A year after the female condom was re-launched in Malawi amid high hopes it would empower women to have more control in their sexual relationships and better protection against sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancies, usage has remained relatively low.
The female condom was first piloted in 2000 at selected clinics throughout the country, with funding from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). In 2008, the government launched a new and easier to insert version of the female condom to be distributed at clinics at no charge. Population Services International (PSI), an international non-profit social marketing organization, also started selling its "CARE" female condom, at a cost of 35 Malawian Kwacha (US$0.25) for a pack of two.
Nearly one million female condoms were distributed in 2008, and the number of women using them has increased from 0.3 percent in 2004 to 3 percent, but according to Sandra Mapemba, condom programme coordinator at UNFPA, "We need to raise the level of awareness. Women have to know how to use it, and its functions; those who find it difficult to insert have no proper knowledge on usage."
UNFPA is training health service providers and other outlets to educate women about using the condom. "We only put them [condoms] in sites where training has taken place," Mapemba told IRIN/PlusNews. "Previously, we put them everywhere and they sat there gathering dust."
Rose Chipumphula, a mother of one living in Balaka Township in southern Malawi, agreed that there was a need for more education. "I have heard women saying the female condom causes cancer; others fear it can easily burst and cause irreparable health problems in the womb. But if you look at all this, you know that these are lies, and that these women just need right information."
Chikondi [last name withheld], who sells CARE female condoms at the hair salon she runs in Blantyre, the country's commercial hub, said she always instructed customers in how to use them.
"So far, none of my customers have complained about the female condom. It's just that every time there is a new product on the shelf, people speculate about it either positively or negatively - it's the same with the hair products we have here."
According to UNFPA, Malawi has an adult HIV prevalence rate of 12 percent, and 110,000 new HIV infections occur every year: 58 percent in women, and 46 percent in people aged 15 to 24.
In addition to the female condoms, 27 million male condoms were distributed in 2008, but only about 28 percent of Malawians used any form of contraception. Mapemba said about 45 percent of the pregnancies occurring in women between 15 and 24 were unplanned and unwanted as a result.
Phales Nankhoma, a mother of five living in Machinjiri Township in Blantyre, said she had heard about the female condom from a friend, but had never seen one.
"If it protects one from infection and unplanned pregnancies, then it's okay," she commented. "A lot of women have landed in trouble because the man did not wear a condom, or deliberately tampered with it."
Friday, 24 July 2009
Malawi sends peace keepers to Darfur
Malawi is set to send about 36 police officers to the Darfur region in Sudan to help maintain peace. The southern African country which is one of the most peaceful countries has played various roles in helping maintain peace in war ravaged countries among them the Democratic Republic of Congo.
malawi map
The new Inspector General of Police Peter Mukhito said the officers main tax is to protect civilians. He could not say the exact date as to when the police officers will leave for Sudan.
According to the Police boss, the peace keeping police officers will spend 12 months in the region. Media reports in the country quoted Mukhito as saying that this will be the second group of police officers to be sent to the region.
“This is the second group of officers to be sent there. The first group of 14 officers is doing a good job because they give us reports. They are coming back so that the second group can take over from them,” he said.
Darfur is an independent sultanate for several hundred years; it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces.
The region is said to be divided into three federal states namely West, South and North Darfur which are coordinated by a Transitional Darfur Regional Authority. However, due to war, the region is said to have been in a state of humanitarian emergency since 2003.
malawi map
The new Inspector General of Police Peter Mukhito said the officers main tax is to protect civilians. He could not say the exact date as to when the police officers will leave for Sudan.
According to the Police boss, the peace keeping police officers will spend 12 months in the region. Media reports in the country quoted Mukhito as saying that this will be the second group of police officers to be sent to the region.
“This is the second group of officers to be sent there. The first group of 14 officers is doing a good job because they give us reports. They are coming back so that the second group can take over from them,” he said.
Darfur is an independent sultanate for several hundred years; it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces.
The region is said to be divided into three federal states namely West, South and North Darfur which are coordinated by a Transitional Darfur Regional Authority. However, due to war, the region is said to have been in a state of humanitarian emergency since 2003.
Malawi: G-Mobile signs US$90m deal with SA firm
Malawi's Global Advanced Integrated Networks (G-Mobile) has entered into a deal with South Africa's Beryl Capital and Telecoms worth US$90m. The deal which is for the supply, installation and commissioning of the company in the country will enable G-Mobile to roll out and start its operations by December 2009.
“This will make G-Mobile's network the most stable and reliable telecommunications infrastructure in the country and therefore give it an edge on the market,” said Beryl managing director, Vincent Ramphenyane, adding that the roll-out strategy will include installation of voice and high speed data network.
One of the G-Mobile directors who appended his signature to the contract on behalf of the company said they entered into the partnership with Beryl because of its impressive resume as a back-up partner of other telecommunications services providers in Africa.
“This will make G-Mobile's network the most stable and reliable telecommunications infrastructure in the country and therefore give it an edge on the market,” said Beryl managing director, Vincent Ramphenyane, adding that the roll-out strategy will include installation of voice and high speed data network.
One of the G-Mobile directors who appended his signature to the contract on behalf of the company said they entered into the partnership with Beryl because of its impressive resume as a back-up partner of other telecommunications services providers in Africa.
$20m set aside to link Malawi to big undersea cables
The World Bank has approved $20-million for the implementation of Malawi’s component of the Regional Communications Infrastructure Project (RCIP), which entails the construction of infrastructure linking Malawi to the coastal landing stations of submarine fibre-optic cables
expected to be operational by 2010.
Malawi Privatisation Commis- sion (MPC) communication officer Chimwemwe Matonga reports that President Bingu wa Mutha-rika’s government has mandated the commission to take charge of the telecommunications project, which is to be imple- mented as a public–private partnership.
“Government, as a major purchaser of information and communication technology (ICT) services, will purchase capacity to maintain the backbone infrastructure.
However, any additional infrastructure will be owned and operated by the private sector.”
The Malawi government and the World Bank hope that the project will reduce the cost of doing business in Malawi which, like many countries in Africa, has historically had under- developed communications infrastructure.
“The project will help remove cost bottlenecks to international connectivity and other bottlenecks at international and local levels. “In the long run, the government of Malawi, through the project, aims at improving productive capacity and reducing the cost of doing business, positioning creativity as a tool for shared growth and creating incentives for private-sector investment,” says the MPC.
The project also has a capacity building component and will also entail the rendering of advisory support to agencies that will provide technical assistance and monitoring and evaluation assistance to the agencies of government involved in the ICT sector, including the MPC, the Ministry of Information and Civic Education and the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority.
The MPC says the project also has an environment, social and resettlement component.
The World Bank included Malawi in the third phase of the RCIP, alongside Tanzania and Mozambique, after the second phase of the project was implemented in Rwanda at a cost of $24-million.
The Bretton Woods institution bankrolled the first phase of the multimillion-dollar project, implemented in 2007, in Kenya, Burundi and Madagascar, to the tune of $164-million.
Future phases of the project are expected to include the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Mauritius, Namibia, Swaziland, Uganda and Zambia, depending on their readiness, and information from the World Bank indicates that, overall, the project is open to Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Comoros, the DRC, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, the Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Malawi Privatisation Commis- sion (MPC) communication officer Chimwemwe Matonga reports that President Bingu wa Mutha-rika’s government has mandated the commission to take charge of the telecommunications project, which is to be imple- mented as a public–private partnership.
“Government, as a major purchaser of information and communication technology (ICT) services, will purchase capacity to maintain the backbone infrastructure.
However, any additional infrastructure will be owned and operated by the private sector.”
The Malawi government and the World Bank hope that the project will reduce the cost of doing business in Malawi which, like many countries in Africa, has historically had under- developed communications infrastructure.
“The project will help remove cost bottlenecks to international connectivity and other bottlenecks at international and local levels. “In the long run, the government of Malawi, through the project, aims at improving productive capacity and reducing the cost of doing business, positioning creativity as a tool for shared growth and creating incentives for private-sector investment,” says the MPC.
The project also has a capacity building component and will also entail the rendering of advisory support to agencies that will provide technical assistance and monitoring and evaluation assistance to the agencies of government involved in the ICT sector, including the MPC, the Ministry of Information and Civic Education and the Malawi Communications Regulatory Authority.
The MPC says the project also has an environment, social and resettlement component.
The World Bank included Malawi in the third phase of the RCIP, alongside Tanzania and Mozambique, after the second phase of the project was implemented in Rwanda at a cost of $24-million.
The Bretton Woods institution bankrolled the first phase of the multimillion-dollar project, implemented in 2007, in Kenya, Burundi and Madagascar, to the tune of $164-million.
Future phases of the project are expected to include the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Lesotho, Mauritius, Namibia, Swaziland, Uganda and Zambia, depending on their readiness, and information from the World Bank indicates that, overall, the project is open to Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Comoros, the DRC, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Rwanda, the Seychelles, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Troy Boileau’s memory lives on in Malawi
When Troy Boileau died suddenly last year, his family asked that donations be made in his name to Project Wellness, a Maple Ridge-based organization that helps build wells in underdeveloped African countries.
But never did they expect the financial outpouring that followed.
That well in Troy’s name did get built, in Ntcheu, Malawi, but there was such an overrun in donations that Project Wellness also built a large feeding centre and kindergarten for orphans in the area.
“We want to thank everyone, family, friends, for their support and their donations,” said Dennis Boileau, Troy’s father. “Thanks to everything they did, Troy’s well has been drilled, and so much more.”
In late March, Dennis’ brother and sister-in-law, Bob and Rosalie Boileau, went with Project Wellness founder George Klassen to Ntcheu to oversee the building of their nephew’s well.
A granite plaque sits in front of the well that reads: “In loving memory of Troy James Boileau ... This well is a gift of Eternal Life from Troy’s family and friends.”
Dennis and his wife Carryl found out about the overrun of money only after his brother returned home, and the feeding centre had been built.
“It was so great to hear,” he said about learning of what the overrun was put towards. “We were so overwhelmed.
“And we learned that there’s a sign in the feeding centre that says, ‘The house that Troy built,’” Dennis said through tears. “We’re very proud of it. We’re so thankful.”
He described his son as a well-loved, community-oriented family man, which he feels is why the outpouring of support was so overwhelming.
“People would meet Troy and they instantly liked him,” said Dennis.
Troy’s involvement in Project Wellness was short-lived, but his legacy will remain in Ntcheu for years.
It’s an organization he had heard of just months before his death, when one of his sons was involved in an elementary school project that benefited Project Wellness.
Klassen has worked in underdeveloped areas of the world, like the Amazon, Nigeria and Malawi, for more than 20 years of his life.
“Project Wellness is in the business of building wells; that’s how my daughter came up with the name,” said Klassen, who will return to Malawi early next month.
Early August will also mark the one-year anniversary of Troy’s death, something Dennis said is still hard to deal with, but the support he receives from friends and family helps.
“Everyone has been great,” he said. “And it shows. That can be seen in the village in Africa. The response from all the people is what did it. Thank you.”
But never did they expect the financial outpouring that followed.
That well in Troy’s name did get built, in Ntcheu, Malawi, but there was such an overrun in donations that Project Wellness also built a large feeding centre and kindergarten for orphans in the area.
“We want to thank everyone, family, friends, for their support and their donations,” said Dennis Boileau, Troy’s father. “Thanks to everything they did, Troy’s well has been drilled, and so much more.”
In late March, Dennis’ brother and sister-in-law, Bob and Rosalie Boileau, went with Project Wellness founder George Klassen to Ntcheu to oversee the building of their nephew’s well.
A granite plaque sits in front of the well that reads: “In loving memory of Troy James Boileau ... This well is a gift of Eternal Life from Troy’s family and friends.”
Dennis and his wife Carryl found out about the overrun of money only after his brother returned home, and the feeding centre had been built.
“It was so great to hear,” he said about learning of what the overrun was put towards. “We were so overwhelmed.
“And we learned that there’s a sign in the feeding centre that says, ‘The house that Troy built,’” Dennis said through tears. “We’re very proud of it. We’re so thankful.”
He described his son as a well-loved, community-oriented family man, which he feels is why the outpouring of support was so overwhelming.
“People would meet Troy and they instantly liked him,” said Dennis.
Troy’s involvement in Project Wellness was short-lived, but his legacy will remain in Ntcheu for years.
It’s an organization he had heard of just months before his death, when one of his sons was involved in an elementary school project that benefited Project Wellness.
Klassen has worked in underdeveloped areas of the world, like the Amazon, Nigeria and Malawi, for more than 20 years of his life.
“Project Wellness is in the business of building wells; that’s how my daughter came up with the name,” said Klassen, who will return to Malawi early next month.
Early August will also mark the one-year anniversary of Troy’s death, something Dennis said is still hard to deal with, but the support he receives from friends and family helps.
“Everyone has been great,” he said. “And it shows. That can be seen in the village in Africa. The response from all the people is what did it. Thank you.”
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