Malawi, Africa's largest producer of burley tobacco, will probably not feel the impact of the global financial crisis immediately, and any effects are likely to be small, Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe said.
``Malawi relies on its revenue from tobacco exports and because the selling season has already ended, there will be little or no impact at all,'' Gondwe told reporters in the capital, Lilongwe, today.
Tea is Malawi's second-biggest foreign-exchange earner after tobacco, generating 8 percent of total export earnings.
Malawi will be able to achieve the growth projection of 8.7 percent for this year issued earlier by both the government and the International Monetary Fund, Gondwe said.
``The economic growth of some African countries, including South Africa, are likely to slow down due to the crisis and this might translate into Malawi facing some difficulties in importing goods,'' Gondwe added. Both of Malawi's major donors, the World Bank and the IMF, have said that the global credit crunch won't affect their pledges of financial support for the southern African country, he said.
Friday, 24 October 2008
GROUP E Matches involving Malawi
March 28, 2009: Away against Côte d’Ivoire
June 6, 2009: Home against Burkina Faso
June 20, 2009: Away against Guinea
May 9, 2009: Home against Guinea
October 10, 2009: Home against Côte d’Ivoire
November 11, 2009: Away against Burkina Faso
The first game will be played towards the end of the English Premiership League and I just hope the teams (Liverpool and Chelsea) will still be joint leaders then. On March 21, 2009 Chelsea will have a game against Tottenham and Arsenal will have a game against Newcastle. That means Drogba and Toure will only have about 7 days to prepare for the Malawi match. Yes, factor in jet lag. What a convenient day for Malawi.
Some facts about the teams that the Malawi Flames are going to play against:
The Guinea national football team, nicknamed Syli Nationale, have long been a significant force in African football. They qualified for their first African Nations Cup in 1970 and again in 1974. During the 70s and early 80s, its top club sides Hafia, Horoya and Kaloum Stars were significant players in African club football with Hafia and Horoya winning major trophies.
In 1976, Guinea came within minutes of winning the African Nations Cup, but a late equaliser for Morocco meant they finished runners-up. They qualified for the tournament again in 1980, which would be their last appearance for 14 years. Qualification for the World Cup eluded them during this period, with runs to the third round in the 1978 and 1982 qualifying series being their best performances.
After 1982, Guinea endured a decade of anonymity before the emergence of Titi Camara in the early 1990s ushered in a new generation which qualified for the 1994 African Nations Cup. Since then they have qualified for 1998, 2004 and 2006 tournaments, reaching the quarter-finals in the latter two. They have qualified for the 2008 tournament.
The Burkina Faso national football team, nicknamed Les Etalons (The Stallions), is the national team of Burkina Faso and is controlled by the Fédération Burkinabé de Foot-Ball. They were known as the Upper Volta national football team until 1984, when Upper Volta became Burkina Faso.
Their best finish in the African Nations Cup was fourth in 1998, when they hosted the tournament. Even though they missed World Cup 2006, they were the only team in the qualification who beat the group winners Ghana, 1-0 at home.
The Côte d’Ivoire national football team (sometimes written “Ivory Coast” in English), nicknamed Les Éléphants (The Elephants), is the national team of Côte d’Ivoire and is controlled by the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football. Until 2005, their greatest accomplishment was winning the 1992 African Cup of Nations against Ghana on penalties at the Stade de l’Amitie in Dakar, Senegal.
On October 8, 2005, they qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, marking their first appearance on the sport’s greatest stage. They were unable to qualify for the second round after losing to experienced teams such as Argentina and Netherlands in the so-called Group of death. They did manage to win one game in Germany, against Serbia and Montenegro, coming back from down 0-2 to win 3-2 on a late penalty kick by Bonaventure Kalou. Many observers of that year’s tournament said the team would have gone far, if they were not drawn in such a difficult group.
June 6, 2009: Home against Burkina Faso
June 20, 2009: Away against Guinea
May 9, 2009: Home against Guinea
October 10, 2009: Home against Côte d’Ivoire
November 11, 2009: Away against Burkina Faso
The first game will be played towards the end of the English Premiership League and I just hope the teams (Liverpool and Chelsea) will still be joint leaders then. On March 21, 2009 Chelsea will have a game against Tottenham and Arsenal will have a game against Newcastle. That means Drogba and Toure will only have about 7 days to prepare for the Malawi match. Yes, factor in jet lag. What a convenient day for Malawi.
Some facts about the teams that the Malawi Flames are going to play against:
The Guinea national football team, nicknamed Syli Nationale, have long been a significant force in African football. They qualified for their first African Nations Cup in 1970 and again in 1974. During the 70s and early 80s, its top club sides Hafia, Horoya and Kaloum Stars were significant players in African club football with Hafia and Horoya winning major trophies.
In 1976, Guinea came within minutes of winning the African Nations Cup, but a late equaliser for Morocco meant they finished runners-up. They qualified for the tournament again in 1980, which would be their last appearance for 14 years. Qualification for the World Cup eluded them during this period, with runs to the third round in the 1978 and 1982 qualifying series being their best performances.
After 1982, Guinea endured a decade of anonymity before the emergence of Titi Camara in the early 1990s ushered in a new generation which qualified for the 1994 African Nations Cup. Since then they have qualified for 1998, 2004 and 2006 tournaments, reaching the quarter-finals in the latter two. They have qualified for the 2008 tournament.
The Burkina Faso national football team, nicknamed Les Etalons (The Stallions), is the national team of Burkina Faso and is controlled by the Fédération Burkinabé de Foot-Ball. They were known as the Upper Volta national football team until 1984, when Upper Volta became Burkina Faso.
Their best finish in the African Nations Cup was fourth in 1998, when they hosted the tournament. Even though they missed World Cup 2006, they were the only team in the qualification who beat the group winners Ghana, 1-0 at home.
The Côte d’Ivoire national football team (sometimes written “Ivory Coast” in English), nicknamed Les Éléphants (The Elephants), is the national team of Côte d’Ivoire and is controlled by the Fédération Ivoirienne de Football. Until 2005, their greatest accomplishment was winning the 1992 African Cup of Nations against Ghana on penalties at the Stade de l’Amitie in Dakar, Senegal.
On October 8, 2005, they qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, marking their first appearance on the sport’s greatest stage. They were unable to qualify for the second round after losing to experienced teams such as Argentina and Netherlands in the so-called Group of death. They did manage to win one game in Germany, against Serbia and Montenegro, coming back from down 0-2 to win 3-2 on a late penalty kick by Bonaventure Kalou. Many observers of that year’s tournament said the team would have gone far, if they were not drawn in such a difficult group.
Malawi triples farm subsidies
Blantyre - Malawi, one of Africa's poorest nations, has more than tripled its spending on subsidies this year to help 1.7m impoverished farm families buy fertilizer, agriculture authorities said Friday.
The southern African nation has spent $183m to offer the country's poorest farmers a nearly 90% discount on fertililzer, deputy agriculture minister Frank Mwenifumbo told AFP.
"We have spent 26 billion kwacha to procure 170 000 tonnes of fertiliser. We are targetting 1.7m of the poorest of the poor farming families to benefit from this programme," Mwenifumbo said.
The same programme cost about $50m last year, but authorities fear that without the subsidy, farmers might not be able to produce enough food to guarantee the nation's food supply.
"The subsidy programme is wholly funded by the Malawi government as a deliberate policy to improve hosehold food security," Mwenifumbo said.
Beneficiaries will receive 10 kilogrammes of free maize seed and pay eight dollars for 50 kilos of fertiliser, which would cost $72 at market rates.
That puts fertiliser far out of reach for the majority of Malawians, who live on less than one dollar a day.
Malawi needs 2.2 million tonnes of its staple grand maize to feed its 13 million people each year, but its crops have only produced that much since 2006 - the year after the subsidy programme began.
Before that, shortfalls in local crops meant that chronic hunger was a normal part of life here.
But last year Malawi produced enough to sell about 400 /000 tonnes to troubled Zimbabwe.
The southern African nation has spent $183m to offer the country's poorest farmers a nearly 90% discount on fertililzer, deputy agriculture minister Frank Mwenifumbo told AFP.
"We have spent 26 billion kwacha to procure 170 000 tonnes of fertiliser. We are targetting 1.7m of the poorest of the poor farming families to benefit from this programme," Mwenifumbo said.
The same programme cost about $50m last year, but authorities fear that without the subsidy, farmers might not be able to produce enough food to guarantee the nation's food supply.
"The subsidy programme is wholly funded by the Malawi government as a deliberate policy to improve hosehold food security," Mwenifumbo said.
Beneficiaries will receive 10 kilogrammes of free maize seed and pay eight dollars for 50 kilos of fertiliser, which would cost $72 at market rates.
That puts fertiliser far out of reach for the majority of Malawians, who live on less than one dollar a day.
Malawi needs 2.2 million tonnes of its staple grand maize to feed its 13 million people each year, but its crops have only produced that much since 2006 - the year after the subsidy programme began.
Before that, shortfalls in local crops meant that chronic hunger was a normal part of life here.
But last year Malawi produced enough to sell about 400 /000 tonnes to troubled Zimbabwe.
Oil price may help Malawi hit growth target: finance minister
Falling oil prices could boost Malawi's economy, allowing it to grow this year by the 8.7 percent forecast by the International Monetary Fund, Finance Minister Goodall Gondwe said on Friday.
"From a positive sense we stand to gain, our terms of trade could benefit from that and this could help us manage the IMF set target of 8.7 percent (GDP) growth," Gondwe told Reuters in an interview.
The African nation's economy, which has been enjoying a modest boom, was buffeted earlier this year by surging fuel costs. Malawi relies on agriculture, primarily tobacco, for its foreign earnings and is dependent on imported oil and gas.
Malawi's government had expected to spend around $300 million on oil imports in 2008, almost double what it spent in 2007. The drop in oil prices over the past three months will provide some relief for the national treasury, Gondwe said.
International benchmark U.S. crude was trading on Friday at about $64 a barrel compared to its record high of $147.27 in July.
One of the poorest nations in Africa, Malawi has seen its economy expand due to good maize harvests, economic reforms and an increase in aid from Western nations and other international donors.
"From a positive sense we stand to gain, our terms of trade could benefit from that and this could help us manage the IMF set target of 8.7 percent (GDP) growth," Gondwe told Reuters in an interview.
The African nation's economy, which has been enjoying a modest boom, was buffeted earlier this year by surging fuel costs. Malawi relies on agriculture, primarily tobacco, for its foreign earnings and is dependent on imported oil and gas.
Malawi's government had expected to spend around $300 million on oil imports in 2008, almost double what it spent in 2007. The drop in oil prices over the past three months will provide some relief for the national treasury, Gondwe said.
International benchmark U.S. crude was trading on Friday at about $64 a barrel compared to its record high of $147.27 in July.
One of the poorest nations in Africa, Malawi has seen its economy expand due to good maize harvests, economic reforms and an increase in aid from Western nations and other international donors.
Malawi takes care of its wildlife
In the heart of Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, is the country’s main Wildlife Centre for the care of injured, orphaned and rescued wild animals. Set in the Lilongwe Nature Sanctuary - the city’s only remaining wilderness area - the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre is an animal rescue and rehabilitation facility which also serves as an education centre aiming to teach the city’s children something of the rich variety of Malawi’s fauna.
Now the Centre has received a major financial boost as part of the reconstitution of its management. Under the chairmanship of Mark Sprong (Land & Lake Safaris) and with HRH the Duke of Gloucester as Patron, such well known figures as Virginia McKenna have lent support and the Born Free Foundation has become their major financial supporter and awareness raiser.
As a result of this, Malawi and the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre will be receiving some massive publicity boosts and financial injections from a number of schemes in the UK during the next few months:
Kellogg’s have agreed to promote Malawi and the Centre on 30 million boxes of their Coco Pops cereal.
W H Smith have adapted their Adopt an Animal in a Box scheme so that this year in the run up to Christmas, it will be Build a Sanctuary in a Box, featuring the Lilongwe Wildlife Centre.
Thompson Fly are donating the proceeds of their foreign coins in a box scheme to the building of a wildlife orphanage.
The Body Shop Foundation has pledged US$60,000 to support the veterinary work and the construction of a clinic.
The cost of improvements and reconstruction have already required an investment in excess of US$ one million and the development still has two further phases to be completed.
Coupled with the work on the Wildlife Centre has been the opening of a luxury tourist lodge in the heart of the Nature Sanctuary. Guests will not only benefit from being able to stay in this wilderness area while still being within the city bounds, but a proportion of the profits from this enterprise will be donated to the Centre’s work.
For more information, log on to:
Lilongwe Wildlife Centre: lilongwewildlife.org/
The Sanctuary Lodge: thesanctuarylodge.net
Born Free Foundation: bornfree.org.uk/campaigns/paw-centres/lilongwe-wildlife-centre/
Land & Lake Safaris: landlake.net/
Malawi struggles to fight HIV stigma
Malawi is said to be struggling to fight the stigma against HIV/AIDS. The Malawi government has managed to effectively respond to HIV/AIDS beyond what activists call average levels, but the country has failed to address human rights issues surrounding the pandemic in that country.
While the country has sound HIV and AIDS policies and has demonstrated a strong sense of leadership and understanding of the pandemic, the general public has little understanding of HIV/AIDS matters and this has resulted into the violation of rights of those that are infected.
The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) one of the several Malawian civil society orgnisations that are implementing HIV/AIDS human rights programes has uncovered that while there is more knowledge of HIV/AIDS issues in the country, many people are still not respecting the dignity of persons living with HIV.
CHRR acting Program Manager Nicola Ndovi said there was still much that the country has to do to end the culture of silence that surrounds the pandemic and has resulted in the stigmatization of those infected.
"People Living with HIV are experiencing the pandemic first hand and they need to be involved in HIV/AIDS programs as CHRR we believe that empowering them with knowledge on their rights is the chore to the response, CHRR with support from Lois foundation is currently implementing a program in Lilongwe that seeks to empower women with knowledge of their rights in the wake of HIV/AIDS," she said.
She said this was a matter that needed more attention as currently activists have focused much on prevention and care interventions with little focus on human rights.
"It’s a concern that attitudes that stigmatise and discriminate against people living with HIV and AIDS continue to remain high in the country. For example we have a programme in Mchinji where we discovered that community members felt that people living with HIV should be discriminated because they are already dead,” she said.
She said through community debates that the CHRR has been orgnising a number of issues have immerged varying form district.
For instance at Shumbi village in Mchinji according to Ndovi, people openly said that people living with HIV should be discriminated against as they would bring a curse to the village since they are suffering due to their carelessness.
However, Ndovie said, continuous debate people's attitudes towards persons living with HIV have started to change and they have since started to understand the evils of HIV/AIDS based stigma and discrimination.
But while such has been the rights situation, Malawi is one country in the world that has managed to effectively respond to the pandemic within a very short period.
Principal secretary in the office of president and cabinet responsible for HIV,AIDS and nutrition, DR Mary Shawa, said currently the country has had 184 405 patients ever enunciated for Anti Retroviral Treatment(ART) and has made sure that those that are living with the virus access good nutrition.
She said the Malawi government has gone beyond the provision of food to PLHIV but rather focused much on nutrition.
She said a recent survey indicated that 25 percent of the Malawian population was malnourished adding that out of these 75 percent were PLHIV, but was quick to point out that the trend has now been reversed as the government is providing nutritional support to hard hit families.
"Malawi is actually one of the very few African countries that has managed to respond to HIV and AIDS within a very short period," she said.
Meanwhile according to Shawa her department alone has assisted over 50000 PLHIV with cheap fertiliser so that they can produce their own food.
She said there has also been a 20 percent to a 2 percent decline of mortality rates of malnourished.
However Shawa said issues to do with the civil rights of PLHIV remain a challenge to Malawi.
While the country has sound HIV and AIDS policies and has demonstrated a strong sense of leadership and understanding of the pandemic, the general public has little understanding of HIV/AIDS matters and this has resulted into the violation of rights of those that are infected.
The Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (CHRR) one of the several Malawian civil society orgnisations that are implementing HIV/AIDS human rights programes has uncovered that while there is more knowledge of HIV/AIDS issues in the country, many people are still not respecting the dignity of persons living with HIV.
CHRR acting Program Manager Nicola Ndovi said there was still much that the country has to do to end the culture of silence that surrounds the pandemic and has resulted in the stigmatization of those infected.
"People Living with HIV are experiencing the pandemic first hand and they need to be involved in HIV/AIDS programs as CHRR we believe that empowering them with knowledge on their rights is the chore to the response, CHRR with support from Lois foundation is currently implementing a program in Lilongwe that seeks to empower women with knowledge of their rights in the wake of HIV/AIDS," she said.
She said this was a matter that needed more attention as currently activists have focused much on prevention and care interventions with little focus on human rights.
"It’s a concern that attitudes that stigmatise and discriminate against people living with HIV and AIDS continue to remain high in the country. For example we have a programme in Mchinji where we discovered that community members felt that people living with HIV should be discriminated because they are already dead,” she said.
She said through community debates that the CHRR has been orgnising a number of issues have immerged varying form district.
For instance at Shumbi village in Mchinji according to Ndovi, people openly said that people living with HIV should be discriminated against as they would bring a curse to the village since they are suffering due to their carelessness.
However, Ndovie said, continuous debate people's attitudes towards persons living with HIV have started to change and they have since started to understand the evils of HIV/AIDS based stigma and discrimination.
But while such has been the rights situation, Malawi is one country in the world that has managed to effectively respond to the pandemic within a very short period.
Principal secretary in the office of president and cabinet responsible for HIV,AIDS and nutrition, DR Mary Shawa, said currently the country has had 184 405 patients ever enunciated for Anti Retroviral Treatment(ART) and has made sure that those that are living with the virus access good nutrition.
She said the Malawi government has gone beyond the provision of food to PLHIV but rather focused much on nutrition.
She said a recent survey indicated that 25 percent of the Malawian population was malnourished adding that out of these 75 percent were PLHIV, but was quick to point out that the trend has now been reversed as the government is providing nutritional support to hard hit families.
"Malawi is actually one of the very few African countries that has managed to respond to HIV and AIDS within a very short period," she said.
Meanwhile according to Shawa her department alone has assisted over 50000 PLHIV with cheap fertiliser so that they can produce their own food.
She said there has also been a 20 percent to a 2 percent decline of mortality rates of malnourished.
However Shawa said issues to do with the civil rights of PLHIV remain a challenge to Malawi.
Malawi shuts door on foreign coaches
Malawi Football Association has closed the door on foreign coaches, saying local tacticians have shown a character, national team 'Flames' need. FA president Walter Nyamilandu said even if Malawi qualifies for World Cup in South Africa the incumbent, Kinnah Phiri, would enjoy highest priority.
He said his association will never repeat the 1984 mistake of replacing a local coach with a European man Danny McLeinnan.
In 1984 it is reported that when local coach, Henry Moyo, steered Malawi team to African Nations Cup in Ivory Coast for the very first time ever, authorities replaced him with a European man because they doubted his capability at such a high level.
Consequently the team was bundled out from the showcase in the early stages after losing to Cameroon and hosts Ivory Coast. The players only managed to leave legacy of individual brilliance.
Nyamilandu said: “No more foreign coaches, it is a closed chapter to Malawi football now.
“We will never recruit European coaches, not during our time, we have wasted our money and we have wasted our time and energy, this experience is a good teacher,” said Nyamilandu.
He was referring to two recent European coaches who simply messed up the team despite receiving larger than life salaries. The two are German born, Burkhard Ziese, and Stephen Costantine. The latter resigned after losing to Mozambique in Nations Cup for local based players.
Chronicling how Malawi team of 1984 qualified for Africa Nations Cup Moyo said it was a case of brilliance combined with crude determination.
“Self belief is the answer. During that time we had players like Kinnah Phiri himself, Ernest Mtawali, Jack Chamangwana, Young Chimodzi, Late Clifton Msiya, Harry and Lawrence Waya, Frank Sinalo, Reuben Malola, Holman and Kennedy Malunga among others.“We beat the former Madagascar team which was made up of fine professional footballers of those days, to qualify for the final tourney and we managed to hold Nigeria of those days,” he said.
Meanwhile FAM has asked government to consider upping Kinnah’s perks as a motivating premise. Government is yet to make a statement on the request made by FAM president Walter Nyamilandu during a reception for the team in Blantyre.
Kinnah has since indicated that he would like the team to go into camp earlier in January in readiness for the third round which kicks off next March.
He said his association will never repeat the 1984 mistake of replacing a local coach with a European man Danny McLeinnan.
In 1984 it is reported that when local coach, Henry Moyo, steered Malawi team to African Nations Cup in Ivory Coast for the very first time ever, authorities replaced him with a European man because they doubted his capability at such a high level.
Consequently the team was bundled out from the showcase in the early stages after losing to Cameroon and hosts Ivory Coast. The players only managed to leave legacy of individual brilliance.
Nyamilandu said: “No more foreign coaches, it is a closed chapter to Malawi football now.
“We will never recruit European coaches, not during our time, we have wasted our money and we have wasted our time and energy, this experience is a good teacher,” said Nyamilandu.
He was referring to two recent European coaches who simply messed up the team despite receiving larger than life salaries. The two are German born, Burkhard Ziese, and Stephen Costantine. The latter resigned after losing to Mozambique in Nations Cup for local based players.
Chronicling how Malawi team of 1984 qualified for Africa Nations Cup Moyo said it was a case of brilliance combined with crude determination.
“Self belief is the answer. During that time we had players like Kinnah Phiri himself, Ernest Mtawali, Jack Chamangwana, Young Chimodzi, Late Clifton Msiya, Harry and Lawrence Waya, Frank Sinalo, Reuben Malola, Holman and Kennedy Malunga among others.“We beat the former Madagascar team which was made up of fine professional footballers of those days, to qualify for the final tourney and we managed to hold Nigeria of those days,” he said.
Meanwhile FAM has asked government to consider upping Kinnah’s perks as a motivating premise. Government is yet to make a statement on the request made by FAM president Walter Nyamilandu during a reception for the team in Blantyre.
Kinnah has since indicated that he would like the team to go into camp earlier in January in readiness for the third round which kicks off next March.
Malawi’s Lomwe ethnic group launches heritage organisation
Alhomwe, one of Malawi\’s major ethnic groups who descended from Lomwe Hill of neighbouring Mozambique in the 1800’s, will officially launch a heritage association known as \"Mulhako wa Alhomwe\" on Saturday in the southern Phalombe District of the country.
According to Publicity Secretary of the group, Salule Masangwi, the ceremony will bring together all Alhomwes from both Malawi and Mozambique, and other ethnic groups from within the country and abroad to celebrate the launching of the association.
\"We would like to celebrate together and at the same time share ideas on our African culture, achievements, contribution to the nation and problems facing our tribe,\" he said.
He added that many dignitaries have started arriving from neighbouring Mozambique.
The Zambia-based Paramount Chief of Chewa ethnic group, who rules the Chewas of Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia, Kalonga Gawa Undi, and his royal entourage are also expected to attend the colourful ceremony.
President Bingu Wa Mutharika, who is a Lomwe himself, is also expected to grace the occasion as well.
During the event, Mutharika will elevate Chief Mkhumba to the position of Paramount Chief of the Lomwes, the first time the ethnic group has been recognised with this highest traditional honour.
According to Publicity Secretary of the group, Salule Masangwi, the ceremony will bring together all Alhomwes from both Malawi and Mozambique, and other ethnic groups from within the country and abroad to celebrate the launching of the association.
\"We would like to celebrate together and at the same time share ideas on our African culture, achievements, contribution to the nation and problems facing our tribe,\" he said.
He added that many dignitaries have started arriving from neighbouring Mozambique.
The Zambia-based Paramount Chief of Chewa ethnic group, who rules the Chewas of Mozambique, Malawi and Zambia, Kalonga Gawa Undi, and his royal entourage are also expected to attend the colourful ceremony.
President Bingu Wa Mutharika, who is a Lomwe himself, is also expected to grace the occasion as well.
During the event, Mutharika will elevate Chief Mkhumba to the position of Paramount Chief of the Lomwes, the first time the ethnic group has been recognised with this highest traditional honour.
Mission to Malawi
A CRACK team of Glasgow builders spent an action packed fortnight in a poverty-stricken African country helping to build a vital clinic.
The master craftsmen from City Builders went to Malawi to build a prosthetics clinic for people who need artificial limbs. Last year, the team built an Aids clinic there.
Those taking part were: Jacob Lee, 46, a joiner from Lambhill; Ian Allan, 57, a joiner from East Kilbride; Stewart Kennedy, 37, an electrician from Tollcross; Niall Fraser, 21, a quantity surveyor from Anniesland; Graham Robb, 39, a decorator from Bellshill; Martin Bredin, 27, a joiner from Clydebank; Scott McEwan, 40, a mechanical engineer from Old Kilpatrick; and Alan Burns, 31, a project manager and metalworker from Woodside.
Here Ian, left, gives us an exclusive account of the trip from his own diary.
Day 1 - Departure
Flights from Glasgow to London, then to Nairobi, Kenya, followed by a cramped flight to Lilongwe. Free drinks and great view of Mount Kilimanjaro make it easier. Our worst fears are realised - our luggage is missing.
Day 2 - First day at site - Kamuzu Central Hospital
We arrive at the hospital in the same clothes we left Glasgow in. We agree the best site for the clinic is on a tarmac area, with excellent electrical, waste and water runs adjacent.
Our luggage arrives!
Day 3 & 4
The steel shipping containers carrying our materials will be converted into a prosthetics and orthotics clinic on behalf of a charity 500 Miles, run by Scot, Olivia Giles. Olivia, an amputee, is a former Evening Times Scotswoman of The Year.
Two containers have arrived. We had hoped they would include the one holding the plant, tools and materials. Nae luck - that's still in Tanzania!
The hospital boss has rejected our site proposal, opting for a spot with no utility connections. The heat's unbearable.
Day 5
A few of the boys are struggling with the local food.
Alan heads to the local builders merchants and returns with hammers and saws to start the internal wall frames.
We decide to do as much as possible outside because of the heat inside the containers.
Scott is able to get water and drainage routes agreed and marks out the trenches.
Graham and some of the lads put a coat of white paint on to the containers to reflect the sun. Our final container arrives.
Day 6
Work gets going for real. Alan cuts the door openings to create the link corridor connections between the containers and the temperature drops.
There is a great relationship being formed with the local tradesmen working with us.
Day 7
The first container is framed out and electrical and plumbing first fixes are almost complete.
We have laid the materials outside. The remarkable thing is that nothing has gone missing and, from last year's experience, nothing will. The people are so trustworthy - they are devoutly Christian.
We meet John Faihti, a local who is sleeping rough at the hospital with his wife to prepare food for their son in intensive care after a car crash.
John asks if he can get the plastic signs from the shipping containers to sleep on.
Day 8
Everyone is working their backsides off in the hope of finishing before next Friday meaning we might get a day off!
The second container is now framed out and insulated. Doors are cut into the last container.
Malawi’s ruling DPP pronounces Mutharika as its presidential candidate
(Malawi) Malawi’s Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has endorsed President Bingu Wa Mutharika as its presidential candidate in the May 2009 poll that will see him run for the presidency under a new banner having been elected to the post on a United Democratic Front ticket in 2004 before dumped the former ruling party to form the DPP a year later.
DPP Secretary General Heatherwick Ntaba said in Lilongwe Friday that the DPP’s National Governing Council (NGC) unanimously resolved to present Mutharika as the party’s candidate in the elections.
"There was nobody at the meeting who was interested to challenge the nomination of Mutharika," he said, adding that the decision to endorse Mutharika’s name came after tremendous achievements which have been registered in the past four years, including mobilising the nation’s farmers to produce bumper food harvests in the past three years.
In addition, the recognition which Mutharika has received from the international community due to this left the NGC with no choice but to resolve that he is the right candidate for the party.
DPP Secretary General Heatherwick Ntaba said in Lilongwe Friday that the DPP’s National Governing Council (NGC) unanimously resolved to present Mutharika as the party’s candidate in the elections.
"There was nobody at the meeting who was interested to challenge the nomination of Mutharika," he said, adding that the decision to endorse Mutharika’s name came after tremendous achievements which have been registered in the past four years, including mobilising the nation’s farmers to produce bumper food harvests in the past three years.
In addition, the recognition which Mutharika has received from the international community due to this left the NGC with no choice but to resolve that he is the right candidate for the party.
The many forms of child labour in Malawi
My first face-to-face encounter with child labour occurred about three hours after I disembarked from the plane at Kamuzu International Airport in Malawi. After settling in at our lodge, another volunteer and I decided to walk into Lilongwe's Old Town. As we approached Old Town's commercial area, we witnessed it with our very eyes - all alone on the side of the road sat a young boy, no older than eight, selling water in clear plastic bags.
My first face-to-face encounter with child labour occurred about three hours after I disembarked from the plane at Kamuzu International Airport in Malawi. After settling in at our lodge, another volunteer and I decided to walk into Lilongwe's Old Town. As we approached Old Town's commercial area, we witnessed it with our very eyes - all alone on the side of the road sat a young boy, no older than eight, selling water in clear plastic bags.
Since this first encounter, I've come to notice the pervasive nature of working children in Malawi. They are everywhere: selling nuts and candy at the bus stations, pushing plastic bags and carrying goods for customers in the markets, and begging on downtown streets. To me, the situation has become an ethical conflict of sorts, with part of me unwilling to purchase from them and support child labourers, yet part of me suggesting that I need to make an exception in this case. After all, I don't want the children to go home hungry.
There are hidden ways in which child labour manifests itself in this country too. Chancy Mkandawire, the executive director of a community-based youth organization in one of Blantyre's urban slums, told me that it's not uncommon for girls as young as seven to be working as domestic servants in the homes of the wealthy. Some of these girls become the victims of physical and sexual abuse by their employers, enduring this exploitation because they so desperately need the income.
One of my friends, a Canadian volunteer who had spent almost three years in the country, told me that even a couple of years ago the situation was not nearly as alarming. During this period, the number of child beggars has increased exponentially while the number of children working has seen similar proliferation. Part of the increase can be attributed to the rise in food prices, which for some products has grown four-fold. As a result, more families have been forced to find alternate means of supplementing their income, which includes forcing their children to abandon school and seek employment.
Yet, the paradox of it all is that by removing children from school, the future earning potential of those children decreases dramatically. But sadly, in most cases, there is no other option.
An additional contributor to the number of working children in Malawi is the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Many children work because their parents are too sick to do so themselves, or worse, their caretakers have succumbed to an opportunistic infection. Essentially, the children work so they can survive.
One of the things I've found ironic is how Promise is such a popular first name in this country. For so many Malawians, even before they are born, they are destined to a life without adequate education, of minimal possibilities, poverty, destitution, struggle and abuse. Essentially, it's a life without promise.
Lucas Donlevy-Riddall is a third-year Carleton student who is taking a semester off to volunteer in Malawi. His volunteer placement is through Students Without Borders, a program run by World University Service of Canada. He's living in Blantyre, where he's working with Children's Development Promotion (CDP), a local community-based organization in Charimba. CDP does HIV/AIDS, human rights, democracy and other development work with youth and other community members in peri-urban settlements in the north of the city. He is helping the organization develop proposals for funding to secure finances for their programming, with the ultimate aim of developing their capacity to do so independently in the future.
My first face-to-face encounter with child labour occurred about three hours after I disembarked from the plane at Kamuzu International Airport in Malawi. After settling in at our lodge, another volunteer and I decided to walk into Lilongwe's Old Town. As we approached Old Town's commercial area, we witnessed it with our very eyes - all alone on the side of the road sat a young boy, no older than eight, selling water in clear plastic bags.
Since this first encounter, I've come to notice the pervasive nature of working children in Malawi. They are everywhere: selling nuts and candy at the bus stations, pushing plastic bags and carrying goods for customers in the markets, and begging on downtown streets. To me, the situation has become an ethical conflict of sorts, with part of me unwilling to purchase from them and support child labourers, yet part of me suggesting that I need to make an exception in this case. After all, I don't want the children to go home hungry.
There are hidden ways in which child labour manifests itself in this country too. Chancy Mkandawire, the executive director of a community-based youth organization in one of Blantyre's urban slums, told me that it's not uncommon for girls as young as seven to be working as domestic servants in the homes of the wealthy. Some of these girls become the victims of physical and sexual abuse by their employers, enduring this exploitation because they so desperately need the income.
One of my friends, a Canadian volunteer who had spent almost three years in the country, told me that even a couple of years ago the situation was not nearly as alarming. During this period, the number of child beggars has increased exponentially while the number of children working has seen similar proliferation. Part of the increase can be attributed to the rise in food prices, which for some products has grown four-fold. As a result, more families have been forced to find alternate means of supplementing their income, which includes forcing their children to abandon school and seek employment.
Yet, the paradox of it all is that by removing children from school, the future earning potential of those children decreases dramatically. But sadly, in most cases, there is no other option.
An additional contributor to the number of working children in Malawi is the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Many children work because their parents are too sick to do so themselves, or worse, their caretakers have succumbed to an opportunistic infection. Essentially, the children work so they can survive.
One of the things I've found ironic is how Promise is such a popular first name in this country. For so many Malawians, even before they are born, they are destined to a life without adequate education, of minimal possibilities, poverty, destitution, struggle and abuse. Essentially, it's a life without promise.
Lucas Donlevy-Riddall is a third-year Carleton student who is taking a semester off to volunteer in Malawi. His volunteer placement is through Students Without Borders, a program run by World University Service of Canada. He's living in Blantyre, where he's working with Children's Development Promotion (CDP), a local community-based organization in Charimba. CDP does HIV/AIDS, human rights, democracy and other development work with youth and other community members in peri-urban settlements in the north of the city. He is helping the organization develop proposals for funding to secure finances for their programming, with the ultimate aim of developing their capacity to do so independently in the future.
NOW THAT YOU KNOW YOUR OPPONENTS WHAT’S NEXT?
The draw for the third round of qualifying in the African Zone for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ was made on October 22, 2008. The matches are scheduled to take place between March and November 2009. What do the teams need to do between now and March 2009?
The first thing that comes to mind: Friendly matches
Friendly match opponents need to be selected wisely. If you are a team from Central Africa and in your group the rest of the Teams are from North Africa then playing friendly matches against teams that are from Central Africa won’t be beneficial to you. Some may say that those friendly matches may still be beneficial because you use them to start new players and give them a real chance, try new systems and persist with them so you can find out what works and what doesn’t. Yes that may be true but this is not time for experiments, it’s time for consistency. Consistency = Reliability = Regularity = Stability.
The teams that will maintain the same squad and feature the same starting 11 during friendly matches will likely do better come March 2009. That said, I think Friendly matches will be very beneficial to teams that have fewer professional players.
For example, I don’t see Ade showing up for a friendly match. I know some of you may say Ade doesn’t need to show up for a friendly because he is a professional player. May be this 2002 Allen Iverson (NBA superstar) News Conference Transcript may enlighten you:
Reporter: “Could you clear about your practicing habits since we can’t see you practice?”
Iverson: “If Coach tells you that I missed practice, then that’s that. I may have missed one practice this year but if somebody says he missed one practice of all the practices this year, then that’s enough to get a whole lot started. I told Coach Brown that you don’t have to give the people of Philadelphia a reason to think about trading me or anything like that. If you trade somebody, you trade them to make the team better…simple as that. I’m cool with that. I’m all about that. The people in Philadelphia deserve to have a winner. It’s simple as that. It goes further than that.
Reporter: “So you and coach Brown got caught up on Saturday about practice?”
Iverson: “If I can’t practice, I can’t practice. It is as simple as that. It ain’t about that at all. It’s easy to sum it up if you’re just talking about practice. We’re sitting here, and I’m supposed to be the franchise player, and we’re talking about practice. I mean listen, we’re sitting here talking about practice, not a game, not a game, not a game, but we’re talking about practice. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game last it’s my last but we’re talking about practice man. How silly is that?
Now I know that I’m supposed to lead by example and all that but I’m not shoving that aside like it don’t mean anything. I know it’s important, I honestly do but we’re talking about practice. We’re talking about practice man. (laughter from the media crowd) We’re talking about practice. We’re talking about practice. We’re not talking about the game. We’re talking about practice. When you come to the arena, and you see me play, you’ve seen me play right, you’ve seen me give everything I’ve got, but we’re talking about practice right now. (more laughter)
Reporter: “But it’s an issue that your coach continues to raise?”
Iverson: “Hey I hear you, it’s funny to me to, hey it’s strange to me too but we’re talking about practice man, we’re not even talking about the game, when it actually matters, we’re talking about practice.”
Reporter: “Is it possible that if you practiced, not you but you would make your teammates better?”
Iverson: “How in the hell can I make my teammates better by practicing?
Reporter: “So they can be used to playing with you.”
If you want to read the rest: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/news/2002/05/09/iverson_transcript/
Now let me back track a little bit. Egypt and Algeria are going to play against Zambia. Malawi and Zambia more or less play the same style. It would be advisable for Egypt and Algeria to play a friendly against Malawi. Egypt and Algeria, if you are willing to foot the bill for the friendly matches against Malawi, Malawi will jump at the opportunity. On the other hand, Malawi will also need to find teams that more or less play like Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Guinea. Which teams could those be and which teams would you like your teams to have friendly matches with?
The first thing that comes to mind: Friendly matches
Friendly match opponents need to be selected wisely. If you are a team from Central Africa and in your group the rest of the Teams are from North Africa then playing friendly matches against teams that are from Central Africa won’t be beneficial to you. Some may say that those friendly matches may still be beneficial because you use them to start new players and give them a real chance, try new systems and persist with them so you can find out what works and what doesn’t. Yes that may be true but this is not time for experiments, it’s time for consistency. Consistency = Reliability = Regularity = Stability.
The teams that will maintain the same squad and feature the same starting 11 during friendly matches will likely do better come March 2009. That said, I think Friendly matches will be very beneficial to teams that have fewer professional players.
For example, I don’t see Ade showing up for a friendly match. I know some of you may say Ade doesn’t need to show up for a friendly because he is a professional player. May be this 2002 Allen Iverson (NBA superstar) News Conference Transcript may enlighten you:
Reporter: “Could you clear about your practicing habits since we can’t see you practice?”
Iverson: “If Coach tells you that I missed practice, then that’s that. I may have missed one practice this year but if somebody says he missed one practice of all the practices this year, then that’s enough to get a whole lot started. I told Coach Brown that you don’t have to give the people of Philadelphia a reason to think about trading me or anything like that. If you trade somebody, you trade them to make the team better…simple as that. I’m cool with that. I’m all about that. The people in Philadelphia deserve to have a winner. It’s simple as that. It goes further than that.
Reporter: “So you and coach Brown got caught up on Saturday about practice?”
Iverson: “If I can’t practice, I can’t practice. It is as simple as that. It ain’t about that at all. It’s easy to sum it up if you’re just talking about practice. We’re sitting here, and I’m supposed to be the franchise player, and we’re talking about practice. I mean listen, we’re sitting here talking about practice, not a game, not a game, not a game, but we’re talking about practice. Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game last it’s my last but we’re talking about practice man. How silly is that?
Now I know that I’m supposed to lead by example and all that but I’m not shoving that aside like it don’t mean anything. I know it’s important, I honestly do but we’re talking about practice. We’re talking about practice man. (laughter from the media crowd) We’re talking about practice. We’re talking about practice. We’re not talking about the game. We’re talking about practice. When you come to the arena, and you see me play, you’ve seen me play right, you’ve seen me give everything I’ve got, but we’re talking about practice right now. (more laughter)
Reporter: “But it’s an issue that your coach continues to raise?”
Iverson: “Hey I hear you, it’s funny to me to, hey it’s strange to me too but we’re talking about practice man, we’re not even talking about the game, when it actually matters, we’re talking about practice.”
Reporter: “Is it possible that if you practiced, not you but you would make your teammates better?”
Iverson: “How in the hell can I make my teammates better by practicing?
Reporter: “So they can be used to playing with you.”
If you want to read the rest: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/news/2002/05/09/iverson_transcript/
Now let me back track a little bit. Egypt and Algeria are going to play against Zambia. Malawi and Zambia more or less play the same style. It would be advisable for Egypt and Algeria to play a friendly against Malawi. Egypt and Algeria, if you are willing to foot the bill for the friendly matches against Malawi, Malawi will jump at the opportunity. On the other hand, Malawi will also need to find teams that more or less play like Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Guinea. Which teams could those be and which teams would you like your teams to have friendly matches with?
Share a book with Malawi
A fundraising event will be held for the International Book Buddy Trust on November 8, 7 p.m. Local organizers are collecting books to send to Malawi, a country where there are virtually no books and hence poor literacy.
This book-oriented event, at St. John’s United Church, 11 Guelph St., in Georgetown, will include food and entertainment. Participants are urged to bring a new, or gently new, book to be part of a silent auction. During the evening you can extol the virtues of your book and encourage people to make a higher bid.
Tickets are $5 and are available Sue Harnett, 519-927-3367, sueharnett2@yahoo.co.uk or Nora Lipp, 905-873-7759, tulippsca@yahoo.ca. Tickets are also available at The Freckled Lion in downtown Georgetown or at the door.
This book-oriented event, at St. John’s United Church, 11 Guelph St., in Georgetown, will include food and entertainment. Participants are urged to bring a new, or gently new, book to be part of a silent auction. During the evening you can extol the virtues of your book and encourage people to make a higher bid.
Tickets are $5 and are available Sue Harnett, 519-927-3367, sueharnett2@yahoo.co.uk or Nora Lipp, 905-873-7759, tulippsca@yahoo.ca. Tickets are also available at The Freckled Lion in downtown Georgetown or at the door.
Malawi hopes to start work on three Chinese-backed projects next year
The government of Malawi has said that preparatory work for three projects to be financed by the People's Republic of China – a five-star hotel, an international conference centre and a national football stadium in the capital, Lilongwe – will be completed this year so that construction may start early in the new year.
A director at the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, Hastings Chiudzu, reports that Chinese firm Shanghai Construction has already completed the designs for the conference centre and the hotel projects, which are expected to cost several millions of dollars.
Chiudzu adds that the Malawi government, for its part, has completed surveying the land earmarked for the two projects, and has also approved the architectural designs produced by the Chinese firm.
"I can assure you that preparations for the two projects are at an advanced stage. At the moment, the project reports have already been done and sent to the Ministry of Finance."
The conference centre will include Presidential chalets that will be used during international conferences.
Chiudzu confirms that Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika has approved the concept design for the stadium project that the Chinese have produced.
"All the paperwork for the architectural component has been completed. What is remaining is to finalise the financial arrangements so that construction can commence next year," says Chiudzu.
Chiudzu says the stadium will have seating capacity of 40 000.
"We are negotiating with the Chinese government so that we can extend it to 65 000 seats," says Chiudzu.
The Chinese government pledged to assist Malawi in many projects in December last year, when the Southern African country announced its decision to end 42 years of diplomatic ties with Taiwan and establish relations with the mainland, Taiwan's political rival.
China has also taken over the financing of projects which were abandoned by the Taiwanese when they pulled out of Malawi. These include the $70-million Karonga-Chitipa road project in the northern region, and a multimillion-dollar Parliamentary complex in Lilongwe.
China Road & Bridge Corporation (CRBC) has been awarded the contract to undertake the construction of the Karonga-Chitipa road.
"The contractor from the People's Republic of China is reliable, having done high-quality work not only in China, but also across Africa. The Chinese government identified the contractor following a request from the Malawi government," says Malawi's Minister of Transport, Public Works and Housing, Henry Chimunthu Banda.
Malawi and China are also in the process of engaging new contractors Parliamentary complex, which was abandoned when the Taiwanese pulled out.
China has also pledged to finance components of the proposed $6-billion Shire–Zambezi waterway project, which is designed to link landlocked Malawi to the Indian Ocean by dredging a canal through the Shire and Zambezi rivers.
A director at the Ministry of Public Works and Housing, Hastings Chiudzu, reports that Chinese firm Shanghai Construction has already completed the designs for the conference centre and the hotel projects, which are expected to cost several millions of dollars.
Chiudzu adds that the Malawi government, for its part, has completed surveying the land earmarked for the two projects, and has also approved the architectural designs produced by the Chinese firm.
"I can assure you that preparations for the two projects are at an advanced stage. At the moment, the project reports have already been done and sent to the Ministry of Finance."
The conference centre will include Presidential chalets that will be used during international conferences.
Chiudzu confirms that Malawi's President Bingu wa Mutharika has approved the concept design for the stadium project that the Chinese have produced.
"All the paperwork for the architectural component has been completed. What is remaining is to finalise the financial arrangements so that construction can commence next year," says Chiudzu.
Chiudzu says the stadium will have seating capacity of 40 000.
"We are negotiating with the Chinese government so that we can extend it to 65 000 seats," says Chiudzu.
The Chinese government pledged to assist Malawi in many projects in December last year, when the Southern African country announced its decision to end 42 years of diplomatic ties with Taiwan and establish relations with the mainland, Taiwan's political rival.
China has also taken over the financing of projects which were abandoned by the Taiwanese when they pulled out of Malawi. These include the $70-million Karonga-Chitipa road project in the northern region, and a multimillion-dollar Parliamentary complex in Lilongwe.
China Road & Bridge Corporation (CRBC) has been awarded the contract to undertake the construction of the Karonga-Chitipa road.
"The contractor from the People's Republic of China is reliable, having done high-quality work not only in China, but also across Africa. The Chinese government identified the contractor following a request from the Malawi government," says Malawi's Minister of Transport, Public Works and Housing, Henry Chimunthu Banda.
Malawi and China are also in the process of engaging new contractors Parliamentary complex, which was abandoned when the Taiwanese pulled out.
China has also pledged to finance components of the proposed $6-billion Shire–Zambezi waterway project, which is designed to link landlocked Malawi to the Indian Ocean by dredging a canal through the Shire and Zambezi rivers.
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