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

Water to Malamulo

Malamulo Adventist Mission Hospital is experiencing critical water shortage. The campus consists of the Hospital, a Medical School, a primary school, a boarding secondary school. Total numbers of water users at the campus is at the moment at 22,000 year with this including over 18,000 patients. The existing three boreholes are not adequate to supply water throughout the day. Coupled with other problems like the dam which was found to contain harmful chemicals and old pipe lines with frequent breakdowns. ADRA was requested to assist with this problem wish was possible due to the financial support of from the ADRA International office (http://www.adra.org/).
The first stage of ADRA’s intervention in Malamulo Hospital was completed after geophysical surveys were conducted and two sites for drilling were identified. Two borehole were drilled on the 19th and 20th to 21st November, 2008.
Next stages of intervention will include the installation of pumps, possible upgrading of the water storage or provision of a generator and replacement of the piping system conducting the water to the distribution at the mission site.
ADRA is furthermore assisting the Hospital by providing 104 mechanical beds with mattresses hopping to contribute to improved services provided to the patients.

Updated from Report by W. Chilonga – ADRA Malawi Water Expert

Water means life

When we arrive in the village, we see the new pump right in front of us. There are children all around it, happy children who are busy pumping water into basins and containers. They laugh when some of the water is splashed on their hands and legs. They know that water means life – and this well is giving them much water, much life.

But this is not the way it used to be in this village in the Mulanje area in southern Malawi. Up until about one year ago, this village had to rely on a well which is situated close to a small stream that runs through the area. Every litre of water that they needed had to be carried from that stream, and as usual, it was the duty of the women to provide their families with water.

The villagers tell me that they want to show me the well. “It is not very far,” they say, “in other villages, the women have to walk much further when they are bringing home the water.” So we set out along the road that leads from the village to the well. After a while I start wondering what the women mean when they say that it is not far. As a boy, I lived on a farm and I had to carry water to our animals every day, so I know how heavy it is to carry water. But I never had to carry it as far as this. And we just keep walking and walking, on and on …

At last we arrive at a steep ravine that has been created by the stream. The banks are muddy and they tilt sharply downwards, so it is not all that easy for an elderly and slightly overweight gentleman like me to manoeuvre my way down the slope to the stream. It is hot in the ravine, hot and moist. Ahead of me I can see a short pipe sticking out from the mud-wall. A small stream of water is coming out of the pipe. This is the well that has provided water for a village of some two thousand people. Until they got the pump, this was the only water source that they had.

Two women are filling their containers with water. It is a slow process. The women must have done this many times before, so they are patient and wait for the water to fill their vessels. But suddenly they look up at the trees above us. All the people around me suddenly become very quiet.

“There is a snake up there in the trees,” whispers my guide from ADRA Malawi. “It is a green mamba.”

I look up, but I cannot see anything. My untrained eyes cannot distinguish the snake from the foliage.

“Last year,” whispers my guide, “a girl was bitten by a snake when she was carrying water back to the village. She died.”

I shiver. I hope that the snake will find us uninteresting and disappear. And after a couple of minutes, the women start talking to each other again. The snake is gone. It has slithered off into the grass and disappeared somewhere along the path where we walked just a few minutes ago.

One of my companions tells me that some of the women have had to spend eight hours a day carrying water from this well. Many of them had to get up at 3am in the morning in order to bring home enough water so that the children would be ready and fed in time for school. But now the village has a deep well with a pump, and life has become different. The time that they had to spend bringing home water can now be used for other activities. It has become possible for them to start kitchen gardens and grow their own vegetables. This gives them more varied and nutritious food, and any surplus they get can be sold for cash. Now they can also set aside time for the adult literacy classes that ADRA Malawi has started.

The wells, kitchen gardens and literacy classes are all part of a project that ADRA Malawi is implementing with support from ADRA Sweden and the Swedish government. I am impressed with what I have seen. Just one well – and life has become so much easier for a whole village.

From: Per Bolling, ADRA Sweden

Enabling ADRA to authentically represent

ADRA Malawi and ADRA international recently launched a massive needs assessment initiative in two districts in Southern Malawi. The assessment involved collaborating with TANGO, a technical assistance consulting firm that works with NGOs. TANGO provided extensive tools to conduct a thorough needs assessment and determine the vulnerability of people in these areas.

ADRA’s team was composed of staff from both the ADRA Malawi and International offices consisting of Emanuel, Jennifer, Martine, Hastings, Chris, Thoko, Moses along with many other staff and team members of a team of more than 40 people. The assessment was two-prong involving a wide-ranging survey that was conducted with hundreds of individuals in their homes, and numerous interviews with eight village groups and leaders.

This exercise was rigorous, but an excellent opportunity for building the capacity of all involved. Even more importantly, it was an opportunity to connect with persons in the two districts enabling ADRA to authentically represent them by hearing their voices, their real needs, and understanding their potential, their dreams, and their reality.

Barbara Stuart - Planning, ADRA International