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  No breaks on tomato & legume sales

  Balaka, 2019: Thirty year old Chimwemwe Matope, a mother of three, is a tomato, bean and onion prosperous seller at Mthandizi market at Balaka boma. She ventures into the business to make sure her family has food on the table and manages to support her children’s education.

  “I started this business six years ago when we sold our tomatoes and beans in the open grounds or poorly constructed shelters where we stood the scorching heat from the sun, chilly days.

  Heavy rains could soak our merchandise and forced us to give ourselves a sales’ breaks we never planned but I and some colleagues could not still abandon our business,” Matope recalls her difficult beginning.

  A turn of events occurred in 2016 when Balaka district council with support from National Local Government Finance Committee (NLGFC) constructed the market shelter where business runs without any interruption.

  From the proceeds I support my three children, one, my first born daughter is in form 3 at St. Louis Secondary school, second born sat for standard 8 exams at Balaka primary school and the last born is in standard 2 at Ngwangwa primary school.

  Above all, we constructed a 3 bedroomed house where we live with our children. My husband has a hardware shop where he sells bicycle spare parts and house construction materials.

  Matope hails from Mpezeni village, Traditional Authority Sawali in Balaka District.

  According to chairperson for Mthandizi, John Banda the market serves vendors ranging from 370 to 400 and says the space in the new shelter is still not enough because vegetable sellers still lack shelters and when rains come they stop selling.

  Banda recalls Malawi Local Government Accountability and Performance (LGAP) wanted to build a vegetable shelter but only drilled a borehole to enhance hygiene in the market.

  However, “We are very appreciative to the district council and NLGFC for putting up the facility (tomato, onion and legume shelter),” says the chairperson.

  Director of Public Works (DPW) Mr. Chifuniro Katengeza says “It is true, there is really need to construct shelter for vegetable sellers but due to financial constraints we have not been able to construct that facility. We will put this into our plans and will be considered later.”

   

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  Ntcheu stadium a source of smile and safety to communities

  Ntcheu, 2019: As a solution to low space at the old Ntcheu Community Center Ground, the district council identified construction of a magnificent stadium a priority issue to save lives and change the face of the district.

  “The community centre ground was too small and close to the M1 road and was not safe for users. The capacity of the new stadium is close to 20,000 people,” says District Commissioner Smart Gwedemula.

  Ideally, the project initiated in November 2017, was to be completed within a year, 2017-2018, however, there were some contributing factors that led to the delay of project completion.

  Acting Director of public works at Ntcheu district council, Godfrey Njoka says directorate of buildings (DoB), the project’s key supervisors, failed to timely produce and provide a benchmark for VIP drawings to the contractor, Plem Construction Limited.

  Nevertheless, at the rate the construction was going, Plem Construction Limited, Ntcheu Stadium Site Agent, Mustafa Ravda says, all things being equal, the project could be finished in the following 11 months (from 29^th July, 2019).

  The DC expresses disappointment after observing that technicians kept the challenge to themselves but was quick to say that he would take the necessary action to ensure the drawings were provided to the contractor.

  He commends Ntcheu residents who previously lived on land the stadium was being constructed for being cooperative during discussions on compensations which gave room for stadium construction.  

  “The council compensated people who occupied land where stadium is being constructed. Each was paid over MK1million on average to relocate to other places,” recalls Njoka.

  The stadium construction would cost close to MK 5 billion.

  Once operational, the facility would help generate revenue for the council by super league games that would use it as a backyard, conducting some events like rallies or meetings, wedding ceremonies, musical shows, school football competitions which would prevent the youth from indulging in immoral behaviors. 

   

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  Balaka & Chiradzulu, 2019: Fast learning Community Technical coll

  Students provide relief to contractors as they construct technical colleges which are designed to develop the youth in seven trades so as to reduce unemployment and poverty in the country.

  Before the technical college commences enrolling students, suitable structures, equipment and other requirements are first put in place so that students have a conducive environment for skills development.

  Among such requirements are equipped classrooms for teaching, workshops and work benches, space for exhibits in workshops, warehouses, fire extinguishers, lavatories, first aid and library facilities, college fence for security including proper drainage system.

  Administration block cannot be ruled out as it provides office accommodation for the college principal, the deputy principal, instructors and all other personnel recruited for smooth running of the college. 

  Principal of Khwisa Community technical college in Balaka, Steven Romoliwa says, “Two classroom blocks   and college fence you see were constructed by graduates from here. The drain too was constructed by students with help of a contractor. 

  The colleges of Khwisa and  Aida in Chiradzulu offer students seven trades namely renewable energy, fabrication and welding, plumbing, tailoring and fashion design, information and communication technology, carpentry and joinery and bricklaying.

  The trades are offered in partnership with Technical Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education Trust (TEVET).

  In carpentry and joinery according to acting principal of Aida College, Amos Kasambwe says the colleges produce products like display cabinets, chairs, dining sets and any furniture products. In fabrication and welding, steel beds, steel TV stands, small kitchen ware, steel windows, school desks and chairs.

  Khwisa and Aida technical colleges are transforming lives of the surrounding communities and beyond through supply of household products and skilled labour force.

  Romoliwa says graduates from the colleges employ themselves and or form their construction companies where they employ others from their localities or other areas.

  Additionally, students do industrial attachments with Chiradzulu and Balaka including surrounding districts of Blantyre, Zomba, Phalombe, Mulanje among others.

  Government’s idea of setting up community colleges in every district is, mostly, to empower the youth to be productive in their homes and the country at large.