Karonga Diocese Steps Up Child Rights Safeguarding
By Princess Temwa Kamanga
As one way of ensuring protection of children’s rights, the Catholic Diocese of Karonga has oriented its employees and those working in its institutions on the safeguarding policy.
After one of the orientation sessions organized for primary school teachers at St Mary’s Boys Primary School, the diocesan Pastoral Secretary, Father Joseph Sikwese said it is everyone’s responsibility to make sure that children’s rights are protected, at all cost, from all forms of violence regardless of the age of the child.
According to Fr. Sikwese, violence of different forms occurs to children in all communities but people take it as a way of life which should not be the case.
“The main purpose of training is to tell and teach all those working in the institutions of the diocese to know the evils and implications that come after violating a child’s rights. They should work with children without complicating their wellbeing because children are human beings and need not to live in fear”, explained Fr Sikwese.
In his remarks, Karonga Diocese Desk Officer for Justice and Peace Mr. Louis Nkhata said the project targets all Catholic institutions to make sure all rights are protected for the wellbeing of the children as well as employees.
“As a diocese, we will make sure everyone working in this diocese and in our schools is protected to end violence and ensure that children are projected”, added Nkhata.
One of the teachers at St Mary’s Boys Primary School, Pachani Vitowe Kaonga, commended the Diocese for the policy which she said will assist her in handling children and see to it that their rights are protected at school.
At the end of the training, teachers signed the code of conduct for safeguarding children. A similar exercise has been done in all schools, parishes and institutions under the Diocese of Karonga.
St Mary’s Parish Scouts Reach Out to Inmates at Karonga Prison
By Princess Temwa Kamanga
Catholic Scouts from St Mary’s Parish under the Diocese of Karonga, led by Catechist Dominic Nkhambule, on Saturday, 7 March, 2021, visited Karonga Prison where they donated three cartons of soap to assist in the fight against Covid-19.
Speaking on behalf of her fellow Scouts, Jacqueline Njovuyalema said they decided to reach out to those in need, especially at this time when the second wave of the various is affecting many people, as part of their Lenten observance.
“As St Mary’s Scout members, we took it upon ourselves to reach out to Karonga prisoners in this Lenten season and help out in the fight against covid 19 pandemic,” Njobvuyalema explains.
She further asks other Christians and people of goodwill to reach out and help those in need in one way or the other.
In his remarks, Karonga Prison Chaplain McDonald Matope, expresses his gratitude calling it a timely donation as it has come when the whole world is fighting against Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr Matope has pleaded with other well-wishers help with other items like hand sanitizers and Chlorine just to mention a few.
“I am very happy with the donation made by St Mary’s Catholic Scouts, as it has come at the right time. We are facing a number of challenges in this pandemic which need urgent attention. I humbly request for other well-wishers to help in other ways,” McDonald Matope explains.
During the Lenten Season, Catholics are encouraged to pray, fast and give alms to the those in need. This year’s theme for the Diocese of Karonga is Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy, where visiting prisoners is among the seven corporal works of mercy.
Vicar General Launches COVID-19 Relief Distribution
By Maureen Pity Soko
Responding to the hunger situation and the hardships people are going through in the country due to Covid-19 pandemic, the Diocese of Karonga on Tuesday launched Food Relief Distribution at Lughali in the area of Principal Group Village Head Kayuni, under the Traditional Authority (T/A) Kyungu in Karonga District where one hundred (100) households received 3 (50 kilogram) bags of maize and 20 kilograms of beans each.
Speaking during the launch, the Vicar General Monsignor Denis Chitete, said it is the duty and mission of the diocese to always come in and assist the poor and vulnerable especially during difficult times.
“As a diocese, we think it’s our duty, calling and mission to always identify with the poorest of the poor especially in difficult times. In the midst of Covid-19 we deemed it important that we should come up with a project to give food relief mainly to the elderly and vulnerable to protect their lives as well as boosting their immune system.” said the Vicar General.
Monsignor Chitete further condemned the act of killing elderly people on witchcraft allegations. He said the diocese will continue condemning such acts as it is done to people who are poor and less privileged.
“What has been happening in this area is inhuman and discouraging. We said we will stop all projects and activities in such areas but due to the pandemic, the Bishop has decided to help. As diocese we will continue to condemn such acts because the ones to suffer are the less privileged and it is counterproductive,” the Vicar General said.
Receiving the donation, Area Development Committee (ADC) Chairperson for Lupembe Orwin Ndovi, expressed gratitude as the donation will help the people, especially the elderly, as they were failing to find food for themselves.
“I am thankfulness to the Bishop and the whole Diocese of Karonga for the donation. The Food items will help my people as they struggle to source for themselves, especially the elderly,” Ndovi said.
Catholic Scouts of the Diocese of Karonga are leading the relief distribution exercise after identifying and verifying beneficiaries. A similar exercise will be done in Mpata and Nyungwe respectively.
Kolping Family Transforming Lives
By Maureen Soko
The Diocese of Karonga has appealed to Kolping Family members to collaborate as they are all working towards spiritual and economic elevation.
Father Lorent Dziko, The Chaplain of Lay Movements and a Parish Priest for St John Paul II in the Diocese made the remarks after a three days supervision exercise in four parishes.
In his speech, he urged members to work together and learn from each other so that they can grow together spiritually and participate in agricultural activities to ensure food security in every household.
Father Dziko also appreciated the way families are able to work together to change their lives through the programme. He, however, asked the members to exercise patience as there has been a delay in distribution of some livestock due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Speaking with one of the members of Ibanda Kolping Family under St. John Paul II in Chitipa, Robert Kabaghe said Kolping program has helped them in so many ways like, the use of organic manure which is cheaper that chemical fertilizer and they are able to make money from the products made from farm produce and saving of money in their groups.
“Before joining Kolping we couldn’t yield more because fertilizer is very expensive for some of us to afford. But now through trainings that we undergo in Kolping we are able to make manure which we use in our gardens,” Kabaghe said.
Kabaghe also further expressed how much success he has gained in the Kolping Family.
“Through farming I was able to build my own house and now am looking forward to build another one for rent,” he added.
Concurring with Kabaghe, Lucia Gondwe, of Chimwemwe Kolping Family at Thabiro under St Apollonia Parish in Karonga, said this program has improved her life and she is able to find all necessities on her own.
“Now I am food secure. I am able to support and provide for my family. I am also able to honour my contributions to the Church like tithes, annual harvest and other Church offerings without struggles as it was before,” she said.
However, all Kolping Families in all the four parishes visited cited water as the main challenge to their irrigation farming drive. During the visits also included other taskforce members like Father Mathews Simwera and Prosperina Shaba who together toured 7 Kolping Families in Chitipa and Karonga.
PET conducted at Hara Maternity wing
By Lestina Sanga
‘Public resources need to be well accounted for’, Mr Msukwa, the Karonga District Council Finance Committee Chairperson. This was stated in his speech during Public Expenditure Tracking (PET) dissemination for the Construction of Hara maternity wing at Chankholombe School.
the PET dissemination was organised by the Justice and Peace Desk of Karonga Diocese under the Project OSISA Health Governance. under this project, the Desk has managed to empower community members to following up on expenditures as well as projects done using resources from public funding baskets. the desk has volunteers known as the Public Expenditure Tracking (PET) Focal Team, who spearhead the tracking system and empower others. the purpose of the PET process is to ensure that there is transparency and accountability in the management of funds in the Health Sector.
Hara Maternity Wing was constructed using Community Managed Social Economic Fund. By design is the project under the fund is supposed to be managed by the community members, who receive training and technical guidance from the district councils relevant officers. However, Hara Maternity wing was constructed with no monitoring and supervision from the Council, the committees chosen did not have enough training, which affected the management of the contract with the Contractor and procurement of building materials problematic.
From the PET conducted, an amount of about MK 65,000 was misappropriated, including other already procured materials. It was also revealed by the Project Implementation team that MK 500,000 was taken forcefully by the contractor.
On way forward it was recommended that there should be New Project Management team to continue the project when funds are mobilized, the one present was doubled as the Health Center Management Committee and Project Implementation Team. so the project lacked local oversight and monitoring.
Elderly Woman Celebrates New High Yielding Bean Variety (NUA 45)
By Jimmy Mgamba
Grace Mkandawire of Hanania Village aged 64 is an old woman living with her husband Steven Usipa aged 69. God blessed them with 4 children and 5 grand children (M3, F6) and their 3 daughters were married but returned home, to live with them, when their marriages failed. Both hail from the same village, Hanania, Traditional Authority Kachulu.
Grace Kandawire and Steven Usipa are participants in (Access plus) A+ Project which started in October, 2019 and fall under a criterion of elderly people. The couple is among elderly families living in Hanania Village. Grace and her husband depend on farming for their own and livelihood of their daughters and five grandchildren.
In spite of their old age, Grace and Steven attended almost all training sessions organized by the project. In that way, the project assisted them with 2 kilograms of new variety of beans, known as NUA 45, which they planted in December, 2019. Grace intercropped the beans with maize and planted on an acre of land. The family grows other crops such as Cassava, Sweet potatoes.
Grace Mkandawire thanks the project for coming with such initiative of supporting farmers with certified seeds which have approved already high yield. This was the first time for the family to grow high yield variety of beans which matures in 60 days. From the 2 kilograms of NUA beans she planted, Grace expects to get between 80 and 120 kilogrammes of beans. The family plans to plant more beans during winter cropping for food and commercial purposes.
“Relish will not be a challenge any more this year since we will have lots of beans,” said grace.
A+ Project, under the Development Desk of the Diocese of Karonga, gives hope to more families, like that of Grace Mkandawire, who have seen the goodness of planting certified seed and follow instructions from field officers.
The project procured NUA 45 bean seed to support such old vulnerable families who are also keeping grand children and orphans in their homes. Grace actively participates in all the interventions being implemented in the area by the Diocese of Karonga, namely; irrigation, livestock pass on, village saving and loans (VSL) and Conservation Agriculture (CA) just to mention a few.
Grace Mkandawire hails A+ Project for applying this approach, known as Strength Based Approach which really will change the mindset of their fellow farmers in the community who fix their mind on handouts unlike putting their energy and efforts on crop production.
Steven Usipa, the husband to Grace, also belongs to a group called Tiwonge Village Savings and Loan group which has 26 members (5 males and 26 females). The grouping was established by the A+ Project in March, 2019.
The Karonga Diocese – development desk with funding from Caritas Australia is implementing a 3 year A+ project within Traditional Authority Kachulu and Mwalweni in Nchenachena Extension Area, Rumphi District.
Communities in Chisankhwa Take Initiative to Construct Colbelt Pit Latrines for the Elderly
By Leah Nyondo
Communities of James and Ngulumbi villages in Chisankhwa have identified two vulnerable households whom they will assist in constructing a colbelt pit latrine, under the WASH project funded by Cross Catholic Outreach.
Karonga Diocese, through the Development Desk, is promoting the use of colbelt pit latrines because they use locally available resources, hence affordable. Construction does not require the use of wood as it the case with pit latrines being used in the area making them environmental friendly.
During this exercise, communities were asked to provide food for the local artisans (sanitation entrepreneurs), bricks, water and all other unskilled labour. This exercise is being carried out as one way of fulfilling one of the principles of Catholic Social Teaching, “love for the poor” and is expected to spread to all areas in the project impact area.
These modern toilets will also serve as demonstration for local communities to see and easily adopt for use in their households.
One of the beneficiaries, an elderly woman named Nambene, said her son used to construct shallow pit latrines which could not last two years. She hailed the initiative since colbelt toilets last a longer time before another one is needed.
“This initiative reminds me of our olden days when communities could come together to assist the elderly and underprivileged members of the society. I used to believe that this community spirit is far gone until today,” she said.
The project, which also has a spiritual component, aims at letting the poor feel the love of God by taking up small initiatives within the community’s capacity for people to feel the love of God through charity works.
Not only is the project providing development work, we must understand the project is under the Church. As much as it ensures people have access to safe and portable water, it is also there to ensure it brings people it serves closer to God.
This initiative will be scaled up to spread to all areas in the project impact area.
photo showing the current toilet being used by one of the beneficiaries
The toilet in construction
Bishop Mtumbuka Dedicates St Pius Catholic Church
By Ignatius Mvula
After waiting for almost a year, Christians of Wiliro Zone under St Joseph the Worker Cathedral, were all smiles at Bishop Martin Anwel Mtumbuka consecrated St Pius XI Prayer House on 10th November, 2019. The official opening of the Church drew hundreds of Christians from other with the jurisdiction of the Cathedral parish.
In his homily, Bishop Mtumbuka reminded the faithful of the significance of this church building as house of prayer. He was quick to warn the faithful that the church is the presence of God among them. He stressed that the church house is not like any other house because it is a house where people meet God and God meets His people.
“My dear brothers and sisters gathered here and all of you who are following us on our radio, get it very clearly here, this house of prayer has unique role in our Christian life, it is the presence of God among us,”
“We must always bear in mind that our hearts, too, are supposed to be the dwelling place of God. We must strive to live a life of holiness,” said the Bishop.
Commenting on the role of the faithful in the construction of the church, Bishop Mtumbuka expressed gratitude for this real sign of cultivating a self reliant church.
Speaking on behalf of the faithful of the St Joseph the Worker, Mons Denis Chitete thanked the Bishop for dedicating the prayer house. He also appreciated the contributions of all people towards the construction of the church.
The Catholic faith reached Wiliro in 1945, through the missionary work of Missionaries of Africa, also known as White Fathers. The Missionaries of Africa are this year celebrating 150 years of missionary work in Africa.
Village Headman Kenani Allocates Land to St Mary’s Parish for Church Construction
By Phillip Chisi
On Sunday 27 October, 2019, Village Headman Kenani and elders under Vilangale Traditional Area offered a piece of land for the construction of prayer center for Catholic Church.
In his speech, the traditional leader said spiritual development of the area has been his major concern. He appealed to the Diocese of Karonga, St Mary’s Parish in particular, to utilize the land for the evangelization of the area which has been isolated from religious life for many years.
During the meeting, the traditional leader also appealed to the Diocese of Karonga to take over the proprietorship of VIlangale Primary School.
In his remarks, Parish Priest for St Mary’s Parish Father Joseph Sikwese assured the community that the parish will do its best to ensure that the area is evangelized and develop structures both at Vilangale Primary School and the prayer centre as soon as the parish finds enough resources to do so.
Vilangale is one of the substations in St Mary’s Parish under Ntchowo Zone and is situated 23 kilometers away from St Mary’s Parish Center. The area is very rocky and the road to the area is very rough making it an isolated area in many aspects.
CADECOM Vocational Skills Training Giving Second Chances to Men in Chisenga
By Bridget mushani
Even at village level, people can only hire people with a certain level of proficiency in a trade, people claim to be theirs. The case of Chimwemwe Nyondo, was not different whose problems began when he had just gotten married. He was weighed down by poverty which was roaming around his life like a roaring hungry lion looking for fresh to devour.
Negative thoughts engulfed the 29-year-old Chimwemwe Nyondo, who does not even want to mention the troubles he has gone through, but now he is happy with the timely rescue by the Development Desk of the Diocese of Karonga, known among the people as CADECOM.
Chimwemwe Nyondo, from Nakalase Village in Traditional Authority Mwenewenya in Chitipa District, was trained in carpentry under the informal vocational skills training programme under the Integrated Rural Development Project. He is one of the many beneficiaries bearing testimony that if an individual is empowered with vocational skills their life, and that of their community, is transformed.
“I used to be a builder with just little knowledge and it was not easy to secure a building contract in the village. With limited means of earning income, I was finding it hard to manage my family which disturbed peace at home most of the times,”
“Thanks to the training he had with CADECOM which has restored peace and love in our family once again,” narrates Chimwemwe.
“I used to stay idle, but thanks to CADECOM and the Catholic Church, my story is a bitter-sweet story. I enrolled on CADECOM vocational skills training program. At first I did not have courage to enroll since I had knowledge in brick laying. But I shoved out that fear, learnt the trade and here I am making a living out of carpentry,” says Nyondo with, a lovely smile of hope.
CADECOM an arm of Karonga Diocese is offering different opportunities (Bricklaying, Carpentry and Tailoring) in the area for community members who did not go farther with their education. Thus individuals in various villages are learning vocational skills under the able hands of experienced trainers.
“People in the village are giving me business nowadays; I make beds, door frames and shutters, windows, stools for them. This has also added value to my building trade such that now I build and roof houses. I am making a living through self-employment, which I could not do before. In a good month, I make 50,000 Kwacha which is more than enough to feed and clothe my family by village standards.
“At the moment, I have an assurance of a solid future with all basic necessities at my disposal if I continue working hard and perfecting my skills,” speaks out Chimwemwe while roofing a house and putting a door shutter.
Chimwemwe Nyondo on his uniform: A beneficially of CADECOM Karonga Diocese Vocational skills program