Tag Archives: Halima Daud

Lifestyle

Functional families key to Malawi’s development

Maravi Post Reporter

By Jones Gadama

The Ministry of Gender, Community Development and Social Welfare has emphasized the importance of having functional families in achieving social and economic development in Malawi.

Deputy Minister Halima Daud said intact families foster a conducive environment for progress, contributing to the country’s growth and development.

Speaking at the commemoration of the 2025 International Day of Families in Lilongwe, Daud highlighted the ministry’s commitment to inclusivity and meaningful participation of all families in national development processes. She emphasized the importance of family unity, especially in the context of urbanization.

MacBen Mkandawire, Executive Director of Youth Net and Counselling, echoed Daud’s sentiments, saying there is a need to strengthen the family unit to enhance development.

George Kaphamtengo, a 43-year married man from Mtandire in Lilongwe, attributed his family unity to tolerance, mutual understanding, and love.

He believes that peace in the home is crucial for success in business and other development activities.

The International Day of Families brought together stakeholders, including SOS Children’s Villages, Save the Children, and World Relief Malawi, to discuss the importance of family unity and its impact on development.

The event highlighted the need for families to be supported and strengthened to contribute to Malawi’s growth and development.

In a country where family ties are deeply valued, promoting functional families can have a positive impact on social and economic development.

By working together to support families, Malawi can build a stronger and more resilient society.

Health

Our Aim Foundation lauded for improving healthcare access in rural Malawi

Maravi Post Reporter

MCHINJI-(MaraviPost)-The Malawi Government is impressed with Our Aim Foundation (OAF)’s commitment and support in improving healthcare access in rural areas.

The Deputy Health Minister, Halima Daud lauded the US-based charity organisation after officially opening an MK700 million Nafuse Health Center in Mchinji District on Thursday.

Daud ensures that the ministry is dedicated to enhancing the quality of healthcare services through increased investment in facilities, training of health workers, and expanding health outreach programs.

She also disclosed that the ministry will integrate health workers into the government payroll system and provide operational support to the clinic, ensuring sustainable and effective healthcare delivery.

Founder of Our Aim Foundation, Nisha Mandani, said she was driven to open the centre after witnessing the struggles faced by communities.

Mandani disclosed that the facility will provide essential services such as maternity care, emergency care, and radiography to over 35,000 people from more than 90 villages under Senior Chief Mkanda.

“The clinic in Mchinji will be providing essential services like maternity care, emergency care, and radiography to over 35,000 people from over 90 villages under Senior Chief Mkanda,” said Mandani.

The foundation has therefore signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Mchinji District Council to expand healthcare programs to benefit the district’s rural communities.

Development, Lifestyle

Deputy Health Minister Daud happy with Evidence Action NGO for improving access to clean water in rural areas

Maravi Post Author

By Abraham Bisayi

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-The Deputy Minister of Health, Halima Daud has hailed Evidence Action Organization for improving access to clean water and helping the government in addressing the challenges of waterborne diseases in the southern region.

She was speaking on Wednesday during a courtesy call meeting with the Global CEO/President of Evidence Action Kanika Bahl from Washington DC, US at the ministry’s conference room in Lilongwe.

Evidence Action organization implemented its interventions in the Zomba district where Cholera was endemic due to the inland drainage of Lake Chilwa

This was also due to fishermen doing their business on the lake living in floating houses and along the lake shores.

Daud said the implementation of the dispenser for safe water program in Zomba demonstrated a significant reduction of diarrhea diseases including Cholera that was endemic in the area.

The Dowa South East Legislator commended the mutual relationship that the ministry has with the Evidence Action organization, in the treatment of water at water sources using chlorine dispensers, especially in the rural areas where there is no piped treated water.

“The government of Malawi through the Ministry of Health, promotes household water treatment as one way of making universal access to safe water supply to community members.

“Most people live in rural and sub-urban areas where water is collected from communal water points and is transported to homes through various means and vessels,” Daud said.

She further requested more support from the organization to scale up the program nationwide to reach more people significantly contribute to SDG6 and meet the country’s aspirations, Malawi Vision 2063.

However, Kanika Bahl said her organization started implementing the water project in 2013 in Zomba, in the expansion phase, 15,993 chlorine dispensers and 176 Inline chlorine devices were installed in the water points.

She said about 2.7 million people have accessed safe water representing 15% of the Malawi population in the scaled-up new seven districts including Chiradzulu, Blantyre, Mwanza, Neno, Balaka, Machinga and Mangochi

Development, Malawi

World Vision Malawi launches 2021-2025 Strategic Plan for communities’ lives improvement

Lloyd M’bwana
Daud singing to the plan pic by Tione Andsen (Mana)

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)- World Vision Malawi (WVM) on Friday, October 29, 2021 launched the much awaited 2021-2025 Strategic Plan aimed at improving communities’ lives for better

Deputy Minister of Local Government, Halima Daud who presided over the strategic plan launch in the capital Lilongwe commended WVM for complimenting government efforts in providing development needs to the communities in the country..

Daud observes that the organisation has provided a lot of support in various sectors such as agriculture, nutrition, water and sanitation, education, environment, health, life skills and community development since 1982. 

The deputy minister said the newly formulated WVM strategic plan has been formulated in line with Malawi 2063 development agenda which seek to improve communities’ lives.

“We wish applaud WVM management for formulating the new plan which has a number of components which are aimed at improving the livelihoods of the communities. As government, we will strive to work with them in every aspect of their programmes,” the Deputy Minister said.

She said WVM has been instrumental in ending child marriages by launching an initiative to help girls to return to school.

“WVM are running a number of programmes which are aiming at empowering girls, boys and women in their communities so that they should be able to contribute to their development needs,” Daud added.

WVM Advisory Council Vice Chair, Tonda Chinangwa disclosed that WVM 2016-2021 t strategy was able to service over 1.5 million children in the country through several interventions from various sectors.

Chinangwa said the launch of the new strategy calls for multi-sectoral collaboration among stakeholders in order to attain the desired results of servicing communities.

WVM National Director, Francis Dube said WVM was not working into isolation that why the formulation of the strategic plan has been crafted in line with government development agenda of Malawi 2063.

Dube said WVM wants to make sure that the strategic plan should contribute positively to the transformation of communities’ lives in general.

“It’s our commitment to go further in transforming and reaching to more vulnerable children in the country. We want improve quality of life for over two million children in the next five years,” Dube pointed out.

During the strategic launch WVM showcased their areas of operation to the communities in the country.

Development

US$ 100 million to supplement Malawi’s District Development Fund

Malawi News Agency (MANA)
Deputy Minister of Local Development Halima Daud

By Emmanuel Moyo

People in Karonga District can now breathe a sigh of relief as government has successfully designed a US$100 project dabbed Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) to supplement District Development Fund (DDF) for all 28 districts for 5 years.

Confirming the development at a full council meeting conducted at Sumuka lodge, Deputy Minister of Local Development Halima Daud said this is an extra fund for the districts to supplement DDF and urged duty bearers to be responsible.

She said: ?”This is an extra money on top of DDF and the funds we have been given are coming from World Bank.The councils are being told to look after this money, they have to be accountable and transparent. The councils that will do well will be later given more money and the councils that will perform poorly will have less money.?

The councils will be known to have done well through Local Authority Performance Assessment (LAPA).

When asked on how the money will be shared in the councils, Chief Accountant at Ministry of Finance Steve Chimenya said they will consider several factors.

?”DDF will use several factors like population, poverty levels and performance of the councils. Depending on the performance of the councils, the best performers will get more,” Chimenya said.

Chimenya further said this money is special for the planned projects and mismanagement will not be tolerated.

?Any mismanagement of this fund will lead to loss in the next funding to the council.?

Commenting on the development, Member of Parliament (MCP) for Karonga Central Constituency, Leonard Mwalwanda said this money needs to be used well.

?”All what we have been asked is to have financial prudence, this money has to be used in the right way,” Mwalwanda said.

According to senior chief Kilupula, once this project is achieved, it will help Karonga District and he wishes the district to attain 80%.

Karonga District has 10 councillors.

Development, District News

Four Malawi Kasungu chiefs promoted

Malawi News Agency (MANA)

By Vincent Khonje

KASUNGU-(MANA)-Deputy minister of local government and rural development, Halima Daud, on Friday elevated three traditional authorities (TAs) to senior chiefs and one group village head to sub traditional authority (STA) in Kasungu.

Traditional Authorities Wimbe, Chilowamatambe and Kawamba will now be senior chiefs making the number of senior chiefs in the district to five and group village head Kalikokha will now be STA.

Speaking after officially elevating the chiefs Daud said President Lazarus Chakwera sent her to inform the newly elevated chiefs that the promotion has been done with all the President’s heart and wants them to work with him.

“The President has told me to tell you that the elevation has been done for a reason, he wants you to work with him and also to be custodians of culture and customs,

“The president does not elevate chiefs to use them to castigate others but wants to bring back the lost respect that chiefs had, and for you to have that respect you should also take everyone of your subjects as your child,” said Daud.

She then gave a word of caution to the chiefs to avoid corruption and focus on development.

“Corruption and development do not work hand in hand. We should not hear reports of you involved in corruption, but you should be exemplary to your subjects by avoiding it,” said Daud.

Senior chief Lukwa representing fellow chiefs said he was thankful to what has happened in Kasungu.

“The elevation has made our work to be easy as chiefs. We were only the two of us after losing senior chief Kaluluma but now we will be five senior chiefs who will be helping each other,” said Lukwa.

Lukwa however asked the deputy minister to consider other chieftainships that are old for elevation too.

“We have too many chieftaincies that also need promotion like Mwase, Santhe, Chulu and Kapelura,” said Lukwa.

Member of Parliament Mike Bango spoke on behalf of fellow MPs and said the development means that as politicians they will work better with the chiefs.

“It is usually difficult to work with a chief who is not happy. Hopefully we will now work well together with the promoted chiefs to bring development for the people we both look after,” said Bango.

Section 4 of the Chiefs Act gives powers to the President of this country to put a person in authority as a paramount, senior chief, traditional authority and sub traditional authority.

It pleased President Dr Lazarus Chakwera to elevate Charles Tadeyo Mwale to be Senior Chief Chilowamatambe from 24th December, 2020, Mayinasi Gwaya to be senior chief Kawamba from 27th January 2021, Stanley Chidambo to be senior chief Wimbe from 24th December 2020 and Grant Innocent Chirwa to be STA Kalikokha from 24th December 2020.