Andiamo to conduct informal training

Posted on 07/06/2012 by admin

Andiamo Technical College is expected to conduct an informal training course in tinsmith, Andiamo Website Office has learnt.

Kalambo: we want them to be self-reliant

According to the principal of Andiamo Technical College Luwisho Kalambo, the participates will learn how to make tin pails, feeding troughs, Charcoal burners and iron pots within the four week period..

The course aims to empower those who drop out of school with skills and knowledge in various works so that they can be self-reliant.

Participants who attended the interviews

Kalambo also says that so far 38 applicants attended interviews on 1 June 2012 where only 20 will be enrolled. Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA) will fund the whole course.

“Names of successful candidates and date for the commencement of the training will be announced soon,” Kalambo has said.

TEVETA and Andiamo Technical College have been working together in organizing vocational trainings in rural areas in the district of Balaka. In 2011, they organized an eight weeks training at Kankao Parish in Welding and metal fabrication.

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24 Students to sit for 2012 JCE exams

Posted on 04/06/2012 by admin

By Gerald Sibu

24 Form two students of Andiamo Secondary School are expected to sit for 2012 Junior Certificate Examinations (JCE) which will start on Tuesday 5 June 2012 Andiamo Website Office has learnt.
According to the Headmaster James Banda, the teaching staff has done their best to make sure that all the students pass with good grades. He says that and there is hope that they will do better after assessing them.

Speaking to Andiamo Website Office, one of the candidates, Pangani Nyakungwa says that although it will be for the first time for him to sit for JC exams, he has no doubt that he will pass since he has prepared well for the coming exams.

“We thank our teachers for sharing with us the knowledge and for encouraging us not to have fear but to study hard so that we can get good grades,” Pangani told the web office.

Among the 24 students, 13 are boys and 11 are girls. They will finish their exams on 13 June 2012. In 2011 Andiamo Education Institutions (AEI) registered Andiamo Secondary School as a Centre for writing exams of Malawi Examination Board (MANEB).

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Andiamo dominates in 2012 Presidential Athletic Championship

Posted on 02/06/2012 by admin

By Dennis Phiri

Andiamo Wings of Hope participated in the 2012 Presidential Athletic Championship at Liwonde Teachers Training College. The teams that participated included Malawi Defense Force, Malawi police Service, Stadium Stars, Mulanje, Liwonde T.T.C., Andiamo wings of hope, and other clubs.

Olivia Muhoko receiving one of her prizes from AAM President Dr Nyirongo

Andiamo Wings of Hope, the youngest team in the competition, competed in the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 5,000m,Discuss, javelin, shot-put and Medley relay.

ulanda england with a white t shirt

Andiamo wings of hope was the youngest team however the results were marvelous

The following are the results of Wings of Hope athletes:

NAME INVENT POSITION
Eneress Aufi 100m 1
Eneress Aufi 800m 1
Hilda Kawenda 200m 2
Tawona 200m 4
Olivia Muhoko Discuss 1
Rhoda Mackson 100m 2
Rhoda mackson 200m 1
Olivia Muhoko Javellin 1
Olivia Muhoko shotput 2
Edina Chibweya Javellin 3
Medley relay race Girls A Team 1
Medley relay race Girls B Team 3
Medley relay race  Boys A Team 3
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Comfort hailed on community hospital

Posted on 02/06/2012 by admin

By Gerald Sibu

Group Village Headman Nankhombe has commended Comfort Clinics, which operate under Health and Sanitation, one of the pillars of Andiamo Youth Cooperative Trust (AYCT) for their commitment in improving health services in the district of Balaka.

The newly built Comfort Community Hospital

Speaking during the interview with Andiamo Website Office, the chief thanked the cooperative for also building a new state of art community hospital in his village, which will enable his subjects and people from surrounding villages to access quality health services from the hospital.

Comfort maternity wing: playing a leading role in fighting maternal mortality

“Since the maternity wing was built, we have seen that maternal deaths have been reduced as pregnant women are delivering their babies at the hospital instead of delivering at traditional birth attendants. Now with the construction of a community hospital, we are really honoured and I hope it will save many lives,” he says.

According to the Clinic Director of Comfort Clinics Emmanuel Mwale, the maternity wing accommodates 16 pregnant women, a paediatric ward will accommodate 18 children and the community hospital has been designed to accommodate 36 patients.

Mwale disclosed that all the wards are fully furnished with beds and all necessities and Andiamo workers are now working on few attachments while waiting for Medical Council of Malawi to inspect the premise before the official opening but he did not disclose when it will be opened.

AYCT built Comfort maternity wing in 2008 with the aim of reducing deaths of children. Due to the congestion at paediatric ward at Balaka district hospital, Comfort Clinics management decided to use two of its rooms as paediatric ward before a special ward was built in 2011. The maternity wing has 13 staff four of them are clinical officers and 9 are nurses.

Both paediatric and community hospital have been built with financial support from Project Malawi.

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Aaron Kaferaanthu graduates with flying colours

Posted on 29/05/2012 by admin

By Luwisho Kalambo
Aaron Kaferaanthu, one of the Automobile instructors at Andiamo Technical College graduated as the best student amongst the six who underwent a two-year Diploma training in Mechatronics at Mechatronics Centre in Blantyre. This was revealed during a graduation ceremony in Blantyre on 24 May 2012.

Aaron Kaferaanthu

Mechatronics Training Centre is an institution under Stansfield Motors and it deals with motor vehicle electronic equipment. The training is essential since the motor industry is changing from convention fashion to a computerized system.

Mr. Kaferaanthu joined Mechatronics Training Centre in March 2009 under TEVETA funding and has walked out of the Institution with a Certificate and Diploma in Mechatronics.

Andiamo Education Institutions (AEI) office congratulates Aaron for the achievement.

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Yasinta Antonella Munlo: Our Smile

Posted on 25/05/2012 by admin

By Patrick Bwanali

Last year, when I was working as an editor for Together magazine, published by Montfort Media in Balaka – Malawi, I did an article, which I entitled “Mission Possible”. In this article I featured four orphans (three from Balaka and one from Mulanje) who despite many problems orphans meet, they managed to excel with their education.

Yasinta Antonella Munlo

Little did I know that just after a year I would be working with one of them,  Yasinta has just finished her Bachelors of Arts in Education, majoring in English at Mzuzu University and she is teaching English and Social Studies at Andiamo Secondary School.

Her mother raised her up single-handedly. “I don’t remember when my father died,” Yasinta told me when I interviewed her then. She also told me all she knew about her father was that he was the only bread winner in the family and he was working for Central East African Railways in the Telecoms Department in Blantyre.

She did her secondary education at St Mary’s Secondary School having passed the entrance exams. She passed with flying colours showing that it was not a fluke to be found at St. Mary’s. St. Mary’s, one is one of the best girls’ secondary schools in Malawi and it is a catholic school. She amassed 19 points: English 2; Chichewa 1; Mathematics 4; Biology 4; Social and Development Studies 3; and Agriculture 5.

What makes this story worth retelling today is the connection that Yasinta’s story has with AYCT. Once upon a time, there came in Malawi one volunteer by the name Severino Berardelli. While here in Malawi, Severino, through Fr. Mario Pacifici, decided to distant adopt a child and this was none other than Yasinta herself.

Not only that, Yasinta told our web office that she did her Primary education at Kapalamula, a school that was built by Andiamo Youth Cooperative Trust. Is this a mere coincidence? I don’t think so!

Yasinta’s story tells us that what we sow now will bear fruits in future. We may be lucky to see the fruits while we are alive like in this case but at times, we may not see them. The schools that AYCT has built and continues to build, the cooperation that is there between AYCT and volunteers from Italy… are not in vain.

Today, Yasinta is telling young girls to be “focused, determined and [to] dream in colours”. I believe this is also what AYCT and its cooperating partners must be doing.

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Alleluya Band for Quality Education

Posted on 24/05/2012 by admin

By Gerald Sibu

Alleluya Band leader, Coss Chiwalo has said the purpose of this year’s Italy trip is to build a Science lab for Andiamo Secondary School. Coss said the wedding celebration of Alberto and Eleonora at Umodzi Cafeteria Hall. Coss told the full-parked hall that the group would have more than 45 shows in all regions of Italy.
 “It is time that people know the truth about our trips to Europe. Our trips are always made for a purpose and not only to see the other side of the world but to help our community to develop and to strengthen our relationship with friends in Italy who we have been cooperating with for some time now. We just ask people to keep us in prayers so that we should travel safely,” said Coss.

Coss also revealed that this time they have prepared traditional dances and new songs like Dzuka Iwe and Baobab from their new album Dzuka Iwe and their fans in Italy should expect good performances from them.

The band left for Italy on Wednesday 23rd, 2012. The group has this time included Madalitso Taferakaso (Saxophonist and a backing vocalist), Jackomino Murowa and Juliet Chisale who are both dancers.

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AEI to have new boys hostel

Posted on 24/05/2012 by admin

By Gerald Sibu

There was jubilation at Andiamo Education Institutions (AEI) Campus on 22 May 2012 when the founding Trustee of Andiamo Youth Cooperative Trust (AYCT) and Anna Maria laid a foundation stone where the new boys hostel will be built. Speaking during a ground breaking ceremony, Anna Maria said that she decided to honour her late brother Bruno’s will to donate part of his money to Malawi, Balaka in particular.

Anna Maria handing over a foundation stone as Fr. Mario (left) looks on

“I have come to fulfil my late brother’s wish to share part of his wealth to you, the youth in Balaka which he included in his will before he died in February 2011 in Italy and I urge you to take your studies seriously so that my brother’s soul can rest in peace,” Anna Maria broke the jubilant students.

Students attending the function

On behalf of AEI students, Shama Dassu, a From One student, thanked Fr. Mario Pacifici for his unwavering support towards the education sector.

Patrick Bwanali, AEI Coordinator, thanked Anna for laying a foundation stone for the new hostel and fulfilling the wish of her late brother Bruno. He said that the new hostel would solve the problem of accommodation at the institution since soon the Secondary School will have all the four classes.

AYCT’s, Executive Director Andrew Galeta told the students and AEI administration that AYCT would never let AEI walk alone. In his remarks, Andrew told the students that Education, one of the pillars of the Cooperative, is regarded as the first priority of AYCT and it aims at educating the youth who are the future leaders. He has since described Fr. Mario, as a man who always dreams about development and has passion for youth.

In his part, Fr. Mario applauded Anna Maria for fulfilling her brother’s will and wished the soul of Bruno to rest in peace. He also thanked him for the “seed” which he has grown in Balaka posthumously. He also thanked the construction team for their dedication in various projects that the Cooperative has been undertaking.

Fr. Mario also revealed that after the completion of the new boys hostel, a two class room block of Forms 5 and 6 will start being constructed thereby upgrading it to a High School. He also shared with the students his dream of building a University in future if all goes well. He revealed that land for the project is already available.

AYCT operates under its four pillars namely Social Development, Sports and Culture, Health and Sanitation and Education.

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Be good examples to youth- Fr.Mario

Posted on 24/05/2012 by admin

By Gerald Sibu

The Founding Trustee of Andiamo Youth Cooperative Trust (AYCT), Fr. Mario Pacifici has urged parents to be good examples to youth by showing good behaviour, which can inspire them to follow their footsteps. Fr. Mario was speaking this during a colourful wedding celebration of Alberto and Eleonora on Sunday 20th May 2012, which was officially officiated on 1 May in Italy.

Fr. Mario (right) addressing the Congregation during the mass

Fr. Mario says it is a shame to see that married people are not faithful to their partners. He asked the new couples to follow the good example of Alberto’s parents who have been in marriage for 43 years.

Eleonora and Alberto

“You have to bring love and happiness in your family. Without love and happiness there will be no peace in your families,” says Fr. Mario.

Speaking on behalf of AYCT, Executive Director Andrew Galeta thanked the new couple for setting a good example to their fellow youth who were present at the ceremony and for their donation.

The functions started with the holy mass and later on guests were entertained by Alleluya Band with their popular tracks and traditional dances.

Also present were Alberto’s parents and other volunteers from Italy.

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Malawi to have a K1000 banknote

Posted on 18/05/2012 by admin

Malawi Kwacha: To have new features

Malawi will from Wednesday next week 23 May have a new family of banknotes and coins which will comprise of six banknote denominations of K1000, K500, K200, K100, K50 and K20 and three coins of K10, K5 and K1, the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) announced yesterday on 17 May.

According to the press release signed by Charles S. R. Chuka, the RBM governor, the themes on the new banknotes largely focus on the long-term objectives outlined in the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MDGS) which are Sustainable Economic Growth, Social Development, Infrastructure Development and Good Governance.

“The K1000 note will feature the Mzuzu maize silos, K500 note the Mulunguzi Dam, while the K200, K100, K50 and K20 notes will feature the new Parliament Building, the College of Medicine in Blantyre, the Kasungu National Park and the Domasi Teachers College respectively,” reads part of the statement.

The statement further states that the following six “prominent Malawians” of significant will appear on the new Malawi Kwacha Banknotes as follows: K1000 – Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda; K500 – Reverend Mr. John Chilembwe; K200 – Mrs Rose Lomathinda Chibambo, still alive; K100 Mr James Fredrick Sangala; K50 – Inkosi ya Makhosi Gomani II. Philip Zitonga Maseko; and K20 – Inkosi ya Makhosi M’mbelwa II (Lazalo Mkhuzo Jere).

These new banknotes, according the statement will run side by side with the old series for a period of one year from 23 May 2012 to 22 May 2013 after which the old series shall be withdrawn from circulation and cease to be legal tender. The exchange of the old and new notes will be done at all commercial banks throughout the country.

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