WATER AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANT PROJECT TO IMPLOVE WATER SCARCITY

As one way of minimizing the challenges of water scarcity, the Water and Environmental consultant project to build extra dams in most places in the Northern region.
This was revealed on surtaday when the members of Water and Environmental consultant project called upon the youths to involve in data collection in part of areas in Mzuzu city in order to address and hear the views of people as long as water is concerned.
Speaking in an interview the water and environmental consultant project manager Madalitso Chizumira said water and environmental consultant project is one of the main solutions that will help to build the relationship between the Water board and its customers so as to increase the number of dams to improve better access to quality water.
“We are running this project in the northern region to hear the challenges that most people are facing that is as a result of water scarcity, on this we are focusing on the amount of water that they are able to use per day”
Despite the project the water and environmental consultant is running to help the communities, this has also helped the youths financially.
“As for the youths we have benefited from this project since it has helped us to build our CV’s and also to find a lot of money “.Dickson Banda said.
He added that most of the youths who are participating in this project are those people who are jobless hence most youths have benefited.

MIJ MOTIVATES STUDENTS THROUGH PUBLIC SPEAKING
As one way of motivating students, Malawi institute of journalism has organized a public speaking competition.
Speaking during the public speaking competition the communications lecture Anderson Gowa said public speaking is the only way students can get motivated and develop confidence.
“We can see a change among our students because they are developing self-confidence and able to practice what they were taught in class.”
One of the participants who emerge as the winner Charles Banda has outlined some of the ways that has contributed to his performance as to have good time for practices and research.
“If i was to practice much on the topic that I presented I could have done much better, however space and time were limited.”
Commenting on the issue one of the participants who won on position two Francis Kanyani is motivated through public speaking and encourages other students to use proper techniques whenever attending such functions.
“It only requires us to focus on the trending issues so as to meet the needs of the judges and they were fair since participants were chosen randomly”
The guest of owner Austin Masangwali has encouraged some students to work extra hard and asked Malawi institute of journalism to continue training their students through the initiative.
“I was once a student for MIJ time back, during out time there were no cameras and the initiative that MIJ is offering hence the coming of these will boost the journalism profession.
He added that it is very worrisome to note that most girls were left behind out of the few participants hence should also practice much to use the materials that they have been taught in class.

Mzuzu police victim support unit with other organizations are working hand in hand to keep young girls of below 18 years of age to school.

According to the office in charge of Mzuzu Police Victim Support Unit, Brown Ngalu as a unit we reach out to more people with the message of the evils of child marriages.
“Schools and communities are main corners where messages are passed through traditional readers and teachers”
Ngalu added that apart from sensitizing the members of the public on the evils of child marriages, these organizations have formed a mobile court so that if there is any case in a community concerning child right violation action should be taken using this platform.
Although statistics has indicated 38% of children who have been currently engaged in early marriages comparing to 2018 which was 37%, Malawi has negatively affected by the issues of cultural practices.
“Some cultural practices force young children to drop out of school, and this part of the country Mulanje which has encountered a high rate in early marriages due to initiation ceremonies as a meeting ground for girls to please men”
The spokesperson of social welfare department Chimwemwe Madise has emphasized on some strategies that are used to end up child marriages.
“Through meeting and enforcement of the roles by the courts and police has helped the act of ending child marriages”
In his remarks during an interview Madise has provided a situation when a child is raped, the ATTORNEY CENTER which includes the hospital sectors, Education, and other sectors has to play their roles to make sure that the right for a child is protected.

cleaning up excise at Katete hospital in Mzimba organised by  Nzikubora youth network.

Jombo ward councilor has organized sports competition among the youths at his ward.
According to Jombo ward councilor Lusubiro Mwangonde said that the aim of organizing the sports competition is to keep the youths out of in act move.
“As we know that youths engage in risky behaviors, it was good for me to make them participate in these sporting activities so as to bring them together and they should be able to share some weakness”.
However Mwangonde added that in doing so, youths are able to involve in development programs as they realize about their future of becoming readers of tomorrow.
Speaking in an interview one of the youths who were present, Linda Banda said that the fact behind challenges faced by youths at Jombo ward have historically been associated with a variety of negative outcomes which includes immoral act and lack of motivation.
“Through the sporting activities we are being motivated and this will help us to realize our goals and share experience with one another as we will be spending much of our time doing sporting activities rather than doing in act move.”

Malawi institute of journalism has partnered with the Ngonde’s as to learn more from their culture
Speaking in an interview, the village headman Mwamupaghatwa has complained that the Ngonde’s culture is dying as the coming in of technology.
“Our ancestors used to dance traditional dances whenever there is a funnel and also during the harvesting season but technology have to splash them away”
Commenting on the issue one of the ancestor in the village, Saidana Mvura said it really takes someone to realize his culture and drive the whole village with power.
“Some of the things that we used to do during our time like dances have become the history of Ngondes culture, since parents shows no interest to teach their children”.
One of the students who presented the Malawi Institute of Journalism, Winkly Maulambo has encouraged parents to take their children’s to school as also a means of learning how Ngondes culture can be preserved.
“Culture on its own without education is nothing, we learn different ways on how this culture can be preserved as highlighted in society and culture coarse”.

Katoto secondary school students moves to clean mzuzu city town on Friday 1st March 2019 aiming to maintain sanitation.
Speaking in an interview with the patron for Katoto Secondary School sanitation Agnes Gondwe Said keeping the town clean is one way of preventing diseases that spread due to improper hygiene.
“Our city is not giving a picture that the city council is taking an action to make it clean, despite it is good to take action so that we may show the example to bring sanitation in Mzuzu city”
She added that everyone should be responsible to bring about sanitation in Mzuzu because it takes someone to take an action in order to prevent diseases.
Commenting on the issue the sanitation prefect for katoto secondary sanitation club Paul Nyirenda has thanked his fellow students for being responsible for their town as they wait to bring a change in Mzuzu city.
According to the chairperson for Mzuzu main Market Peter Majawa said there is really a big challenge when it comes to sanitation in Mzuzu Market which comes due to careless littering and when rain comes it splashes away with water hence the town is not in good shape.
“We also have people who are cooking and selling food such as nsima, rice, bananas and corns when they wash their staffs they just throw anyhow. As a result we see rubbish scattering everywhere.

THE COMING IN OF TAXI’S THREATENS MINIBUS BUSINESSES AT MZUZU BUS DEPORT
The Mzuzu bus depot committee vice Chairperson has raised his concerns over lowering of minibus businesses at Mzuzu bus depot.
Speaking in an interview, the vice chairman for Mzuzu bus depot committee Zikwenda Harawa said minibus drivers are losing customers everyday due to the coming in of taxis.
“Passengers are willing to travel by taxi because it does not delays their journey, despite this is becoming a challenge to those people who are likely to depend on minibus business since they don’t make a lot of money to raise their families.”
However one on the taxi drivers at Katoto rank, James Nyirondo excitedly confirmed that taxi business is really benefiting him because he is able to pay school fees for his children and pay bills at his home.
“At first when I started a taxi business I thought of doing other things because we were not making profits and it was very challengeable to find a lift on taxi just to reach in Mzimba and at a far distance”
Nyirongo added that taxis are now reaching at a far distance at a fair price which is becoming easier for those passengers that are on hurry.
Commenting on the issue one of the passengers at Katoto rank, Spiwie Kondowe said a 6 hour journey traveling on a minibus it turns to an 8 hour distance.
“We never given a chance to depart at the recommended time when else we travel by bus, it take us much time to wait for the passengers to fill the bus”.

As one way of imparting knowledge to students, Mzuzu prison girl’s school has thought it wisely to introduce computer studies to enable students to enhance a specific area of interest or skill.
Speaking in an interview the headmaster for Prison girl’s school, Kondwani Nyirenda said failure to prepare students in computer studies hinders their goals of either becoming digital creators or digital consumers.
“Simply understanding how to use a program does not make you a qualified educator but this will help our students to focus on the applications of computer technology in businesses.”
Nyirenda has explained that the school will be able to provide short courses in computer studies of various categories which include Microsoft office, excel, web designing and other programs as long as computer studies is concerned.
Although the deputy headmaster Sylvester Kiokwa has revealed that two computers will be available only for form four students as a starter to train 40 students, this will stand a chance to boost their skills and bridges the gap between student’s technology experiences its functional use and purpose in the future.

Mzuzu game reserve has restricted their rules over people entering in Sanctuary without permission.
Speaking in an interview the division officer Peter ward has said this on surtady 9th march when mzuzu government students visited mzuzu sanctuary for education purposes.
“People are entering in the game reserve even during night hours especially those people surrounding this area”
He added that back in days people were being given a chance to enter in Sanctuary if asks for permission, hence it has been an advantage to take the risk aiming at poaching and charcoal burning.
“Since Mzuzu game reserve is one of the tourism Centre in the northern region, individuals have the responsibility to protect the nature environment and resources as well as right to report on individuals involving in such practices which include deforestation and other things.”
According to George Chipofya one of the workers at Mzuzu game reserve people were taking the rules for granted despite the punishment given to them were not stiff.
“Workers are really doing their best to protect the forest but due to illegal entry it has been a challenge to conserve the wildlife”
Despite challenges we face, this can endangers some people’s life since there are some animals that passes during the night hours Chipofya said.