KARONGA DIOCESE COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION (WASH) FIELD DAY PICTORIAL FOCUS
Karonga Diocese Community Transformation (WASH) beneficiaries in Jalawe, Chankholombe and Kopakopa had field day visits to performing households to different houses in their respective areas to appreciate WASH facilities. The Coordinator for Karonga Diocese Community Transformation (WASH) Duncan Nyirenda led the visits and also re-oriented the beneficiaries on WASH guidelines and standards. Below are some of the pictures from the field days.
“FIGHTING AGAINST MALNUTRITION: CT FOOD AND NUTRITION COOKING DEMONSTRATIONS PROMOTE HEALTHY COOKING IN COMMUNITIES”
In Malawi, access to information about nutrition is limited and the Karonga Diocese is one of the organizations on the forefront seeking to end this through its Community Transformation (CT) Project which has food and nutrition as one of its components. In this spirit, Karonga Diocese CT (Food and Nutrition) conducted cooking demonstrations in the areas of Jalawe, Chankholombe and Kopakopa which were meant to impart knowledge to its beneficiaries about the 6 groups of foods and how to cook different foods that are nutritious.
The cooking demonstrations were conducted by Karonga Diocese CT(Food and Nutrition) Coordinator Grace Kondowe and the training’s began with a simple Question and Answer session to refresh the participants on the 6 healthy food groups and food preservation methods. Thereafter the participants were taught recipes that they can cook with locally sourced materials and conducted practical cooking exercises under the supervision of the CT-Food and Nutrition Coordinator and volunteers.
“The main purpose of the training is to equip the beneficiaries with skills on how they can diversify meals and foods using locally available six food groups and how to preserve food materials that they may be available even when such foods are not in season. We encourage the people to use locally available food materials that are grown and found in the village to create the meals,” said Grace.
CT Food and Nutrition is part of the Community Transformation Project which is being implemented by the Karonga Diocese with assistance from Cross Catholic Outreach in the areas of Village Heads Jalawe, Chankholombe and Kopakopa. The materials used during the cooking demonstrations were sourced by the beneficiaries in their respective areas.
CT-NUTRITION FOR HEALTHY FAMILIES
“Our families have improved a lot since the introduction of the project and we have learnt how to prepare meals that contain all six food groups making our families healthier and happier”, says Christina Harawa (53) a mother of 5 from Mulyabweka Village, T/A Chankholombe. She is one of the 1,528 beneficiaries in the Community Transformation project which the Karonga Diocese is implementing with assistance from Cross Catholic Outreach.
Christina went on to further state that “We never used to know about the six food groups and as a result our families used to be malnourished, however, through the project we have gained knowledge, and we are very grateful to the Diocese for this project which has impacted our families in a positive way”.
Community Transformation Project volunteer for Chankholombe area Fyness Msukwa states that she has seen changes in her community since the introduction of the project. “The community is more hygienic and healthier since the introduction of the project as we used to have different foods available in the community but did not know how to prepare them correctly for them to contain all six food groups. Our children used to get sick regularly because of malnutrition and poor hygiene but with the project, our children are healthier, and I advise fellow beneficiaries in the project to follow the instructions given to us by the project officers in-order to fully benefit from the project” she said.
COMBATING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN KARONGA DISTRICT
The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace Desk of Karonga Diocese has successfully engaged various religious leaders and male advocates in discussions on how to eradicate gender-based violence through the Timazge Nkhaza project in Karonga district.
In his address, CCJP Officer Hope Mlenga implored religious leaders and male champions to take an active role in ending gender-based violence as a means of reducing the number of cases in the district that adversely affect households and lead to immoral behaviour.
During the meeting, Chairperson of pastors fraternal Rev Msowoya identified culture as a contributing factor to gender-based violence across different areas within Karonga.
It is imperative for religious leaders, GVHs, and stakeholders to join forces in fighting gender-based violence by altering people’s cultural mindsets since some individuals’ upbringing prohibits their involvement in any type of activity, especially women.
Sheikh Bilali commented on this matter by encouraging people to embrace love between men and women so as to reduce instances of gender-based violence.
In a separate interview the chairman of zinc Rev Whyman Gondwe said with the coming in of the project, it will take efforts for them as male champions to lead people to change basically on gender-based violence so that men and women should be treated equally.
By Wantwa Mwakasungula,
Tuntufye FM.
KARONGA DIOCESE DONATES MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES TO KARONGA DISTRICT HOSPITAL
In an effort to assist in healthcare services delivery in Karonga, the Karonga Diocese on 5th April 2024 made a donation of hospital beds, mattresses, syringes and face shields to Karonga District Hospital (KDH). The Health Desk Officer (HDO), Mr. Joseph Kimangila represented the Diocese in the handover ceremony where the items were received by the Director for Health and Social Services (DHSS), Mr. David Sibale.
Speaking on behalf of Karonga Diocese, Mr. Kimangila highlighted the continued commitment of the Diocese in assisting communities in the three districts of Rumphi Karonga and Chitipa in matters of healthcare. “The Bishop of the Karonga Diocese Martin Anwel Mtumbuka is committed to ensuring that the people in the Diocese are of good health. After receiving a donation of the medical equipment supplies from Cross Catholic Outreach (CCO) in the United States of America, the Bishop thought it wise to also share with others hence the donation to KDH,” Kimangila stated.
The DHSS expressed gratitude towards the Diocese for the donation stating that; “The institution is facing a problem of inadequacy of various medical equipment and supplies. The beds, masks, syringes and needles will assist in saving costs to buy such items for KDH”. He also added that the general public should know that Karonga Diocese and the Ministry of Health are good partners and they work together in various ways citing the Covid-19 pandemic during which the Diocese also made a donation of various items. Mr. Sibale also assured the Diocese of continued collaboration from the Ministry of Health.
KDH has received ten adjustable hospital beds and mattresses, forty cartons of face shields, needles and syringes. Other equipment that Karonga Diocese received have been distributed among its health facilities including St. Cynthia Health Center, St. Clara Health Center and the recently constructed Health Center located in Zambwe area, all in Chitipa district.
By Noel Chatepa.
KARONGA DIOCESE CCJP TRAINS IT’S MONITORS AHEAD OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT BY-ELECTIONS
In the heart of democracy lies the power of choice and ensuring that democracy maintains its purpose is a task of paramount importance. On Friday 22 March, the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace (CCJP) organized a training session at St. Mary’s parish hall aimed at fortifying the integrity of the electoral process.
The Vicar General of the Karonga Diocese Monsignor Lorent Dziko was also present at the session and advised the participants stating that “there is need for the CCJP monitors to be non-partisan as the church herself is also non-partisan to ensure that the electoral process is free and fair”. He also advised them to perform only those duties that they are supposed to perform and not do things that they are not assigned.
During the training, participants were equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to perform their duties effectively and they were taught the proper methodology of observation. The session also involved trainings that are meant to prepare the monitors for real-life scenarios they might encounter.
One of the participants Teresa Chisenga applauded the training saying that, “it is beneficial to us as we have learnt how to be good observers and also how we can interact with other stakeholders of the electoral process”.
CCJP is deploying 44 observers in 44 Polling Centers for Tuesday 26 March Local Government by-elections in Karonga district. These by-elections are taking place in Kaporo, Chilanga and Rukuru wards and these wards were declared vacant in September 2023 after councilors from these wards were convicted.
By Noel Chatepa
Karonga Diocese CADECOM conducts Relief Distribution to 100 families in Response to 2024 Floods
On the 15th of March, 2024 in a heartening response to the recurring floods that have devastated communities in Kafikisira Village in the area of T/A Kyungu, the Karonga Diocese CADECOM carried out a relief distribution exercise at Kafisikisira Health Clinic aiming to provide essential aid and support to those hardest hit by the natural disaster.
The event was graced with the presence of the Vicar General Monsignor Lorent Dziko who during the event advised the people in the area to be more prepared for flooding incidents as the area is prone to flooding and also encouraged the people to find higher grounds to settle and build resilient housing structures in order to prevent being affected by such incidents. He stressed the need for recipients to use the relief for their households and avoid selling off relief items as is the case in some instances when people have received relief.
Also speaking during the event, Development Desk officer for Karonga Diocese Mr. Franklin Msiska echoed the Vicar General’s words on the misappropriation of relief and said that the church was also affected by the flooding as her congregants were among those that were affected by the flooding.
“The Karonga Diocese should be appreciated for it’s continuous efforts whenever a crisis has hit the district as the diocese is one of the stakeholders that is actively involved in implementation of various relief projects such as the recent Food Crisis Project which saw 607 beneficiaries receiving MK100,000 each” said Humphrey Magalasi a representative of the Karonga District Council who was present at the distribution exercise.
The relief distribution exercise was made possible with funding amounting to Fourteen Million Kwacha (MK14,000,000) from Trocaire through the Episcopal Conference of Malawi. Each relief package was made up of a 25kg bag of maize flour, 2 kg beans, 2 litres cooking oil, 1 kg iodised salt, 20litre hand washing bucket, 2 tablets of washing soap, 2 bottles of waterguard, 2 mosquito repellent, 2 boxes of matches and for learners in the area ; 4 note books, 2 ball pens and 1pencil. From the funds, Ten Million Kwacha (MK10,000,000) was used to purchase relief items, the remainder is being used for sensitization campaigns on flood awareness and logistics .
Local residents have welcomed the aid with open arms and a sense of renewed hope. “It’s a relief to know that we’re not facing this alone,” shared Jessie Ngwira (54) of Kafikisira Village T/A Kyungu who’s family of six(6) lost all their food and other household items during the flooding on February 24th.
By Noel Chatepa
607 HOUSEHOLDS BENEFIT FROM KARONGA DIOCESE FOOD CRISIS PROJECT
The Vicar General of the Diocese of Karonga, Monsignor Lorent Dziko, has reiterated the commitment of the Diocese to move beyond providing spiritual support to the people entrusted to her pastoral care by addressing their holistic needs as well.
The Vicar General made these remarks at Mwenelondo Health Centre on Wednesday when he presided over the launch of once-off cash transfers to 607 households who were affected by prolonged dry spells which hit Karonga District in 2023.
Each of the 607 beneficiary households received a consumption cash disbursement of One Hundred Thousand Malawi Kwacha (K100,000) through Mukuru mobile wallet transfers.
Speaking after receiving the money, one of the beneficiaries from Mwakisenjere Village in the area of Senior Chief Mwirang’ombe, Mable Mkandawire (37) appreciated the intervention stating that because of the dry spells, her family only managed to harvest two 50kg bags of maize from a 3-acre field. This she said was not enough to feed her family of 7 members. She said she will use the money to buy maize and foodstuffs for the family.
In his remarks, Precious Kumwenda, a member of the Karonga District Disaster Response Committee advised the beneficiaries to use the funds for the intended purpose.
Speaking on behalf of the Development Desk, Deodatus Muriya emphasized stressed the need for the community leaders not to interfere or influence the beneficiaries into misappropriation of the cash packages.
The cash transfers are a part of the Karonga Diocese Food Crisis Project which is a response to the 2023 drought that affected a lot of families within the diocese and being implemented with support from the Scottish Government and the Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF) through the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM).
In the exercise, the Diocese of Karonga has distributed once-off cash assistance to 607 beneficiaries in the areas of Traditional Authorities Wasambo, Mwirang’ombe and Kyungu in Karonga District.
Nutritional Progress: Karonga Diocese’s Community Transformation Project Yields Positive Impact in Kopakopa”
The Diocese of Karonga through the Community Transformation -CT project has expressed satisfaction over the impact the program of nutrition is bringing to members of Kopakopa community in Chitipa district.
According to Grace Kondowe the Nutrition Coordinator for the project; when the program was just rolled out the area had several cases of malnutrition but looking at the recent records there is a reduction to such cases, according to her, this is due to the collaboration with the volunteers for the program.
“It is so exciting to see how lives of people in the area of GVH Kopakopa are improving through good nutrition and hygiene practices. Before the introduction of program we had so many cases of malnutrition among children though we are not yet there but we have to reach out to all 110 households.” She said.
Kondowe further said she will not tire until the whole village has zero record of malnutrition.
Seeming to agree with Kondowe, Senior Health Surveillance Assistant for Mahowe Health Center Vincent Ng’ambi said, Kopakopa village had many cases of malnutrition of children but with the coming in of the program these cases are dwindling.
Speaking with one of the beneficiaries of the program Chifundo Ngwira said thanks to the program that his family now have knowledge on balanced diet meals and it’s importance in relation with malnutrition.
“I had everything in my house yet my child was looking unhealthy after learning through CT project that it was malnutrition me and my wife have known the right direction of alleviating the situation.” He said.
Meanwhile in a separate interview with GVH Kopakopa, he has expressed satisfaction with the development in his village saying people have truly embraced hygiene and the correct preparation of meals as such the CT project is playing a big role as far as improving healthy living is concerned in the area.
By Trifornia Mtawali.
A New Deacon and a New Priest: An Early New Year Gift to the Diocese Of Karonga
By Moses Raymond Kamanga
On Saturday, 30th of December, 2023 all roads led to St. Michaels Parish Chitipa for the ordination of Seminarian Raphael Simwera to Diaconate and Deacon Godwin Mwafongo to Priesthood. A multitude of Christians from Karonga, Misuku, Kamene and Nthalire braved the long distances and a scare of rains to travel and witness the young men saying “yes” to serve at the Lord’s Altar.
Instructing the two as they braced themselves to take up this noble responsibility, the Chief Shepherd of the Diocese of Karonga, Rt. Rev. Martin Anwel Mtumbuka advised them to persevere in their calling.
In his homily Bishop Mtumbuka asked the candidates to take after the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
“We have just celebrated Christmas and there is a close link, which I want to share with you, between the experience of the Holy Family and priesthood. Joseph was depressed when he found out that Mary was pregnant and wanted to secretly leave her. Mary was troubled when Jesus went missing and found in the Temple. In these experiences, they endured,” explained Bishop Mtumbuka.
To these experiences, Bishop Mtumbuka connected priestly life in which the two candidates need to endure also.
“You should not be priests who just complain in everything. Complaining from Monday to Sunday, January to December; when there is nsima you complain, beans you complain, vegetables you complain, complaining about everything. I don’t want this,” expressed Bishop Mtumbuka.
He went on to encourage the two to commit themselves to the life of prayer, saying that prayer is the fuel for their priestly life.
“When prayer is abandoned in the life of a priest, signs and symptoms are very clear. Just as signs are conspicuously clear in a family whose couples no longer love each other.
You shall know this by the way they talk to each other and look at each other. A priest whose life is devoid of prayer does things haphazardly, with no commitment at all. May it not be so with you,” concluded Bishop Mtumbuka.
Deacon Raphael Simwera comes from St. Mathias Mulumba Parish in Misuku – Chitipa District and Fr. Godwin Mwafongo comes from St. Thomas Moore Parish – Malimbalimba in Karonga District. They both studied at Peramiho Major Seminary in Songea – Tanzania.
Deacon Simwera is set to be ordained a priest in August next year (2024) at St. Mathias Mulumba Parish Center in Misuku. Fr. Godwin Mwafongo has since been appointed to serve at St. Ignatius Parish in Nthalire and his ordination to priesthood has brought the number of diocesan priests in the Karonga Diocese to 24.