On Monday, 7 October 2013 we went to St. Monica Nursery School which is one of the five Nursery Schools of Andiamo Youth Cooperative Trust to appreciate what we are offering to the future leaders. The following is what we saw.
Kids enjoying see saw
Kids on cloud 9
Playing alone
“We are happy here”
Don Cesare caught in action
Time to go back in class
By Our Reporter
A Secondary School Student reading her copy of the “Programme of Life”
Students of Andiamo Education Institutions (AEI) will remember Sunday, 6 September as the day they were given what Fr. Mario Pacifici calls “Programme of Life” for this academic year.
This programme of life comes from 1 Timothy 6: 2 – 12. Students and staff of AEI are reminded that any one who does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching which accords with godliness, is puffed up with conceit, knows nothing; has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among men who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.
In this Programme of Life students and staff are also reminded that there is great gain in godliness with contentment; “for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world; but if we have food and clothing, with these we shall be content.”
Through these words of Timothy, Fr. Mario is asking the AEI community to shun all this. Instead, they must aim at righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
During his homily Fr. Mario challenged the students that if they follow this programme, they will achieve a lot.
On the financial scams hitting the Capital Hill, Fr. Mario says as the future leaders of tomorrow, the country will have less of these scandals if students are groomed right when they are in the school hence the “Programme of Life”.
During the same mass some students from both the Secondary and Technical Schools sang some songs in front of the congregation. Also present to show their gift of singing were primary school students around AEI campus.
Primary School Students showing their talents
Secondary School students
Part of the congregation
Fr. Mario addressing the congregation
Technical students singing
By Our Reporter
File Photo: On the opening day of Kapandatsitsi Nursery School
Andiamo Nursery Schools continue to offer their services to kids of Malawi thanks to organisations and individuals of good will from Italy. Since the opening of the new academic year, turn up for the kids in all the nursery schools had been impressive.
On the opening day of school St. Monica, registered 141 kids but on 19 September, the number went as high as 288; John Paul II had 147 on the opening day and the highest number of kids was on 30 September when it registered 169 kids; Kapandatsitsi registered 135 on the opening day but the number shot to 158 on 30 September; and at Chimwemwe Nursery School, only 105 were present on the opening day but on 24 September the school registered 172 kids.
Chimwemwe Nursery School did not have lessons on 18 September because the school lost one child. May his soul Rest in Eternal Peace.
By Our Reporter
The date is set for the celebrations of 35 years of Alleluya band. It is 9 November 2013. The venue is Andiamo ground. To have a colourful event, an open stage is being constructed. Look out for this space as we continue to give you information for this big day in the history of Malawi’s music.
An open stage under construction
The rear view of the stage
The strong roof for the stage
Andiamo workers busy finalising the work
By Our Reporter
Alleluya Band in Italy earlier this year
All roads lead to Nkopola Lodge in Mangochi for the Sunbird Sand Music Festival, which starts on Friday, 4 September.
Unlike last year’s festival that had many hiccups, this year’s promises to be the best if we have to go by what the organisers of this international festival are saying.
Lucius Banda who is the Coordinator of this festival says last year was “a learning experience” to them.
This being an international festival, there are many musicians coming to spice up this event. Names are mentioned of South Africa’s Big Nuzz, Professor, Nikki from Zimbabwe and many more.
Though Alleluya band is not mentioned anywhere in the papers, this oldest and most experienced band will be performing on Saturday from 4 to 6 pm.
As the band is set to celebrate its 35 years of singing life with joy on November 9, this three day event should also be a reason for the band to look back and say: we have contributed greatly to the music industry in Malawi.
Right there at the function, there will be Paul Banda, playing together with the band he helped to form.
Lucius Banda, a brother to Paul, the one coordinating the festival, is too the fruit of Alleluya band.
Didn’t I hear that the festival would start with Alleluya Quintet, which has Coss Chiwalo and former band members of Alleluya band?
Isn’t all this reason enough to celebrate Alleluya band’s 35 years of singing life and joy? 9 November 2013 is the day we all converge in Balaka to celebrate with this band!
By Our Reporter
There is excitement at Andiamo Education Institutions (AEI) campus. Problems that come with the costs of printing books, examinations… are but history. The campus has a brand new Riso Comcolor 7050. This makes AEI campus the only in Malawi to have this state of art printing machine.
Don Alfredo Maggioni and his parishioners of Cernusco Lombardone (MI) in Italy donated the machine. Zikomo kwambiri! Grazie Mille!
Fr. Mario (R) and Alessandro Marchetti (2nd from L) pose with the technicians
Waiting patiently
Malawian technicians doing their part
Fixing every part correctly
“Follow these instructions”
“It takes time”
Testing! Testing!
By Our Reporter
Private heath facilities like Comfort Community Hospital must be ready to accommodate more patients as drug shortage is expected to continue to bite Malawians.
According to The Nation of October 2 2013 the government of Malawi has only committed K6 billion (12.5 Million Euros) towards the national medical supplies and medicines demand pegged at K11 billion (22.9 million Euros).
Meanwhile the Malawi Health Equity Network (Mhen) executive director Martha Kwataine has described the K6 billion shortfall as not healthy for a country like Malawi with a booming population and diseases.
However, Kwataine says the government alone cannot fight the shortage and according to The Nation newspaper, there is need to enhance paying services in government hospitals.
Earlier this year the drug shortage hit the public hospitals forcing patients, majority of whom poor, to buy drugs from private health facilities.
By Our Reporter
George Mashepa (far left) and Yohane Konde (Right) posing with some of the students at Technological Pole
With pride and delight Andiamo Technological Pole informs the general public that the June 2013 City & Guilds Exams Sessions results are out. All students who sat for the examinations have all passed. And with distinction. This represents the college’s unbeaten record of 100% pass rate.
“We dearly applause the Students and the Staff of Andiamo Technological Pole for their bursting dedication towards the college’s goals, says Mr. Y. Konde the principal of the Andiamo Technological pole. “Andiamo Tech Pole at its best, walking together with technology, thanks the results have spoken for us” he continues.
As the academic year has started, places are still available, come enroll today!
YCS students on a charity mission
Moved by the Gospel readings of Sunday, 29 September, Fr. Mario Pacifici and Don Cesare have introduced a fund which they call “Joy of Sharing” fund to help the needy both within the campus of Andiamo Education Institutions (AEI) and outside.
Speaking during the Sunday’s mass celebration, Fr. Mario disclosed that together with Don Cesare, they have raised K50, 000 and that they expect the staff of AEI and some students to contribute the little they have so that others may get the needed help.
“We [Fr. Mario and Don Cesare] will also contribute an equal amount of any amount that you, students contribute,” promised Fr. Mario.
The Gospel reading was from Luke 16: 19 – 31. The Gospel talks of a rich man who used to dress in purple and fine linen and feast magnificently every day and a poor man Lazarus who used to lie at the former’s gate covered with sores, who longed to fill himself with what fell from the rich man’s table.
Then it happened that both died and Lazarus was carried away by the angels into Abraham’s embrace.
In his torment in Hades the rich man looked up and saw Abraham a long way off with Lazarus in his embrace.
He cried out, “Father Abraham, pity me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in agony in these flames.”
Abraham reminded him what used to happen when both were on earth. He also told him that between them “a great gulf has been fixed” to prevent those who want to cross from one side to the other.
The rich man then asks Abraham to send Lazarus to his father’s house to warn his five brothers that “they do not come to this place of torment too.”
Abraham says: “They have Moses and the prophets, let them listen to them.”
Fr. Mario believes that the introduction of “Joy of Sharing” fund will help the AEI community to embrace the spirit of giving with joy.
By Our Reporter
Alarm clock installed at the water tank
A new alarm clock has been installed at the tank of A.E.I campus. In spite of its duty to remind us of time, it symbolizes the attitude we want in our community; to do everything on time.
Mario Creatini with fellow electricians at the CCH maternity wing
The alarm has been donated by Mario Creatini; an electrian volunteer from Rosignano in Italy. Creatini is well-known to us for the support in most electrical equipments.
Emmanuel Njoloma with Mario Creatini in the alarm’s control room
In respect to this welcome development, Fr. Mario Pacifici directs that we be masters of the time and not slaves of it, that it enables us plan ahead and eventually succeed.
This development concurs with what Patrick Bwanali; A.E.I coordinator wrote in our ‘share newsletter’ of September 03, 2012, where he valued the habits of order and punctuality. We again echo and empower the same words to our students and our staff that punctuality enhances development.
By Harry Pongolani (Pics by H.P)
