CHIKWAWA, Malawi, Nov 19 (Reuters) - Three days of heavy rains have triggered flash flooding and displaced more than 2,000 people in southern Malawi, authorities said on Monday.
Lawford Palani, Chikwawa district commissioner, told Reuters that about 20 villages have been destroyed following persistent rains and hailstorms in the area, about 50 kilometres west of the country's commercial capital Blantyre.
"We are yet to establish whether the floods have caused any deaths and how much crop has been destroyed," Pelani said.
Pelani said most of the displaced people have been housed in churches and schools. Relief was being provided by the Malawi Red Cross and international relief agencies.
Malawi's meteorological department has warned of heavy rains that may cause serious flooding in flood-prone areas such as the Lower Shire Valley district of Chikwawa.
"Malawi will this year receive above average rainfall that will cause heavy flooding," Donald Kamdonyo, the country's meteorological department's director, told Reuters.
The government has been running advisories on state radio asking people living in low-lying areas to consider moving to avoid fatalities. (Reporting by Mabvuto Banda; Editing by Bate Felix)
Monday, 19 November 2007
Attitudes to Child Labour Changing
Despite laws forbidding the use of child labour - often viewed as the norm and an important source of income - enforcement has been anything but strict in Malawi, until recently.
Since March 2007 up to 480 children have been 'rescued' from tobacco estates in the district of Mangochi, once an important centre of slave trading on the southern banks of Lake Malawi.
"Child labour is growing at an alarming rate, mainly in the tobacco industry," said Gracious Ndalama, Child Protection Officer for the Active Youth Initiative for Social Enhancement (AYISE), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that targets young people in Malawi.
The formation of local committees, including members of the police force, NGOs and traditional leaders, is beginning to pay off. "They have started to inspect estates over the last two weeks. If a person is found exploiting children, that person can be imprisoned for five years. Police are now bringing employers to book," Ndalama told IRIN.
The children, some aged as young as nine and from up to 200 different villages in the area, were doing the same work as adults. The only difference was remuneration: men earned up to US$14 a month and women received $11, but children got no more than $2. The minimum working age in Malawi is 14.
"The nature of the work is too hazardous. There are no protective measures like masks against inhaling dust ... many children have already been admitted [to hospitals] for TB [tuberculosis]... they have to apply the chemicals - pesticides - with their bare hands," said Ndalama.
In 2001 Malawi was accused of being the worst offender in southern Africa for exploiting child labour, almost leading to a blanket ban on imports from one of the world's major tobacco exporters, which the impoverished country could ill afford: 70 percent of foreign exchange earnings are derived from the industry.
Rights not known
Malawi is party to a number of conventions against child Labour. The government ratified the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the 1973 International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 138 (setting a minimum working age of 18), and the 1999 ILO Convention 182 (outlawing the worst forms of child labour).
Nonetheless, according to 2006 statistics from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), around 30 percent of children aged five to 14 in Malawi are involved in child labour activities.
Arnold Kabisala, communications manager for Active Youth in Development (AYIDO), praised the government's participation in these conventions, but noted that "ratification alone is not enough. Let government come up with a legislation on this issue, which has dogged the country for so long."
Ndalama said uprooting child labour from the Malawian way of life was more important than laws and legislation. "Child labour is seen as normal; most people are not even aware of the law. It's part of life, and part of a child's education to become productive ... only one out of every 10 adults can read and write - they don't see the advantage of sending their children to school."
Rose Kamwachale, Education Manager in the Ministry of Education, commented: "Experience has shown that poor parents who have their children in estates had themselves at some point worked in estates. It is a vicious circle, where the family will always remain poor unless they start educating their children."
Changing attitudes
Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world; according to UNAIDS, more than three-quarters of Malawi's about 12 million people live on $2 or less a day. "Parents cited poverty as the reason why they had to send their children to work in tobacco plantations," said Mjaidi.
Besides poverty, high levels of illiteracy, a large orphan population, and a shortage of teachers to help keep children in school kept children at work.
But this was changing. Wanja Mjaidi, an official of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, "At first people ... [said] it was the responsibility of government to make sure that children were in school and not in estates ... Today we are working in collaboration with parents, estate owners and NGOs, and the results are overwhelming."
Ndalama said over half the children taken from the estates were now in school, and some of the older ones were being trained in carpentry and tailoring. "It is interesting to note that the children are working very hard in class to catch up with their fellow pupils. Some have even resorted to attending afternoon lessons to make up for the lost time they were working in estates."
Since March 2007 up to 480 children have been 'rescued' from tobacco estates in the district of Mangochi, once an important centre of slave trading on the southern banks of Lake Malawi.
"Child labour is growing at an alarming rate, mainly in the tobacco industry," said Gracious Ndalama, Child Protection Officer for the Active Youth Initiative for Social Enhancement (AYISE), a non-governmental organisation (NGO) that targets young people in Malawi.
The formation of local committees, including members of the police force, NGOs and traditional leaders, is beginning to pay off. "They have started to inspect estates over the last two weeks. If a person is found exploiting children, that person can be imprisoned for five years. Police are now bringing employers to book," Ndalama told IRIN.
The children, some aged as young as nine and from up to 200 different villages in the area, were doing the same work as adults. The only difference was remuneration: men earned up to US$14 a month and women received $11, but children got no more than $2. The minimum working age in Malawi is 14.
"The nature of the work is too hazardous. There are no protective measures like masks against inhaling dust ... many children have already been admitted [to hospitals] for TB [tuberculosis]... they have to apply the chemicals - pesticides - with their bare hands," said Ndalama.
In 2001 Malawi was accused of being the worst offender in southern Africa for exploiting child labour, almost leading to a blanket ban on imports from one of the world's major tobacco exporters, which the impoverished country could ill afford: 70 percent of foreign exchange earnings are derived from the industry.
Rights not known
Malawi is party to a number of conventions against child Labour. The government ratified the 1989 UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the 1973 International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 138 (setting a minimum working age of 18), and the 1999 ILO Convention 182 (outlawing the worst forms of child labour).
Nonetheless, according to 2006 statistics from the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF), around 30 percent of children aged five to 14 in Malawi are involved in child labour activities.
Arnold Kabisala, communications manager for Active Youth in Development (AYIDO), praised the government's participation in these conventions, but noted that "ratification alone is not enough. Let government come up with a legislation on this issue, which has dogged the country for so long."
Ndalama said uprooting child labour from the Malawian way of life was more important than laws and legislation. "Child labour is seen as normal; most people are not even aware of the law. It's part of life, and part of a child's education to become productive ... only one out of every 10 adults can read and write - they don't see the advantage of sending their children to school."
Rose Kamwachale, Education Manager in the Ministry of Education, commented: "Experience has shown that poor parents who have their children in estates had themselves at some point worked in estates. It is a vicious circle, where the family will always remain poor unless they start educating their children."
Changing attitudes
Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world; according to UNAIDS, more than three-quarters of Malawi's about 12 million people live on $2 or less a day. "Parents cited poverty as the reason why they had to send their children to work in tobacco plantations," said Mjaidi.
Besides poverty, high levels of illiteracy, a large orphan population, and a shortage of teachers to help keep children in school kept children at work.
But this was changing. Wanja Mjaidi, an official of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training, "At first people ... [said] it was the responsibility of government to make sure that children were in school and not in estates ... Today we are working in collaboration with parents, estate owners and NGOs, and the results are overwhelming."
Ndalama said over half the children taken from the estates were now in school, and some of the older ones were being trained in carpentry and tailoring. "It is interesting to note that the children are working very hard in class to catch up with their fellow pupils. Some have even resorted to attending afternoon lessons to make up for the lost time they were working in estates."
Malawi to conduct new census: UN
Malawi is to conduct its fifth census next year since independence at a cost of 16 million dollars, the United Nations Population Fund Agency (UNFPA) said on Monday.
"Malawi is due for its fifth post-independence census to determine the total number of people and other socio-demographic indicators," Boniface Kalanda, UNFPA's assistant resident representative in Malawi, told AFP.
Malawi, one of the countries worst-hit by the AIDS pandemic, conducted its last head count in 1998 when the recorded population was 9.8 million.
The country's population is now estimated at 12 million, three times the number established in the first census in 1966, two years after independence from Britain.
Malawi, which has around 14 percent of its population infected with the AIDS virus, had an annual population growth of 1.9 percent in 1998, according to UNFPA.
The AIDS pandemic has cut life expectancy in Malawi to 36.
Council aims to grow 85,000 trees in Malawi
Buckinghamshire County Council has promised to grow a fruit tree in Malawi for every tonne of aluminium drink cans and foil recycled over the next two years.
According to the council, recycling aluminium is 20 times more efficient than making it from raw material so effort is needed to boost recycling of the material.
By planting a tree for each tonne recycled, the council aims to grow about 85,000 trees in the rural country in the south east of Africa.
The scheme is being run by non-profit organisation Alupro in partnership with British charity Ripple Africa in a bid to tackle the issues of deforestation, nutrition and crop volumes in the developing country.
About half of the new trees, which produce guava and paw paw fruits, will be grown from seed in 75 existing nurseries.
The remainder - high-value grafted fruit trees - will be produced in newly-built greenhouses and then sold to individuals and small community businesses.
Councillor Martin Tett said: "By making sure we recycle every single aluminium drink can and clean foil container we can make this all happens. The great thing to remember is that the more aluminium cans and foil you recycle, the more fruit trees will be grown."
Oropa sees ‘significant' uranium exploration potential in Malawi
Diversified gold and uranium explorer Oropa has secured a 90% interest in two contiguous uranium exploration projects located 20 km north of Paladin Resources' Kayelekera uranium deposit in northern Malawi, the company said on Monday.
Oropa has executed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the owners of the two granted exploration prospecting licences, Ngana and Ngana East, which cover a combined area of 285 km2, covering basin structures containing Karroo sediments which were similar to the host rocks at the nearby Kayelekera roll-front uranium deposit.
"We believe that Malawi offers significant opportunities for uranium exploration," commented CEO Phil Christie.
The new licences represent an important addition to Oropa's strategic land-holdings in Malawi, which currently include two granted exploration licences - Mzimba Northwest and Chitunde - and an additional licence for Chinzani (adjacent to Globe Uranium's Kanyika uranium project area), which is currently under Ministerial consideration.
Under the terms of the MoUs, Oropa would incorporate two independent Malawian joint-venture (JV) companies, which would apply for the other mineral rights to the existing licences. Oropa noted that it would hold a 90% shareholding in each.
The current holders' 10% interest is free, carried with each having the option to buy back up to a 20% contributing interest from Oropa at cost, up until one month after the start of a feasibility study - undertaken by either of the JV companies.
The Kayelekera project which has a proven and probable ore reserve of 10,46-million tons at 0,108% and is scheduled to be commissioned in late 2008 with planned production of 3,3-million pounds a year of uranium over a life-of-mine of seven years.
Oropa commented that the development of the project had sparked significant investment and interest in uranium exploration in Malawi.
"Previous and current mineral exploration in these areas has been exclusively focused on coal, with no previous uranium exploration undertaken. Because of their strategic location close to a major new uranium mine and their geological pedigree, we believe this represents an exciting opportunity for the company," Christie said.
Oropa has executed memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with the owners of the two granted exploration prospecting licences, Ngana and Ngana East, which cover a combined area of 285 km2, covering basin structures containing Karroo sediments which were similar to the host rocks at the nearby Kayelekera roll-front uranium deposit.
"We believe that Malawi offers significant opportunities for uranium exploration," commented CEO Phil Christie.
The new licences represent an important addition to Oropa's strategic land-holdings in Malawi, which currently include two granted exploration licences - Mzimba Northwest and Chitunde - and an additional licence for Chinzani (adjacent to Globe Uranium's Kanyika uranium project area), which is currently under Ministerial consideration.
Under the terms of the MoUs, Oropa would incorporate two independent Malawian joint-venture (JV) companies, which would apply for the other mineral rights to the existing licences. Oropa noted that it would hold a 90% shareholding in each.
The current holders' 10% interest is free, carried with each having the option to buy back up to a 20% contributing interest from Oropa at cost, up until one month after the start of a feasibility study - undertaken by either of the JV companies.
The Kayelekera project which has a proven and probable ore reserve of 10,46-million tons at 0,108% and is scheduled to be commissioned in late 2008 with planned production of 3,3-million pounds a year of uranium over a life-of-mine of seven years.
Oropa commented that the development of the project had sparked significant investment and interest in uranium exploration in Malawi.
"Previous and current mineral exploration in these areas has been exclusively focused on coal, with no previous uranium exploration undertaken. Because of their strategic location close to a major new uranium mine and their geological pedigree, we believe this represents an exciting opportunity for the company," Christie said.
Malawi show up SA's lack of progress
World netball has turned into such a predictable game and barring a few exciting, close matches, anyone could have foreseen the eventual outcome at the World Championships hosted by Auckland, New Zealand last week.
Australia walked away with the title after contesting the final against the hosts for a second consecutive championship, but while the grand finale was an exciting end to the tournament, the gap between the top four teams - Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica and England - couldn't be ignored.
At the last World Championships held in Jamaica in 2003, England finished fourth and South Africa fifth, but while England have shown vast improvement over the past four years, there was just no justice as they stayed in the same place on the standings.
Australia walked away with the title after contesting the final against the hosts for a second consecutive championship, but while the grand finale was an exciting end to the tournament, the gap between the top four teams - Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica and England - couldn't be ignored.
At the last World Championships held in Jamaica in 2003, England finished fourth and South Africa fifth, but while England have shown vast improvement over the past four years, there was just no justice as they stayed in the same place on the standings.
Malawi coach ecstatic about win
SOCCER - MALAWI National Team coach Steve Constantine breathed a sigh of relief when his team beat Sihlangu SeMnikati 3 - 0 in a friendly game at the Trade Fair ground yesterday.
This is because back at home Constantine was given the game to prove why his contract should be renewed.
Interviewed soon after the game, he said his contract renewal was not the issue with him as he had prepared well enough to win the game not to protect his contract.
He said the win had boosted the players’ confidence in preparation for the 2010 World Cup Qualifiers. “I did not worry that much about my contract because I knew that they would be forced to pay me at the end of the day should they force me out.
"But, I can confirm to you that I am happy that am now on the safer side back home because of a number of things that I would not like to get into details of. I was impressed with my team’s performance and am nursing hopes that they will keep to it or even make it better in the qualifiers,” he said.
Constantine decided to play his cards close to his chest when asked to comment about the refereeing as he was constantly passing remarks whenever referee Frank Mlangeni made a judgement.
“I cannot comment on that one but can assure you that no matter how much money can be put in front of me I can never be a referee, mainly because I do not want to see someone hurt.
"Referees always make sure that someone is hurt at the end of each game and fortunately, that does not only happen in Swaziland but all over the world, so I have no comment about the local refereeing,” he said.
He also denied to give his observation about the local squad in as far as readiness for the Qualifiers is concerned, saying that was the coach’s work to do.
“I can thank the local team as they gave us a good and competitive preparatory game that has brought my players together and positive. We will not be the same team again, thanks to Sihlangu that has boosted our confidence.
"I am looking forward to many other games with my squad and optimistic that we will do better,” he said.
Meanwhile, it was not the first time the two teams meet this year as Sihlangu won by a solitary goal in the COSAFA Castle Cup group third place play-off in May.
Malawi opposition to build memorial for road victims
Malawi’s third opposition Alliance for Democracy (AFORD) has said that it was planning to construct a memorial pillar at a roadside close to the Linthipe River in Dedza, a scene of frequent accidents which in October claimed the lives of 28 party members when their vehicle overturned on the spot.
AFORD chairperson Enock Chihana said in Lilongwe Sunday that the pillar was one way of honouring those who died in the tragedy on the spot following over-speeding by the driver who lost control of the truck.
« The party will be remembering the victims through the pillar to be constructed some time next year following the end of the rain season, » Chihana said.
He said the National Executive Committee of the party would meet government officials to seek guidance on procedures to be followed for the construction of the post.
Chihana added that the party would also identify an architecture to design the memorial, the first to be erected on the spot which has seen the frequent deaths of Malawians over the years despite government’s early warning road signs, including a series of humps meant to warn any speeding driver to stop the practice driving down the slope towards the river valley.
Oropa to take 90% of two Malawi uranium exploration projects
South Perth-based gold explorer Oropa Ltd will secure a 90 per cent stakes in two uranium exploration projects in Malawi through the establishment of two independent joint venture companies with the current holders, the company has announced.
Diversified exploration company Oropa Limited - (ASX: ORP - "Oropa") is pleased to announce that it has entered into arrangements to secure a 90% interest in two contiguous uranium exploration projects located 20km north of Paladin Resources Ltd's ("Paladin's") Kayelekera uranium deposit in northern Malawi, southern Africa.
The project areas, which are considered to be highly prospective for roll-front style uranium mineralisation based on an analogous geological setting to the nearby Kayelekera deposit, represent a strategic addition to Oropa's international exploration portfolio.
The Company's 100% owned subsidiary, Oropa Exploration Pty Ltd ("OEPL"), has executed Memorandum of Understandings ("MOUs") with the owners of the two granted Exclusive Prospecting Licences ("EPLs") for uranium and other minerals except coal covering Karroo sediments to the north of the Kayelekera deposit.
The MOUs cover the Ngana (EPL0133) and Ngana East (EPL0183) Project Areas which collectively cover an area of some 285 square kilometres.
Under the terms of the MOUs, OEPL is to incorporate two independent Malawian joint venture companies ("JVCs"), with OEPL holding a 90% shareholding in each JVC. The current holders' 10% interests are free carried with each having the option to buyback up to a 20% contributing interest from OEPL at cost in each JVC up until 1 month after the commencement of a Feasibility Study undertaken by either of the JVCs.
Immediately after incorporation, the JVCs will apply to the Malawian Government for the exploration rights to uranium and/or other minerals (excluding coal) within the respective EPLs.
Uranium exploration in Malawi currently reflects the high level of interest in the development of the Kayelekera Uranium Project in the north of the country, which is scheduled to be commissioned in late 2008 with planned annual production of 3.3 Mlbs of U3O8 over a mine life of 7 years, based on Proven and Probable Ore Reserves of 10.46 Mt at 0.108% U3O8.
Upon the granting of the other mineral rights to each JVC, OEPL will have acquired the exploration rights to significant portfolio of strategic landholdings in Malawi, which host some of the most actively explored sedimentary uranium provinces in southern Africa and which will position OEPL as a leading Uranium explorer in the country.
Roll-front style uranium mineralisation in northern Malawi is associated with basin structures containing Karroo sediments. The Kayelekera roll-front uranium deposit is hosted by Karroo sandstone and mudstone sediments typical of the mineralisation in the region.
The more favourable setting for uranium mineralisation is carbonaceous units which occur in the upper part of repetitious sequences of arkose (sandstone) beds.
At Ngana and Ngana East, the faulted Karroo sedimentary succession includes basal beds and coal measures, succeeded by North Rukuru sandstone and mudstone sediments covering a similar lithological setting to the nearby Kayelekera district.
Previous and current mineral exploration over the Ngana and Ngana East Project areas has been focused on coal. No previous uranium exploration has been undertaken over the project areas.
A starting point for target definition for uranium exploration in Malawi has been a country-wide radiometric survey conducted in 1984/85 by Hunting Geology and Geophysics Limited, which was based at the time in the United Kingdom. Despite the proximity of the Ngana and Ngana East Project Areas to the Kayelekera Uranium Project, these project areas were not covered by this survey and therefore offer a significant untested Karroo sedimentary environment for rollfront style uranium mineralisation in northern Malawi.
Oropa is currently conducting due diligence field visits to the Ngana and Ngana East Project Areas as the basis for formulating a sequential exploration program aimed at defining prospective targets for uranium occurrence.
Diversified exploration company Oropa Limited - (ASX: ORP - "Oropa") is pleased to announce that it has entered into arrangements to secure a 90% interest in two contiguous uranium exploration projects located 20km north of Paladin Resources Ltd's ("Paladin's") Kayelekera uranium deposit in northern Malawi, southern Africa.
The project areas, which are considered to be highly prospective for roll-front style uranium mineralisation based on an analogous geological setting to the nearby Kayelekera deposit, represent a strategic addition to Oropa's international exploration portfolio.
The Company's 100% owned subsidiary, Oropa Exploration Pty Ltd ("OEPL"), has executed Memorandum of Understandings ("MOUs") with the owners of the two granted Exclusive Prospecting Licences ("EPLs") for uranium and other minerals except coal covering Karroo sediments to the north of the Kayelekera deposit.
The MOUs cover the Ngana (EPL0133) and Ngana East (EPL0183) Project Areas which collectively cover an area of some 285 square kilometres.
Under the terms of the MOUs, OEPL is to incorporate two independent Malawian joint venture companies ("JVCs"), with OEPL holding a 90% shareholding in each JVC. The current holders' 10% interests are free carried with each having the option to buyback up to a 20% contributing interest from OEPL at cost in each JVC up until 1 month after the commencement of a Feasibility Study undertaken by either of the JVCs.
Immediately after incorporation, the JVCs will apply to the Malawian Government for the exploration rights to uranium and/or other minerals (excluding coal) within the respective EPLs.
Uranium exploration in Malawi currently reflects the high level of interest in the development of the Kayelekera Uranium Project in the north of the country, which is scheduled to be commissioned in late 2008 with planned annual production of 3.3 Mlbs of U3O8 over a mine life of 7 years, based on Proven and Probable Ore Reserves of 10.46 Mt at 0.108% U3O8.
Upon the granting of the other mineral rights to each JVC, OEPL will have acquired the exploration rights to significant portfolio of strategic landholdings in Malawi, which host some of the most actively explored sedimentary uranium provinces in southern Africa and which will position OEPL as a leading Uranium explorer in the country.
Roll-front style uranium mineralisation in northern Malawi is associated with basin structures containing Karroo sediments. The Kayelekera roll-front uranium deposit is hosted by Karroo sandstone and mudstone sediments typical of the mineralisation in the region.
The more favourable setting for uranium mineralisation is carbonaceous units which occur in the upper part of repetitious sequences of arkose (sandstone) beds.
At Ngana and Ngana East, the faulted Karroo sedimentary succession includes basal beds and coal measures, succeeded by North Rukuru sandstone and mudstone sediments covering a similar lithological setting to the nearby Kayelekera district.
Previous and current mineral exploration over the Ngana and Ngana East Project areas has been focused on coal. No previous uranium exploration has been undertaken over the project areas.
A starting point for target definition for uranium exploration in Malawi has been a country-wide radiometric survey conducted in 1984/85 by Hunting Geology and Geophysics Limited, which was based at the time in the United Kingdom. Despite the proximity of the Ngana and Ngana East Project Areas to the Kayelekera Uranium Project, these project areas were not covered by this survey and therefore offer a significant untested Karroo sedimentary environment for rollfront style uranium mineralisation in northern Malawi.
Oropa is currently conducting due diligence field visits to the Ngana and Ngana East Project Areas as the basis for formulating a sequential exploration program aimed at defining prospective targets for uranium occurrence.
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