Tag Archives: Malawi Red Cross Society

Business

NBS Bank, FAM hands over Cyclone survivors’ homes

Maravi Post Reporter

BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-NBS Bank plc in conjunction with the Football Association of Malawi (FAM), and the Malawi Red Cross Society, has officially handed over four houses to families who were displaced by Tropical Cyclone Freddy in March in Ntauchira Village, Chiradzulu.

The houses were built using the funds realized from the Charity Shield match between Nyasa Big Bullets and Mighty Wanderers played in April this year, as well as from the Flames Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier against Egypt, which was played at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.

At the handover ceremony in Masikini Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Likoswe, Temwani Simwaka, NBS Bank’s Deputy Chief Executive Officer, stated that as a ‘Caring Bank’ and a Malawian institution, they were overjoyed to be a part of the life-changing endeavour for the impacted families and that the homes will make a significant difference in their lives.

“As a Bank, we always value every life because we rely on them as clients. As part of our corporate social responsibility, we decided to come in by partnering with FAM to bring a significant change to our friends, and we hope that these houses stand as a great starting point for their lives,” she explained.

FAM president Walter Nyamilandu Manda expressed excitement about fulfilling the promise that the association made to the public and the affected families.

“These families had been through a terrible time, and they desperately needed our help as Malawians. As the FA, we are very proud that we have been able to help them afford a smile.”

“We understand that what we have provided to them is insufficient to bring back their relatives who died during the tragedy, but we planned to ensure that we give them a place like a house, which we have just fulfilled,” he said.

Malawi Red Cross Society’s acting Head of Disaster Management, Cecilia Banda, praised FAM and NBS Bank for acting as goodwill ambassadors in supporting the affected people, saying the institutions demonstrated true love to the victims

Margaret Makawa, 40, who lost her husband in the disaster, expressed her thanks for the home, saying it came at a time when she had nowhere to live with her five children.

Development

Malawi Red Cross Society cleans Senti Township Market

Maravi Post Reporter

By Edwin Mbewe

LILONGWE-(MaraviPost)-Malawi Red Cross Society area 49 Chapter in Lilongwe over the weekend invaded Senti Market with the sweeping Exercise.

Vice Chairperson for the organization at area 49 Chapter, Henry Nkhoma, said the decision came up after discussing with other staff to arrange a sweeping exercises around their jurisdiction hence starting with Senti market.

Senti-Market cleaned

Nkhoma described the exercise as vital as it will promote hygiene in the markets and surrounding areas which will result into good health of the citizens as it will minimize the disease outbreaks like cholera.

He has however appealed to people doing businesses in the market to take good care of his and her place.

The organization swept the whole Senti market for two days and in June they are planning to visit area 18 Health Centre Clinic for the same exercise.

Health

Malawi Red Cross Society dares media on COVID-19 vaccines uptake reporting

Maravi Post Reporter

DOWA-(MaraviPost)- Malawi Red Cross Society has dared local media to vigorously intensify sensitization campaign on COVID-19 vaccines uptake.

The appeal comes amid Malawi’s battling out with the fourth wave of COVID-19 exacerbated by Omicron variant

Health and the Malawi Red Cross Society told the media orientation on COVID19 Vaccination Best Reporting Practices in Dowa, Monday, December 27, 2021 that correct reporting will attract the general public to get vaccinated.

Malawi Red Cross Director of Programmes, Prisca Chisala urged journalists to fight against both misinformation and disinformation that is said to be causing vaccination hesitancy among the population, despite the pandemic wreaking havoc in the country.

Chisale added that the general public needs to be told the truth about the vaccines hence the orientation for updates.

The training attracted 30 journalists drawn from electronic, print and online publications

On COVID-19 vaccination, a total of 1,745,048 vaccine doses have been administered in the country so far.

Cumulatively 1,072,229 and 388,978 people have received the first dose and the second dose of AstraZeneca vaccine respectively whilst 283,841 have received Johnson and Johnson.

Cumulatively, 672,819 people are fully vaccinated in Malawi.

Development

Malawi Red Cross Society donates 25 oxygen concentrators to Health Ministry

Maravi Post Reporter

By Chisomo Phiri


BLANTYRE-(MaraviPost)-In its quest to an effective COVID-19 response, the Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) with the support from Singapore Red Cross through the International Federation of Red Cross and Crescent Societies (IFRC) on Tuesday donated 25 oxygen concentrators worth MK22 Million to Ministry of Health.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, Head of Disaster Management Aston Mulwafu, said MRCS is aware of the so many challenges Malawi is going through in fighting against COVID-19.

“Malawi Red Cross Society has been on the ground working with the Ministry of Health since the first case was recorded in 2020, besides a number of projects that it continues to implement in various districts, hence the need for such support”, said Mulwafu.

On her part, IFRC Senior Operations Officer for Halare Cluster (Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe) Hilary Motsiri said MRCS and its International Partners know the magnitude of the pandemic and how is it affecting Malawians.

“These oxygen concentrations will be of value to the Malawi community, especially now with the fears of the new variant, which is posing a threat to most countries, hence the donation will ensure that the country is ready incase of rising cases.

Government through the Deputy Minister of Health Chissie Kalamula Kanyasyo commended the Malawi Red Cross Society for the donation, saying it is proving that it remains a trusted partner in humanitarian assistance.

“Malawi Red Cross remains a strong partner in the healthcare services and has been a leading partner in the fight against COVID-19, and this donation is a one key evidence of the bond that exists between government and MRCS”, said Kanyasyo.

The 25 oxygen concentrators are expected to be distributed to a number of government and CHAM health facilities across the country.

District News, Regional

COVID-19 Mixed Messages from Malawi and Tanzania confusing Karonga Residents

Ufulu
Karonga Residents interacting with the Malawi Red Cross on COVID-19 Measures

KARONGA (MaraviPost): Reporting from MBC online appear to suggest residents in the northern part of the border district of Karonga have expressed concern over lack of seriousness in observing preventive measures against the spread of the Coronavirus.

According to the reporting, these observations were made during a tour by the Malawi Red Cross Society on its intervention measures in high risk areas of the district.

Malawi Red Cross Society Communications Manager Felix Washoni said in addition to volunteers already on the ground, the organization will also embark on civic education in the district on the prevalence of the Covid-19 pandemic as well as preventive measures.

Felix Washoni said a visit to some of these areas in Karonga North has revealed that while residents are now observing preventive measures, some sections especially nearer to the border with Tanzania are neglecting the messages.

Thomas Mughogho, a trader at Kiwe trading centre, says the situation can be attributed to mixed messages about the pandemic with people from Tanzania saying the disease does not exist and he calls for more sensitization on the matter.

Despite not reporting any new cases since April this year in neighboring Tanzania, screening at the Songwe border post continues although observations show some people crossing from the other side resist the preventive measures that have been put in place by the Immigration Department.

 Sourced from Blair Mhone, MBC.

Health, Top News

Government hails Malawi Red Cross Project for ODF interventions

Malawi News Agency (MANA)

Government has hailed Malawi Red Cross Society (MRCS) and Village Hygiene Projects for their interventions that have seen three Traditional Authorities in Mangochi achieve Open Defecation Free (ODF) status.

Celebrations for the attainment of the ODF status for the three TAs Chowe, Namavi and STA Chiunda, were held on Saturday at Chimbende Primary School in TA Chowe where Minister of Health, Atupele Muluzi, presented certificates to the three TAs.

The minister said government always appreciates complementary support that organizations such as MRCS render to government especially in promoting ODF, a programme government started in 2008.

“We applaud Malawi Red Cross Society and Hygiene Village Projects for working with the people in the three TAs to ensure that each and every household owns and uses a well-covered toilet and that they wash hands with soap after visiting the toilets,” said Muluzi.

The minister said it is interventions like these that see Mangochi registering no single case of cholera while close to 600 cases and 12 deaths have been recorded across the country since the disease broke out in Karonga in November 2017.

Muluzi hailed Mangochi chiefs, health officers and Red Cross volunteers in the district for keeping cholera at bay and urged them to ensure that every household uses treated water at all times.

MRCS President, Levison Changole, said there is a very good collaboration between MRCS and health workers and that the TAs and their subjects have been very supportive throughout the implementation of the community resilience project which is being supported by a consortium of Danish, Finnish, Icelandic and Italian Red Cross Societies.

Changole said MRCS will continue to support government in the area of promotion of hygiene and sanitation in line with Sustainable Development Goal number 6.2 which urges countries to achieve access to adequate and equitable sanitation and hygiene for all, including those in the vulnerable situations by 2030.

“At Malawi Red Cross Society we realise that it is only a healthy society that can contribute efficiently to the development of the country and to fight diseases better there is need to enforce hygiene and sanitation,” said Changole.

He added: “My appeal to the people of Mangochi, especially in the three TAs we are celebrating here, is for them to embrace the development and move forward with it even after we have pulled out.”

The MRCS President also hailed government for its support through the health office both at district and community levels and other sister National Societies namely: Danish Red Cross, Icelandic Red Cross, Finish Red Cross and Italian Red Cross for their financial support which has necessitated the ODF status in Mangochi.

Hygiene Village Project Executive Director, Roy Khonyongwa, said the ODF Status in the three TAs was achieved through a process called Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) where communities played a leading role in finding solutions to sanitation gaps.

Khonyongwa hailed the three TAs and their subjects for accepting the intervention and he concurred with the MRCS President in appealing to the people to sustain the good hygiene and sanitation practices they had learned.

Before the celebrations, the minister visited two households where he sampled their respective toilets and hand-washing outfit commonly called (Mpondagiya). The minister was briefed on how the households use the facilities.

Chowe, Namavi and Chiunda bring the number of TAs with ODF status in the country to 86 with 177 TAs yet to achieve the status, according to Health Minister, Atupele.