KARONGA DIOCESE CADECOM AND WASAMBO DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE’S KICK OFF GROUNDBREAKING CLIMATE JUST COMMUNITIES PROJECT
In an uplifting collaboration for development, Karonga Diocese CADECOM and members of various Village Development Committee’s in Wasambo convened on 18 March 2024 to mark the commencement of a highly anticipated Climate Just Communities Malawi Project.
The meeting, held at the Wasambo Area Development Committee office at Uliwa town, saw the participation of Village Development Committee members and representatives from CADECOM. It was characterized by an atmosphere of hope and determination, underscoring the community’s readiness to engage in the transformative journey ahead.
The project, outlined by CADECOM’s field officer Chikonzero Chimwaza during the meeting, focuses on several key areas of development, including Disaster Risk Management, Livelihood Security, Water, Sanitation and Health among others. One of the highlights of the initiative is the construction of a new boreholes in selected communities, which aims to address the challenge of clean water access in some communities in Wasambo. Additionally, the project will introduce disaster preparedness and response techniques to the communities.
During the meeting, Edwin Harawa chairperson for Malongo Village Development Committee shared his optimism about the future, stating, “This project will be very beneficial to our communities as it focuses on disaster preparedness as the Wasambo area is prone to flooding and it will equip up us with skills in disaster preparedness. The project will also improve our livelihoods as it will involve the leaning of new agricultural practices and to my fellow beneficiaries it is important that we are united and participate actively in this project to ensure its success”.
The project is being implemented by Karonga Diocese CADECOM with 1.3 Billion Kwacha funding from DAI Global in partnership with World Relief through the Episcopal Conference of Malawi and will target 4,160 households in the area of T/A Wasambo, Karonga. The Karonga Diocese CADECOM will be working with the District Executive Committee, District Environmental Sub Committees and Area and Village Development Committees during the implementation of the project.
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.
Empowering Communities: Karonga Diocese Donates Farm Inputs to Local Households
Diocese of Karonga through Community Transformation programme has lessened the worry of farmers in the area of Senior Traditional Authority Njikula in Rumphi by donating farm inputs to 99 households.
Speaking to Tuntufye FM, Karonga Diocese’s Vicar General Monsignor Laurent Dziko after the event on Friday 8th December 2023 said their aim is to see people from the area develop both physically and spiritually.
“As a a Catholic church just to be preaching the gospel to them is not enough we have also seen the need for us to help them to change in every area of their life as such providing these farm inputs was necessary so that when they plant and put into practice what our field officers teach them it will help them have bumper harvest “. He said.
He however, called on people to use the inputs accordingly so that the support rendered to them should yield positive results and change their lives for the better.
“Sometimes people think that just because they get something for free they can use the way they want which should not be the case because we have given these inputs with a purpose of changing their lives and if they put these inputs into good use it will surely change their lives”.
On his part is the Area Development Committee chairperson in the area Benson Matthews Maduna who asserts that he will make sure that the inputs given to the farmers are not misused and no one sells them through the aid of selected leaders who are to monitor these farmers.
Meanwhile in a separate interview with one of the beneficiaries Elizabeth Mkandawire expressed gratitude to the diocese for changing her life through the project as she will not worry about food now because she will harvest a lot with the farm inputs she has received.
Other consignments of similar, farm inputs will also be distributed to farmers in the areas of Kopakopa in Chitipa and Chankholombe in Karonga districts.
By Trifornia Mtawali
150 Dry Spell Survivors Receive Maize Donation
By Tawonga Chisale – TFM
About 150 dry spell survivors from Karonga South particularly of Lemero area have received relief maize donation from the Catholic Diocese of Karonga.
According to the Bishop’s and Pastoral Secretary of the Diocese, Father Robert Songa, the Diocese thought it wise to distribute a 50 kilogram of maize to each dry spell survivor because they see people suffering from hunger due to low crop yield which resulted from the dry spell that hit the district.
“The severe dry spell that hit the district gave us an indication that there will be hunger in the district. So as sought for financial support from people of the good will from Germany. They Church in Need responded immediately with a MK 24 million donation which we have used to buy maize which we are distributing in the Karonga and parts of Rumphi, particularly those people affected by the dry spell,” Father Songa said.
Father Songa added that the distribution of maize will be done in phases and each person will receive 50 kg bag of maize.
Father Songa has however urged people of good will to come in the district with any kind of support so that dry spell survivors should not perish due to starvation.
Commenting on the development, one of the beneficiaries Esther Kasimba commended the Diocese for the donation which she termed as timely as her family was already struggling to get food due the prolonged dry spell which hit the district in February this year.
“We are very delighted with the donation that the Diocese of Karonga is offering to us and it is my plea that everyone who has received the donation should not to sell it,” Kasimba said.
Karonga Diocese Dares Politicians
By Winkly Mwaulambo – TFM
The Catholic Diocese of Karonga has asked Christians not to be hand clappers of unrealistic political leaders who only show up when they need votes and varnish when people are in need.
Bishop’ and Pastoral Secretary of the Diocese Father Robert Songa made this call yesterday when he presided over a relief distribution ceremony of maize to people who were affected by the dry spell at Lemero Outstation.
Father Songa said it is pathetic to see people in immense challenges which ought to be solved by leaders they chose to represent them, but they are doing nothing in such areas.
“Its high time we have been hearing and seeing people clapping hands for such leaders promising heaven on earth during campaign times, but when voted into power they do not come back to the people’s rescue,” Father Songa bemoaned.
“Challenges are really hitting people hard in various societies, no medicine in hospitals, prices of goods are soaring every day, farmers cannot afford fertilizer, number of beneficiaries of AIP have dwindled this year, yet we have leaders who can bring solutions but we are seeing nothing at all,” Father Songa added.
He therefore, called on citizens to be vigilant and tell their leaders the truth when thing are not good they not fear them.
“I would want to remind you that the duty of politicians is not buying coffins when someone in your village dies. Do not only dance for them to give you a handouts which will not even sustain you, but tell them to develop your communities. Let them respond to your needs,” he further said.
Meanwhile, Father Songa has assured Christians of continued support from the diocese while advising them to take care of the food items they have received because it takes people of good will to provide such support.
Karonga Diocese with financial support of MK 24 million from Church in Need of Germany has reached out to 150 households which were affected by dry spell, and the distribution will also go to other parts of the diocese.
KARONGA DIOCESE ORIENTS BOARDING MASTERS AND MISTRESSES ON SAFEGUARDING POLICY
By Wantwa Mwakasungula
As a way of creating a safer and conducive learning environment in Catholic schools under the Diocese of Karonga, Safeguarding Office of the Diocese has today oriented Boarding Masters and Mistresses on Safeguarding Policy with the aim of protecting students in these schools against harm in line with Catholic Social Teaching.
The Diocesan Safeguarding Officer, Vincent Bwinga said the training aimed at reminding these teachers and other officers working in these schools on the importance of the Safeguarding Policy which protects children and vulnerable adults.
Bwinga further encouraged teachers and workers who work within Catholic institutions to take part in making sure that people are being supported accordingly without any violation.
Speaking to Tuntufye FM Online, one of the Boarding Masters, from St Mary’s Karonga Girls Secondary School, Ronald Chiona said this training will help them to do their job in a safer environment as students will realize the reason why they are at school.
He added that students are subjected to several abuses which affect their performance at school, but with these trainings they will able to reduce such abuses.
These Boarding Masters and Mistresses came from all Catholic Secondary Schools in Karonga Diocese.
Concerns over Newly Constructed Chitipa Slaughterhouse
By Wezzie Mwangonde*
Chitipa District Council is one of the councils that have received funding for development projects under the Governance to Enable Service Delivery (GESD) in the 2022/2023 financial year, one of which is the newly constructed slaughterhouse. This has raises concerns among Butchery Association members in the district due to their low participation and lack of some structures at the site.
In an interview, recently, Chitipa Butchery Association Chairperson, Siasa Nyondo said the Association has had low participation during the construction of the slaughterhouse, citing that none of their members was part of the project management committee.
Nyondo explained that some structures are missing at the site such as toilets, manure bin and inside tap water. This he said has left them with unanswered questions as they are still waiting for the council to invite them for the meeting to discuss the completion of the construction.
“The council only involved us during the project’s inception meeting where they committed to include one of us in the project management committee which did not happen until we saw the newly constructed structure on our own and the council has never invited us again. We are still waiting for them to invite us,” said Nyondo.
According to former Chitipa Civil Society Organisations Network Chairperson, Sydney Simwaka the contractor finished the construction of the slaughterhouse within the construction period from 7th December, 2022 to 7th March 2023, but said he is unable to respond to why the structure is not being utilized by the people till now.
He has also urged the people in the district to have interest in the projects that are constructed using public funds and participate fully in order to promote transparency and accountability in development activities in the country.
“The construction finished within the period but the council would be in a better position to respond as to why the slaughterhouse is not being utilized because we do not know the reasons. May be we need to wait for the handover ceremony,” explained Simwaka.
In his remarks, the owner of Mazangala Building Construction, Ranson Simbeye has confirmed that the slaughterhouse’ keys were handed over to the Chitipa District Council in September this year.
Simbeye said, the construction of toilets, houses and maintenance of feeder road to the slaughter house which has a lot of potholes were not part of the contractor’s job.
“We handed over the keys and everything is in the hands of the government. According to the bill of quantity (BOQ) construction of toilets and houses at the site were not part of the contract as well as maintenance of the feeder road,” said Simbeye.
Commenting on the matter, Chitipa District Council Director of Planning and Development Jossen Tembo said the relevant committees such as the Village Development and main market committee were engaged. He has attributed delays in opening the slaughterhouse to lack of electricity, vandalism of electrical cables and maintenance of the feeder road to the site.
He added that electricity and water were part of the project budget. Currently, the council is sourcing funds for the maintenance of the feeder road so that people can start using the structure.
“There are some vendors who are concurring with the sentiments of other market users that the slaughterhouse is located very far from the market, therefore, we want to engage them to start using the structure because it is theirs.”
National Local Governance Finance Committee Board Chairperson, Richard Chapweteka declined to comment saying he has not yet visited the site.
Chitipa District slaughterhouse is constructed in Chitipa Central Constituency at Yamba Ward by Mazangala Building Construction Company to the tune of K39,550,072.00 under GESD.
*Wezzie Mwangonde is Chief News Editor for Tuntufye FM of the Diocese of Karonga. She writes this story as part of the Voices of Accountability Programme.