ATLANTA, US--Pres Joyce Banda, currently visiting the United States, has been recognized for her work in helping the marginalized in society, especially women and young people.

The African Methodist Episcopal Church of Greater Mt. Nebo (AMEC) has given the Legend Award to Banda who is Malawi’s first and Africa’s second head of state in modern times.

“President Mrs. Joyce Banda has contributed tremendously towards projects aimed at scaling up the quality of life of the under privileged women, orphans and disadvantaged people including youth,” said Rev. Jonathan Weaver  who pastors at AMEC.

“She has the kind leadership that is unwavering and has seen Malawi witnessing smooth transition, peace and unity amongst people, from the time she took over the mantle of leadership of the country after the death of former president Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika on April 5, 2012,” Rev. Weaver said.

Receiving the award, Pres Banda gave a brief history of her life in the trenches working with the poor.

“I established the National Association of Business Women in 1990 which to date has trained over 110, 000 women to manage small businesses. I also created the Joyce Banda Foundation which has enables tens of thousands of girls and boys attain both primary and secondary education.”

She said after learning that AMEC “supported development projects in Africa…I made sure that I should come to meet Reverend Jonathan Weaver,” who donated, during the ceremony, $1, 000 to the Joyce Banda Foundation.

While in the United States, Pres Banda is scheduled to hold talks with Secretary of State Hilary Clinton. They are expected to discuss the resurrection of the US $350.7m Millennium Challenge Account (MCC) that the Obama administration suspended over deteriorating human rights standards in the southern African country when Mutharika was in power.
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©2012 The Maravi Post. Reproduction authorised, with usual acknowledgment.