Climbing Ladders to Literacy

Alice Chikavumbwa and her husband Benzes Mendulo Chikavumbwa from Njema village are a couple taking part in the Women Empowerment Project. Being both illiterate they joined the Adult Literacy class. However he left school for casual labour in town hence was unable to consistently attend the lessons. The wife continued with the lessons and is now able to write the alphabet letters. She says that the husband is behind her success because he encourages her to attend lessons. Mr. Benzes is encouraging other men to allow their wives to attend classes because he says he has come to understand that educating a woman is key to development at both household and community levels. She is now able to help her grand child who is in Standard (Grade) One with alphabet home work.
On the same note, Simon Mukota, a 68 year old CBO member from Namijingo village says: “Am a proud man! I no longer sign using my thumb. I am able to write my name. I have discovered the beauty of holding a pen and write on my own.” He joined the Adult literacy class which is being facilitated by ADRA Women Empowerment Project with funding from Sweden. He explains that during his childhood he did not have opportunity to attend school. His parents passed away in Mozambique when he was very young. He then moved to Malawi and was raised up by his relatives who did not encourage him to attend school. As a little boy he started working in the tea estates with no opportunity to education. He became a man without knowing even how to write his name. “Life becomes more exciting in reading and writing. The fact that I can read the bible is the most precious gift in my adulthood. Thank you ADRA for empowering us” says Mr. Mukota. This has brought a new life in this family comprising of a wife, children and three orphans. He got motivation from his wife who had some basic education during her childhood hence she is able to read and write. Though the class in his community comprises mainly of women, (15 women 1 man) Mukota is willingly working hand in hand with them in all development work and encouraging his family and other community members to consider educating themselves and children for a brighter future.

It has been noted that Adult literacy is the key to women empowerment leading to community empowerment. The women empowerment initiatives have created a conducive environment for men to appreciate and be able to discuss gender and human rights issues in forums like the one in the picture above.

Author: Andyiesa Mahango

Project Manager

Women Empowerment Project

ADRA Sweden and Swedish Government funded project

ADRA Radio Program Wins Prestigious Media Award in Malawi

Silver Spring, Maryland--ADRA Malawi recently received the "Radio Play of the Year" award during the 2008 Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) Entertainers of the Year Awards, held last December in the city of Blantyre, for a radio program that promotes HIV/AIDS prevention, personal responsibility and healthy family relations among Malawians.

The ADRA radio program, titled Tikuferanji, or "Why are we dying?" in the national Chichewa language, appears on Television Malawi and also airs on state-run MBC Radio, promoting HIV/AIDS education as an important tool to prevent the spread of the disease through responsible and safer sexual behavior.

"Receiving this award is a great recognition of ADRA Malawi’s work in development and communication," said Emanuel da Costa, country director for ADRA Malawi. "The Malawi Broadcasting Corporation Awards are the most prestigious media awards in Malawi."
Michael Usi, programs director for ADRA Malawi, was also honored with the "Actor of the Year" award.

Through Tikuferanji, ADRA is addressing important HIV/AIDS-related issues, including the importance of blood testing, condom use, marital and family relations, faithfulness, the impact of traditional sexual practices, child labor, personal responsibility, empowerment, and human rights. The program, at times recorded in local villages, reflects the personal experiences of people who have been affected by issues similar to the ones discussed in the plays, which provide a sense of reality to the drama, said Usi.

In addition to this most recent award, Tikuferanji was also voted the best advocacy program in Malawi on radio and television. It received the Best Achiever Award in 2007, and is one of the most popular television shows on Television Malawi. According to various evaluations and media reports, the program is making a positive change on sexual practices in Malawi.

ADRA Malawi also works with other civil organizations, such as the National Initiative for Civic Education, the Civil Liberties Committee, the Malawi Human Rights Commission, and the Human Rights Consultative Council, educating vulnerable groups through focus group discussions, community dialogue sessions, and the dissemination of important educational materials. The topics raised at these meetings create the foundation for Tikuferanji’s plays.

ADRA Malawi is combating the spread of the pandemic through other educational programs and video productions, such as Lets Talk, a show that discusses the issues in ways that viewers and listeners can relate to. ADRA also partners with other organizations to address HIV/AIDS related issues, organizing events, dramas, songs, and traditional dances. ADRA is working to provide affected communities access to higher quality foods, better health care, and livelihood training initiatives that improve their standard of living.

The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) reports that an estimated 900,000 people, or 12 percent of the population, live with HIV in this landlocked southeastern African nation, which ranks 164 out of 177 countries listed in the 2007/2008 Human Development Index. AIDS has already left more than half a million orphans in Malawi, one of the highest numbers by country in the world. HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death among Malawi’s adults, and has affected all sectors of society, destroying livelihoods and slowing economic growth.

ADRA Malawi is also actively implementing a three-year project called Training of Trainers (TOT), an international initiative that prepares selected members of a community as HIV/AIDS counselors. By the end of the three-year project, ADRA expects to provide counseling for 24,000 people in Malawi alone.

Since 1982, ADRA Malawi has been working in the areas of disaster relief, water and sanitation, HIV and AIDS, family planning, agriculture, primary health, basic education, and empowerment of vulnerable groups, such as women and children.

ADRA is a non-governmental organization present in 125 countries providing sustainable community development and disaster relief without regard to political or religious association, age, gender, race or ethnicity.

Additional information about ADRA can be found at http://www.adra.org/.

Author: Nadia McGill
Media Contact: John Torres
Senior Public Relations Manager
ADRA International
12501 Old Columbia Pike
Silver Spring, MD 20904
Phone: 301.680.6357
E-mail: Media.Inquiries@adra.org

ICASA Trip – Religious Leaders and HIV/AIDS

ADRA Malawi assisted by one of its donors DANIDA in Denmark was privileged to attend 2008’s ICASA conference which was held in Dakar, Senegal, from 3rd to 7th December, 2008. Inger Olesen, from ADRA Denmark, Michaels Usi from ADRA Malawi and Emma Jakobo from ADRA Malawi as well were some of the delegates to this significant conference.
The significance of ICASA (International Conference on AIDS and STI in Africa) comes about due to its capability of enabling all the organizations working in the area of HIV/AIDS to come to one place and share best practices, challenges and research results for future programming of HIV/AIDS projects/programmes. This conference was organized by the Society on AIDS in Africa (SAA), Republic of Senegal and Ministry of Health and Prevention of Senegal with other eleven organizations as co-organisers. A lot other international organizations sponsored the conference. This was the 15th ICASA and for Senegal it was the second time hosting such an essential conference.

The theme of the conference was “Africa’s response: Face the facts” and it covered these three major areas:

1. Policy and Economics: analysis of the impact of the response to HIV in Africa and reflection on strategies for sustainable funding of the response and leadership
2. Programs: strategies in prevention and treatment
3. Basic sciencies: biology, immunology, vaccine research and resistance to ARVs

As the theme stipulates, the forum is organized for Africans to assist to find solution to the AIDS pandemic. It is about everybody men, women, youths scientists and even leaders to come together and find solutions to a common problem which is AIDS. Africans have to face the facts, accept and face the realities of HIV/AIDS truthfully and act determinedly for the future.

During the five days a lot was presented and ADRA Malawi attended several sessions.
One session attended which was of interest among the best practices sessions, was on a South African HIV/AIDS project with the clergy. The challenge is on the prevention of HIV (ABC model) which tends to be compromised when it comes to C which is consistent and correct condom use. There was a contentious discussion basing on people’s experience as to how the clergy’s attitude towards condoms is. ADRA indicated that the experience is that condom issues among the most educated clergy are understood better than among the semi literate or illiterate ones. They tend to condemn the use completely and look at it as a means of promoting promiscuity. At the end of it, it was learnt that strengthening HIV/AIDS programmes with this group is momentous. If they are dealt with very well and grasp the concept then the issues of prevention, stigma and discrimination, care and support of the vulnerable groups will be handled easier. Faith based organizations at grass root level are common and if empowered can play a very vital role in the response.

ADRA Malawi works with the clergy and reports from interventions carried out in various communities indicate that they are active teaching about HIV/AIDS messages in different gatherings like in community development meetings, youth gatherings and even at funeral ceremonies. However with condom use, most of the clergy at grassroot level recognize the use of a condom for family planning purposes for married couples and sex workers only. Any one outside these groups is considered a sinner. Such being the case this discussion was of essence to have a better understanding on what our friends are doing in similar projects and how different we can collaborate with them for better out put.

Author: Emma Jakobo

ADRA Malawi receives prestigious Media Award

After two years breack the MBC Enterteiners of the Years Awards returned on Friday 26 December. The MBC (Malawi Broadcasting Coorporation) Awards have a long history that goes back to 1970, as mentioned in the Newspaper “The Sunday Times”, and are the most prestigious Media Award in Malawi.

There are 20 categories that cover sports, Music, Drama, Radio, Presenters, Newspaper and Cartoon. Each category has three nominnees.

ADRA Malawi’s Tikuferanji radio program was nominated and won the category for “Radio Play of the Year”. Michael Usi writes: “Tikuferanji means why are we dying? The question attempts to provoke people to start thinking seriously about the factors that lead them into irresponsible sexual behaviors. The program is broadcast on both Malawi Broadcasting Corporation and Television Malawi. The program has been on radio for almost twelve years and on TV for about seven years. The initial purpose for the program was to deal with issues of HIV/AIDS in Malawi. The program has now taken on board other issues that affect the respect of human rights; HIV/AIDS being a cross cutting issue.”

ADRA’s Malawi Programs Director, Michael Usi, also won the Award for Actor of the Year.

Author: Emanuel da Costa

LICEN UP!

I must admit that my first trip to Malawi did not dissapoint! ADRA Australia has been funding projects in Ntcheu district for the past few years now and the current Local Initiatives for Community Empowerment in Ntcheu (LICEN) project has continued to assist local communities gain a stronger voice with which to represent their needs to local authorities and has passed on the essential skills needed to address these needs where outside assistance is not consistent. 

A key aspect of the LICEN project is the role played by ADRA Malawi’s project staff in working with local community representatives to build the management and leadership skills of Kumanga Umodzi (KU’s) groups. These community based organisation (KU’s) are the chosen representatives for various entitees within their local communities and are responsible for advocating community needs in education, water, natural resources and health to the Village Development Committees and Area Development Committes. 

This model has helped to give the voices of people at the village level an easier line of communication to local government and traditional authorities and has helped to clarify the needs and achievements of communities within Ntcheu district.  

Photo: a local representative from a Kumaga Umodzi provides an update on the activities and needs within his community at the Area Development Committee meeting 

Sometimes, however, being able to communicate with traditional and government authorities does not always ensure that all the needs within a local community are going to be addressed. ADRA’s response to this has been to training local KU groups in business skills so that they can run their own business to raise funds to support meet the costs of activities and assets that have a social or economic benefit for the community as a whole. One community that we visited had chosen to run a bakery business and were receiving training from ADRA and two women from nearby community (who had also successfully implemented a bakery business) in how to run and manage a successful business. 

When asked what they hoped to use the funds from the bakery business for, a local elder suggested that they might like to start a larger business that assists in providing fuel for the local community.

Photo: A young woman assists ADRA staff to train a local community group on how to run and maintain a small bakery business for their community. 

The LICEN project also understands the needs and challenges of youth and their growing representation among the population of Malawi. Not all children in Ntcheu district have the opportunity to complete their primary and secondary education, so ADRA is working with school youth groups to help provide them with some essential life skills should they be unable to continue doing their schooling. To achieve this, ADRA chooses two teachers in partner schools to be mentors for their students assists them to train the students in life skills that warn them about HIV and AIDS and how to avoid it as well as equipping them with skills in farming, food preparation and in some cases sewing their own clothes.

Photo:  A young student shows the schools junior farmer field. Another boy shows off a shirt he has made during a sewing class at school.

Travelling with the project staff I visited three junior farmer fields where school children were learning essential farming techniques and proudly displayed a wide variety of the vegetables and other crops that they have grown. By supporting these activities within the LICEN project ADRA is helping the future generation of young boys and girls in Ntcheu gain the essential skills they need for life after school, while still being able to access formal learning. 

Author: Darin Roberts - International Program Manager, ADRA Australia

ADRA Malawi at pre-Icasa/Icasa Dakar AIDS Conference.

ADRA Malawi from 29th November to 8th December, 2008 attended a PACANet-Pre ICASA and the main ICASA AIDS Conference in Dakar, Senegal, Biennial International Conference on HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STI) in Africa, a key event on AIDS on the African Continent. It is a gathering of actors involved in the response to HIV/AIDS from African and other continents. Emma Jakobo and Michael Usi represented ADRA Malawi.

The PACANet is an organization of faith based organizations and associations that deal with HIV/AIDS and related issues. The main themes at the PACANet conference were: Treatment, Orphan and Vulnerable Children, Prevention and Theological reflection. The conference reviewed the declarations made in earlier conferences. The conference focused on whether the churches changed or been challenged by HIV/AIDS.

Communication for Social Change is another subject that ADRA Malawi and Inger Olosen from ADRA Denmark partner office shared with participants at the Dakar Conference.
There were about 100 participants at the PACNet- Pre ICASA conference.

The main ICASA conference that attracted about 10,000 participants had many presentations. ADRA Malawi particularly benefited from the launch of a DVD titled Courage and Hope. The DVD showcases the life events evolutions of Kenyan teachers who came out in the open to declare that they are HIV positive. It is a TALE of Heroes IN THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS. The Film depicts overcoming stigma and discrimination through determination and knowledge of the HIV/AIDS.

Media in Development/ Communication for Social Change as well as best lessons from other organizations are some of the presentations that ADRA Malawi attended. ADRA discussed possible networking relationship with other Communication for Social Change Organizations likeSaul City of South Africa.

There were many other interesting topics that ADRA Malawi attended like the comprehensive approach to the prevention of diarrhoea, malaria and HIV/AIDS Control. The three diseases are approached comprehensively as a package with bed nets and water purifier given as incentives for an HIV test.

It was discussed at length whether the incentives given for the HIV test are not undermining the spirit of volunteering for the test. Some participants felt the incentives were more of a bribe than incentive. The concern was that some people would go for the test just because they want/need to get the incentives not necessarily that they have understood the value and implications of the test. The consequences could therefore be detrimental to the campaign for the promotion of VCT. Another concern was that this practice may discourage some would be VCT clients from going for the test without the incentives that others are getting for the test. However, the managers of the initiative explained that there have not been any negative developments that people expressed.

Overall, the conference was very fruitful and gave an opportunity to learn and share. It was a rewarding experience!!

Author: Micheal Usi

World AIDS day commemoration in Machinga

World AIDS day was commemorated on 1st December 2008 as has been the case since 1988 in the whole world. This year’s theme was STOP AIDS: KEEP THE PROMISE with a sub title on Leadership: Lead, empower and deliver.

In Machinga the day was celebrated in seven venues including Namandanje, where ADRA works in. The District coordinator for ADRA was nominated by District Executive Committee (DEC) members to be team leader for all activities that would happen on world aids day at Namandanje. A team of three other DEC members from NICE, Banja la mtsogolo and Police was selected to work together with the team leader.

Community mobilization was done through group village heads and a meeting with the people from Traditional Authority Liwonde occurred on 27th November 2008.
Rehearsals were done on 29th November.

The communities lead different activities including drama, songs, traditional dances with HIV and AIDS messages, making the event a success. Most of the groups that did well in their performances were mentored by ADRA Malawi through theater for development training that it offered to its youth clubs and facilitators. For example the best drama group was a youth group from Mangamba another site for ADRA in Machinga.

ADRA had similar activities in 4 other districts.

Author: Justin Kamudzulo - ADRA District Coordinator