEWS said.
According to recent Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) findings, there are no significant missing food entitlements arising as a result of hazards experienced during neither the growing season nor the projected economic indicators.
At the national level, it noted that the concern has been how to dispose of the current excess maize without putting the country at undue risk of food insecurity later in the season or, in case of crop failure in the next season or two.
The agriculture and food security ministry released the third round crop estimates figures in June 2007.
The estimates showed that the country’s maize production is at 3.44 million metric tonnes, an increase of 33.7 per cent over the 2006 production.
In the ministry’s report, all the crops except tobacco have registered increases over last year’s harvest.
Despite a reduction in area under cotton, the production increased by 8.7 per cent due to the favorable weather.
Based on the consumption requirement of 2.2 million metric tonnes, the 2007 harvest leaves a huge surplus of 1.2 million metric tonnes.
At the same time, cross border trade with Mozambique is increasing as a total of 8,000 metric tonnes were imported in June, bringing total informal imports from April to 21,000 metric tonnes, the ministry said.
FEWS, which monitors food production in the Southern African region, said over 500,000 people across Malawi will need to be watched as any worsening economic conditions could reduce entitlements below their needs.
The reduction in both cash crop and food by private traders will push entitlements below their needs, thereby calling for some kind of support, FEWS said.
According to recent Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) findings, there are no significant missing food entitlements arising as a result of hazards experienced during neither the growing season nor the projected economic indicators.
At the national level, it noted that the concern has been how to dispose of the current excess maize without putting the country at undue risk of food insecurity later in the season or, in case of crop failure in the next season or two.
The agriculture and food security ministry released the third round crop estimates figures in June 2007.
The estimates showed that the country’s maize production is at 3.44 million metric tonnes, an increase of 33.7 per cent over the 2006 production.
In the ministry’s report, all the crops except tobacco have registered increases over last year’s harvest.
Despite a reduction in area under cotton, the production increased by 8.7 per cent due to the favorable weather.
Based on the consumption requirement of 2.2 million metric tonnes, the 2007 harvest leaves a huge surplus of 1.2 million metric tonnes.
At the same time, cross border trade with Mozambique is increasing as a total of 8,000 metric tonnes were imported in June, bringing total informal imports from April to 21,000 metric tonnes, the ministry said.
Malawi bounce back against SA
Malawi bounced back from defeat to beat South Africa 38-34 in the third and final Spar Challenge netball Test on Wednesday, to level the series one-all.
After their outstanding performance in Cape Town on Monday when they beat Malawi 56-35, South Africa appeared somewhat jaded, and mistakes once again bedevilled their play. Malawi, on the other hand, played like demons, and having taken an early lead, never allowed the hosts to get ahead.
South Africa started with the same line-up that won Monday's match, but coach Burta de Kock made a number of changes during the game. Captain Bronwyn Bock-Jonathan and vice-captain Leigh-Ann Zackey were both substituted after the first quarter, with Refiloe Mochaka coming on for Bock-Jonathan and Adele Niemand replacing Zackey. With their two leaders gone, the players seemed uncertain at times and were often indecisive with ball in hand.
Malawi ended the first quarter 10-8 ahead, and the teams traded goal for goal in the second quarter, each scoring seven times.
In the third quarter, Malawi initially went into a five goal lead, but South Africa surged back strongly to outscore Malawi by eleven goals to nine as the teams ended level on 26-26.
It was all Malawi in the final quarter, with the visitors scoring 12 goals to South Africa's eight.
"We had enough ball possession, our defence was good, but we were not strong enough in attack, and our shooting let us down," lamented De Kock.
"The players didn't seem to be able to put all the movements we had practised into effect."
She rejected suggestions that South Africa might have been complacent after their emphatic win on Monday.
"They were on a high after the win, but they knew the job was not finished," she said. "If anything, they were even more tense, because expectations were greater after than win."
After their outstanding performance in Cape Town on Monday when they beat Malawi 56-35, South Africa appeared somewhat jaded, and mistakes once again bedevilled their play. Malawi, on the other hand, played like demons, and having taken an early lead, never allowed the hosts to get ahead.
South Africa started with the same line-up that won Monday's match, but coach Burta de Kock made a number of changes during the game. Captain Bronwyn Bock-Jonathan and vice-captain Leigh-Ann Zackey were both substituted after the first quarter, with Refiloe Mochaka coming on for Bock-Jonathan and Adele Niemand replacing Zackey. With their two leaders gone, the players seemed uncertain at times and were often indecisive with ball in hand.
Malawi ended the first quarter 10-8 ahead, and the teams traded goal for goal in the second quarter, each scoring seven times.
In the third quarter, Malawi initially went into a five goal lead, but South Africa surged back strongly to outscore Malawi by eleven goals to nine as the teams ended level on 26-26.
It was all Malawi in the final quarter, with the visitors scoring 12 goals to South Africa's eight.
"We had enough ball possession, our defence was good, but we were not strong enough in attack, and our shooting let us down," lamented De Kock.
"The players didn't seem to be able to put all the movements we had practised into effect."
She rejected suggestions that South Africa might have been complacent after their emphatic win on Monday.
"They were on a high after the win, but they knew the job was not finished," she said. "If anything, they were even more tense, because expectations were greater after than win."
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