Zomba City Launches its Clean-Up Day

By Lonjezo Jamu.

Chikalimba dumping waste in a bin- photo by Lonjezo Jamu

Following the official launch of National Clean-up day by President Lazarus Chakwera, Zomba City has launched its clean-up day on Friday at Mpunga market with a call to Zomba City residents to take cleanliness as a way of life.

The turn up during the launch was overwhelming with different individuals and stakeholders from various departments like Zomba City Council, Eastern Region Police, Cobbe Barracks, Southern Region Water Board, NGOs like LEAD, Banks among others.

In his remarks during the launch of the exercise Honourable John Chikalimba Member of Parliament for Zomba Changalume who was also the guest of honour urged Zomba residents and stakeholders to embrace the exercise wholeheartedly and keep their surrounding clean.

"It is very important that each one of us should keep the surrounding clean and cleanliness should be a way of life and I am urging you all to embrace this initiative wholeheartedly and let’s work together towards restoring the lost economic glory of Zomba,’’ he said.

Chikalimba further hailed the clean-up initiative by the president and encouraged Zomba residents to normalize the initiative and pass on the spirit to future generation.

Individuals sweeping during the launch of the exercise-photo by Lonjezo Jamu.

Mayor of Zomba City, Councillor Benson Bullah said the exercise will be conducted at ward level and in the near future he will launch a quarterly award that will be given to cleanest ward in the city.

‘Let’s take this exercise as something that will help to transform Zomba City and restore its beauty, in near future we will launch a quarterly award that will see cleanest ward walking away with,’’ he said.

The campaign under the theme of ‘Clean Environment, My Right and Responsibility urges Malawians to sweep their homes, workplaces and vicinities every second Friday in a month.

Waste management has been a very big challenge in the country especially in urban areas creating a room for manifestation of diseases that thrives in poorly managed environments.

 

 Building Climate Resilience in Zomba City

By Lonjezo Jamu.

Director of planning and development at Zomba City council Fred Nankuyu briefing Minister of Local Government Lingson Belekanyama about the project Model. (Photo by Lonjezo Jamu)

                  

Minister of local government Lingson Belekanyama has officially launched a project called Building Urban Climate Resilience for Southern-Eastern Africa. The project was launched at Gymkana ground in Zomba city with the aim of building Zomba City climate resilience.

Zomba city is one of the four cities in Southern-Eastern Africa countries whose proposal was approved for funding. The four years program has been launched following an outcry of natural disasters that surfaces due to climate change. The project among others will assist in developing capacities and establish conditions to adapt to the adverse effects of climate change.

In his speech during the launch of the project Belekanyama hailed the introduction of the project that it will positively impact people of Zomba and that they will be resilient to shocks of climate change and their lives will be protected.

“This project is very important as we all know that climate change has triggered various challenges and once this project is complete then residents of Zomba will be resilient to shocks of climate change and I am urging all stakeholders involved in the project to work diligently,” he said. 

Minister of Local Government Lingson Belekanyama Delivering his speech during the launch of the project at Gymkana Ground Zomba (Photo by Lonjezo Jamu)

The minister further called for cooperative efforts from different stakeholders for successful implementation of the project. He also urged residents of Zomba city to embrace the project wholeheartedly towards development of their communities and combating climate change at once and restoring the lost glory of Zomba city.

Concurring with Belekanyama, Professor Sosten Chiotha, Environmental Expert and Regional Director for LEADSEA stressed that locals should be committed towards the success of the project.

“There is need for locals to be committed and resetting their mind-set, play safe and follow resilience building, otherwise we might have other serious problems in future” he said.  

The project will be implemented by OXFAM Malawi and partners involved are UN habitat, LEADSEA, Department of Disaster Management Affairs, Red Cross Zomba and FRIM among others.

In her remarks OXFAM Country Director Lingaliren Mihowa said as a grant holder they will ensure that all conditions required for the success of the project are met, she further said that Zomba was singled out in order to address challenges that the city is facing due to climate change.

“OXFAM as a grant holder, will ensure that all the contractual obligation with adaptation fund are met, general oversight of the project, managing relationship with partners that are involved and making sure that all partners are inspired towards making sure that Zomba City Council can implement the project and meet its intended purpose,” she said.

“We were looking at the vulnerability of cities in order to test this urban climate resilience model on small cities so Zomba qualified due to its basis of vulnerability and in 2015 the city was affected by floods and deforestation is at large in the city” she further added.

The project among others will install city wide floods warning systems, construction of evacuation centres in Likangala, Sadzi and Chambo wards, solid waste management improvement, reconstruction of bridges and dams and city drainage capacity enhancement among others.

The two billion Kwacha overall project management will be undertaken by UN habitat project manager currently based in the department of disaster management affairs.

Meanwhile, Four Southern-Eastern African region cities in four countries namely Malawi, Mozambique, Comoros and Madagascar are expected to benefit from the project. 

 Irrigation Farming: Panacea of Holla’s Income Nightmare

By Lonjezo Jamu

Holla, Busy like a bee in his garden- Photo by Lonjezo Jamu

As a matter of addressing unemployment in Malawi, a Blantyre-Chirimba based farmer Edward Holla Ndau has hailed irrigation farming as a panacea of his financial limitations.

After exhausting all possible means of economic empowerment in 2008 he started irrigation farming on a small piece of land with a watering cane for almost a year till one day when visitors from an organisation called Peoples Federation for National Peace and development (PEFNAP) visited his garden and perhaps that was the turning point of his farming activities.

“After seeing my garden they stopped for a short chart and admired what I was doing and said they would help me with some resources to boost my farming.They later gave me K50,000 cash, 4 bags of fertilisers and 6 watering canes. This was the turning point of my farming activities,” he said.

Holla said the support improved his farming standards and was able to add more varieties of crops for growing at his garden and this led to increase of workload at the farm, he invited his three brothers and cousin to join forces and work together as a family. Currently, Holla has managed to secure job opportunity for three permanent employees and other part time workers and basically helping to address the issue of unemployment in the country.

Today, Holla grows crops such as Maize, Bananas, Mangoes, Sugarcane, Sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, Guavas and Paw Paws, just to mention a few. So far he has reliable customers whom he trade with. 

“Some of our main customers are Schools such Michiru Secondary Schools as well as vegetable traders from Limbe , Blantyre and Lunzu markets where we sell our produce at a whole sale price”, he said.

Meanwhile Executive Director for PEFENAP Edward Chaka has disclosed that he was impressed with Holla’s garden hence decided to stop by and help him to boost his irrigation farming. PEFNAP also provides entrepreneurship counselling to youth in different areas.

“We got attracted with his farming activities and briefly stopped there for short chart with him, we decided to give him some materials to help him to boost his irrigation activities. Our organisation also provides entrepreneurship counselling to youth so that their lives should be alleviated.

The irrigation farming has been a very good source of income for him and his siblings. On a good harvest period, he makes an income of not less than K200, 000 to K250, 000 and that he harvests three times a year apart from that he also rear livestock such as cattle, pigs and goats.

He said although he dropped out from school in form one to look after his siblings he is now able to pay school fees for his siblings who are attending different schools in the country.