Tag Archives: EAM

Development

Traditional, religious leaders key to peaceful 2019 elections

Maravi Post Author

By Lusekero Mhango

Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM) has solicited the support of traditional and religious leaders for their contributions in ensuring that karonga has free non violence campaigns ahead of the 2019 polls.
The call was made on Tuesday during an interface meeting that EAM with financial assistance from the Norwegian Church Aid organized for traditional and religious leaders among others.
According to EAM Advocacy Coordinator Machona Phiri, traditional leaders and the clergy by their standing in society have a huge responsibility in ensuring that peace prevails in the communities.
He said, their followers were highly valued by their subjects thereby pleaded with them to encourage their followers to avoid conflict and to conduct peaceful campaigns.
“Politicians are part of the communities and many of them actively seek the Churches blessings and wise council for their political quests therefore traditional and religious leaders are well positioned to influence them towards conducting themselves with humility and decorum as it is necessary to ensure prevalence of peace during and after elections,” he said.
Phiri, therefore called upon traditional and religious leaders to use their influence by calling on the congregations to show commitment in rejecting electro violence.
In his remarks chairperson of karonga pastors fraternal Bishop Benson Chikapa, expressed gratitude to EAM for reaching out to them and other stakeholders to bang heads on electoral issues to do with karonga.
He, pledged their support to promote peaceful coexistence among political parties and their followers.
As religious leaders indeed we have a huge role to play in ensuring that piece prevails during elections. Our role is to provide biblical and spiritual guidance to our congregations therefore we are ready to offer support to ensure that as a country free and fair polls come next year,” explained the man of God.

Education

TEVETA partners German Chamber to improve technical education in Malawi

Ausborn Banda
teveta

The Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA) recently asked Malawian companies and industries to provide the country’s technical colleges with the latest equipment to enable learners move with the changing technology.

Board Chairperson Gilbert Chilinde said this on Thursday in Lilongwe when TEVETA briefed Malawi journalists about the TEVETA/HWK Cologne Chamber of Germany partnership.

Through the partnership, Chilinde who recently visited Germany, accompanied by representatives of Employers Association of Malawi (EAM), Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI), and other stakeholders, toured German technical colleges and industries in June. During the visit the group learnt that private sector initiative.

The trip was to familiarize the stakeholders with the German technical education system, which is regarded as one of the best in the world.

“Malawi can also produce highly skilled and reliable workers if the country’s companies and industries emulate what their friends in Germany are doing,” said Chilinde.

Learners in Malawi’s technical colleges lag behind in skills and technology because they use outdated equipment, one of the presentations highlighted during the press conference by TEVETA Acting Executive Director Wilson Makulumiza Nkhoma.

“Companies and industries in Germany give technical colleges modern car engines, welding machines, carpentry, and joinery materials, among other important equipment,” the presentation stated.

It added, “the companies and industries enroll many secondary school graduates in technical colleges and sponsors their tuition to have them trained as their future staff. This enhances the companies and industries workforces and production.”

The TEVETA chief also announced of trainings that will take place in Malawi and Germany.

“We want to see Malawian companies and industries start signing mutual contracts with our struggling technical colleges as is the case in Germany. The aim is to produce highly skilled workers whose innovations would reduce the poverty of many people and help develop the country,” Chilinde emphasized.

Currently, Malawi has less than ten national technical colleges, and less than twenty community technical colleges with an annual enrollment of only two thousand students.

 

Health

EAM worries with the increase cases of ARV defaulters in Karonga 

Maravi Post correspondent
HIV/AIDS

The Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM), warned this week that HIV positive people on antiretroviral therapy (ART) in Karonga, will continue defaulting treatment, unless religious leaders in the district stop advising the patients to stop taking the life-prolonging treatment.

The Association bemoaned the increased cases of some faith leaders in Karonga, who are reportedly declaring HIV+ people to be free from the virus after praying for them, and who then request their faithfuls to stop taking treatment.

The national heath coordinator for EAM Howard Kasiya, sounded the warning during an interface meeting with over 50 religious leaders on Monday, and has since pleaded with the leaders to know their limits regarding the pandemic.

‘‘We have verified that some of the people that were on ART treatment in Karonga, have stopped after being prayed for, and others have died.’’

‘‘As such EAM has embarked on a sensitization campaign for the leaders in the district to know their limits, because our responsibility as faith leaders is to pray, and to leave the technical side of HIV to the medical personnel,’’ said Kasiya.

According to the national trainer for ART Charles Ngwira, having 18,199 HIV+ people who started treatment since 2005, Karonga has now an increased number of 5,137 people who have defaulted from the treatment.

Ngwira added that since 2005, Karonga has registered 22,897 HIV+ people, and those that are alive and are on ART treatment are 12,096.

Karonga district trails Nkhatabay on HIV prevalence rate; this is due to factors such as harmful cultural practices and cross border trading among others.

 

Malawi

Malawians march against abortion, homosexuality

Maravi Post correspondent

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)–Thousands of Malawians in major cities of the country took to the streets on Tuesday to send a strong message to the government that they are not ready to embrace the culture of terminating life through abortion.

The demonstrations were organized on the heels of plans allegedly by the government to legalise abortion and homosexuality in the country.

People in Blantyre marching against abortion, homosexuality
People in Blantyre marching against abortion, homosexuality

The so-called Citizen March for Life and Family is spearheaded by the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) and the Evangelical Association of Malawi (EAM).

The pro-life marches, held under the theme, ‘Lighting the Candle’, attracted people from different denominations who are united in their stand against abortion and homosexuality.

“We cannot  install a culture of death in our country,” said one of a Catholic Christian who joined people donning all white t-shirts in the ‘march for life’.

“I marched to say yes to life,” Tarcicius Mbewe.

EAM general secretary Reverend Francis Mkandawire and ECM counterpart Father Henry Saindi,  said it was important to note that people support ‘pro-life’ advocacy.

Women’s rights activists and champions of safe motherhood, argue that giving women more reasons to safely terminate pregnancies in health facilities will reduce maternal deaths and costs of treating complications of unsafe abortions.

However, pro-life agents, especially religious leaders, say this will promote killing. They preach that life begins at conception,

Ministry of Health estimates that government spends up to K300 million annually treating almost 70 000 who seek post-abortal care every year.

However, the government has indirectly accused the churches of jumping the gun after it denied it has drafted a bill for termination of pregnancies which is ready for presentation in Parliament.

In a statement issued on the eve of the march, Minister of Information and Communications Technology Malisen Ndau clarified that what is in place is a report that was prepared by the Malawi Law Commission, which recommended the government to develop a new law on abortion.

“Currently, the law on abortion is governed by the Penal Code. Sections 149, 150, 151, and 243 of the Penal Code prohibit termination of pregnancy except where the life of the mother is threatened,” Ndau said in the statement made available to Maravi Post.