NBS Bank plc Head of Marketing and Customer Experience Tamanda Longwe
Listed NBS Bank plc has organized a junior golf tournament to be played at the Blantyre Sports Club (BSC) on Sunday.
NBS Bank plc Head of Marketing and Customer Experience Tamanda Longwe said the Bank felt compared to supporting the junior golfers with a tournament as it believes in nurturing talent of youths.
“NBS Bank is already into mentorship of young girls and boys through our partnership with Shaping Our Future Foundation and in line with this, we’d like to nurture the junior golfers in the sport which the Bank has long since supported. They are the future of golf in Malawi,” said Longwe.
She also said the young golfers will have a surprise special guest on the day to motivate them to do well in the sport.
BSC Golf Captain Chimwemwe Chimwaza commended NBS Bank plc for the sponsorship of the junior golf tournament.
“The game of golf complements child development very well. It teaches planning, patience, discipline and many other values. The children really enjoy having a tournament and this is the first time this year they will have their tournament sponsored.”
“We as Blantyre Sports Club Golf section are very excited to have NBS Bank headlining this event. It shows how much the Red Brigade (NBS Bank) cares about making a difference and this gesture must not be taken lightly. All the children and parents are looking forward to a great golfing day,” said Chimwaza.
Rephaiah, a research focused pharmaceutical company registered in Iceland has partnered Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), a leading science and medical institution in Malawi to manufacture vaccines, fluids, antibiotics and painkillers in a deal worth US$33 million (about K33 billion).
Kuhes has an ambitious strategic plan of establishing a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility with over 7000 square meters and construction is projected to start in the first quarter of 2023.
Dean of School of Life Sciences and Allied Health Professionals, at KUHES, Associate Prof Arox Kamng’ona said when COVID-19 hit, people were asking where College of Medicine is (as it was known then) saying they were justified to ask such questions.
“As the leading institution housing advanced medicine research experts in this country, we had no locally developed product to help in the fight against coronavirus disease. All we offered was our expert training in patient care. We were urged by the Minister of Health and by The President to rise to the challenge.”
“The university has placed research and manufacturing of medicine at the top of our deliverables and we intend to meet this target within the next five years,” said Kamng’ona.
From L to R Dr Felix Khuluza, Prof Gizurarson, Ass. Prof. Kamng’ona, Dr Peter Kumpalume
He said when completed, the pharmaceutical manufacturing plant will be able to manufacture vaccines, fluids, antibiotics and painkillers.
“As a university we realize we need partners with complementary skill sets and expertise. We have found in Rephaiah a perfect partner,” said Kamng’ona.
Rephaiah’s mission in Malawi is to establish a not-for-profit pharmaceutical manufacturing entity and its core business is pediatric medicines because very few medicines are developed with the special needs of children in mind.
In Malawi Rephaiah has established a Not-for-Profit pharmaceutical manufacturing entity with Hellen Chabunya as one of its directors.
“Our commitment is to propel Malawi as a center of excellence and preferred supplier for medicines in Africa, Rephaiah was registered in Malawi because our plan is that Rephaiah will be fully owned and operated by indigenous Malawians once we have fully leverage on the global expertise we have with our partners and have trained the necessary people for the sustainable continuity of this business in keeping with our mission and service to Malawi,” said Chabunya.
Founder of Rephaiah Prof Sveinbjorn Gizurarson said Rephaiah couldn’t find a more perfect partner than KUHeS.
This is an institution already in the business of providing the best care for patients, Rephaiah and KUHeS have shared common values and together we have the expertise to set our goal on Malawians manufacturing medicines for both a national and an international market.”
The two institutions plan to start small scale manufacturing at the current Kamuzu University site in Blantyre as they wait for the construction of the much bigger facility near Chileka airport.
The team toured some facilities that can be renovated to meet WHO standards for manufacturing of medicines.
The two organisations committed to clearing the legal and agreement terms before the end of this year with possible manufacturing commencement in 2023.
NBM plc Business Process Analyst Yusuf Mdala (second left) draws winners
Five National Bank of Malawi (NBM) plc customers have won VIP tickets to the Kizz Daniel concert through the on-going ‘Transact and Win NBM Kizz Daniel promotion.
Speaking during the second draw of the promotion in Blantyre on Tuesday, NBM plc Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager Akossa Hiwa said the Bank is impressed with the response of the customers in the promotion ahead of the concert.
“Our key objective with this partnership is to promote use of our digital platforms and in this particular promotion; our customers stand a chance of winning tickets to the Kizz Daniel Concert if they transact using their NBM plc card at any NBM plc POS device nationwide ,” said Hiwa.
“An analysis of the transactions reveals an increase in usage, which we will work to sustain as they come to appreciate the freedom that comes with not having to carry cash around when shopping,” added Hiwa.
NBM plc recently announced a partnership with Epic Lifestyle ahead of the Kizz Daniel Concert which will take place in Lilongwe on the 27th of August..
During the draw on Tuesday, five people won VIP tickets. Those who won the tickets are Khama Chibwana, Kundai Mbawala, Madalitso Nyanjagha, Mateso Kazembe and Naibiao Chen.
Last week, during the first promotion draw, another five people won standard tickets to the concert.
Hiwa added that apart from the ‘Transact and win promotion’, customers who are buying their tickets to the concert using other NBM plc digital platforms – Mo626 ice, Mo Pay and POS will enjoy massive discounts that range between K15,000 to K5000 depending on the type of ticket purchased.
Parliament has passed the Gaming and Lotteries Bill which will see the merging of the Malawi Gaming Board (MGB) and the National Lotteries Board (NLB) to create the Malawi Gaming and Lotteries Authority (MAGLA).
The passing of the bill will see the repeal of the Lotteries Act and the Gaming Act and create a unified framework (Gaming and Lotteries Act of 2022).
Malawi Gaming and National Lotteries Boards Chief Executive Officer Rachel Mijiga hailed the National Assembly for passing the bill saying the new Authority will bring sanity in the industry.
“We are very happy with this development. We have been fighting for this bill to be passed so that MAGLA should bring sanity in the industry and also promote healthy competition and efficiency among operators for the benefit of players as well as growth of the industry,” said Mijiga.
She said the new Act, among other things, introduces Electronic Monitoring System (EMS) and also brings in responsible advertising requirements as well as an obligation to be compliant with the Financial Crimes Act where there will be confirmation of beneficial ownership as a licensing condition and risk-based approach monitoring of operations.
“The new Act will also allow for the multiple licensing option for the state-franchised National Lottery License to open up more revenue streams to raise funds towards the National Lottery Distribution Fund whose sole purpose is projects for ‘Good Causes’ and to secure continuity in case of business failure by one operator,” said Mijiga.
Mijiga also said there was benchmarking with other jurisdictions within the region with desk research done using legislation from Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania and a study tour to Malta was also undertaken to make the new Act relevant ‘to the times we are in’.
The CEO also said that a provision has been inserted in the Act to legislate online betting adding that regulations will be promulgated to that effect.
“We will also have an Electronic Monitoring System (EMS) for monitoring activities and we will also establish the ICT department and recruit ICT officers so that we properly regulate online betting,” said Mijiga.
She further said the Act has introduced stiffer penalties for those operators accommodating minors and that their expectation is that everyone will adhere to the law and protect the future leaders, future workforce of Malawi.
“Over the years, the magnitude of offences has increased and therefore the stiffer penalties are there to deter offenders and going forward, we will be updating legislation to align it with current world trends,” explained Mijiga.
Asked on how the new Act will address issues around addiction, Mijiga said ; “This is already being attended to, for instance, there is an MOU with St John of God where problem-gamblers are treated and the Board covers the cost of treatment and we will also enforce self-exclusion and continue with our awareness campaigns.”
Lowe cuts ribbon to symbolize official handover of the green houses from Standard Bank
Standard Bank Plc has invested K23.5 million in two greenhouses and a training centre at Inosselia’s GGL farm near Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe.
The facilities will be used to train smallholder vegetable farmers from surrounding districts and are part of a strategic relationship between Standard Bank Plc, agriculture investment group Inosselia and the Green Belt Authority (GBA).
“At Standard Bank we are taking a deliberate position to forge partnerships in the agriculture sector aiming to contribute towards food security, income generation and enterprise growth as since agriculture remains the main pillar of our economy,” said Margareth Chirwa, the bank’s Board Director.
LOWE: What is happening at Standard Bank is a radical shift and very inspiring
In the wake of climate change which has challenged traditional methods of agriculture, Standard Bank’s focus is on promoting farmer’s adaptation to smart agriculture and create sustainability of the sector.
“We believe that the green house farming will help smallholder farmers expand their crop variety within a small area, extend their growing season as they will not be wholly reliant on rain fed agriculture. With a greenhouse, many different techniques can be used to keep the temperatures stable, causing less stress to the plants and promoting strong growth much earlier in the year. And minimize external threats to their crops,” she said.
Agriculture Minister Lobin Lowe said horticulture is an important source of income for smallholder farmers and commended Standard Bank for recently repositioning to support the agriculture sector.
“Banks have been passive on supporting farmers with finance, but what is happening at Standard Bank is a radical shift and very inspiring. The agriculture sector is benefiting a lot from the bank’s passion through implementation of initiatives that aimed at propelling Malawi’s development,” he said.
Chirwa: At Standard Bank we are taking a deliberate position to forge partnerships in the agriculture sector
Inosselia Malawi Country Director Michael Gorelik applauded Standard Bank’s unique Corporate Social Responsibility approach which he said would benefit smallholder farmers through skills transfer in horticulture.
“We were lucky to partner with Standard Bank. Their CSR vision and social commitments coincides and matches with Inosselia’s and that of the Ministry of Agriculture. It is a match made in Lumbadzi,” said Gorelik.
Under a partnership with the Greenbelt Authority, Inosselia is running a high-tech 16-hectare greenhouse field with a weekly output of 50 tons of vegetables supplied to major retailers in Malawi.
The project has helped facilitate import substitution for vegetables in major retail shops such as Shoprite, Food Lovers and Sana with plans to challenge the export markets in SADC.
Malawi youth unemployment rate is relatively one of the highest in the world and the President Lazarus Chakwera’s Tonse Alliance government must ensure that there are practical programmes to absorb Malawi’s young men and women in meaningful enterprises, Leader of Opposition in Parliament Kondwani Nankhumwa has said.
Speaking moments before Parliament rose after the 6th meeting of the 49th session of Parliament on Friday Nankhumwa said among other things, the Tonse Alliance promised young men and women jobs, loans to start businesses, and skills’ development programmes so that they become self-reliant and stand on their own two feet.
“Today, it appears a cat has eaten out all those promises. Today, under the Tonse Alliance administration, there are no jobs for the youths. The much-touted 1 million jobs in the first 12 months of this government are now a thing of the past.
“We also just hear from the media that the government is distributing loans through NEEF, but we have no clue about who exactly is getting these loans,” said Nankhumwa
The Mulanje Central legislator said “without being personal”, this is not the time for the government “to be plucking people from their retirement to take up jobs in the public sector”.
“Malawi has so many qualified young men and women who are suffering due to lack of jobs. Should they still wait for tomorrow to get a job in the public sector even when they are well qualified? How far is this ‘tomorrow’?
“Madam Speaker, Some of the decisions President [Lazarus] Chakwera makes are not just a mockery to our young women and men but also sinful in the eyes of God. Should we be surprised, therefore, when the youths rush to the streets every time there is a call for demonstrations?
“I challenge President Chakwera and the Tonse Alliance government to fix the economy because that is the only language Malawians can understand. The economy should not be fixed by word of mouth alone but it must positively impact the daily lives of Malawians,” said Nankhumwa.
The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Dr. Kondwani Nankhumwa, says Malawi economy ‘is not performing well’ as claimed by President Reverend Dr. Lazarus Chakwera.
“Last week, I heard President Chakwera saying Malawi’s economy is doing fine, and that it is on the rise. Mr. President, you do not need to shout from a rooftop for people to come and see an economy, which is on the rise.
“An economy on the rise is self-evident,” said Nankhumwa when he presented his closing at the end of the 6th meeting of the 49th session of Parliament in Lilongwe on Friday
Nankhumwa said the opposition has talked persistently about macroeconomic fundamentals that are telling a sad story about our economy, observing that inflation is currently in the double digits and prices of basic goods continue to skyrocket. Additionally, the government continues to borrow too much domestically, he said.
“The austerity measures as announced by President Chakwera and the Secretary to the President and Cabinet have just crumbled before our own eyes because the addiction to spending is just too much starting from State House down to government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs).
“Something is just so wrong about the management of our economy. I can go on and on to demonstrate that ours is not a profile of an economy on the mend,” he said.
Nankhumwa, who is also opposition Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) Vice President (South) said when economy is ticking, “the citizens can feel it in their houses, and in their pockets”.
“The citizens can feel it when they go to the market to buy food; when they walk on the road; when they go to work; when they go to school; when they go to Church; and when they go to the Mosque.
“Madam Speaker, I am afraid; this is not the case with our economy right now. At the moment, the Malawi economy is in ICU, and to say that Malawi is rising against all these economic hardships is an insult to Malawians.
I, therefore, condemn the President’s statement in its entirety,” said the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, adding that the variables of the Malawi economy tell a different story “than the one being trumpeted”.
He said for example, the government announced recently that the number of Agricultural Inputs Programme (AIP) beneficiaries will be reduced by half this growing season. What this means is that the number of people that will be prone to hunger next year has increased, he said.
“As I am talking, this government does not have any idea of how to bring fertilizer into the country for AIP this year because of inadequate forex to pay for the product. What is even worse is that the little fertilizer that may be imported will be very expensive for Malawians to afford translating, again, to hunger next season.
“What this also means, Madam Speaker, is that despite all the pomp about AIP, the programme is not a feasible solution to this country’s food security challenges. I have always said that as a country, we need to graduate from relying on rain-fed agriculture and instead focus on serious irrigation farming.
“We have plenty of water in Lake Malawi, and plenty of other water bodies that are underutilized. I am of the opinion that this government is not doing enough on irrigation and that it is important that more effort and resources are invested in massive irrigation development to ensure long-term food security,” he advised.
The opposition leader said Malawians “are tired” of the non-stop blaming of Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine for our economic woes, urging the Tonse Alliance government to deliver for Malawians as promised during the campaign period.
“Malawians need practical solutions to their economic hardships. Malawians need rapid improvement in the quality of life and standard of living,” said Nankhumwa.
Malawi Blood Transfusion Services (MBTS) has commended Illovo Malawi, a leading sugar producer company operating in the country, for renovating the blood bank room at Ngabu Hospital in Chikwawa district.
MBTs Public Relations Manager, Allen Kaombe, made the commendation on Thursday during the official handover of the blood bank room which has been renovated to the tune of MK 5 Million.
“On behalf of the government and MBTs, I would like to commend Illovo for renovating this blood bank room,” said Kaombe adding that “This blood bank room will help to save lives of people in need of blood in the lowershire and the surrounding district”.
Kaombe further described the donation as timely considering that Malawi is in need of blood bank rooms across the country. He also called upon companies and organizations to emulate Illovo’s gesture.
On his part, Illovo Sugar Malawi Limited Nchalo Estate General Manager, Geoff Trott, said the company decided to rehabilitate the blood bank room as part of corporate social responsibility as well part of ensuring a thriving community.
“Today’s event counts as part of our efforts to remain socially responsible by playing a role in ensuring a thriving and healthy community in areas we operate” said Trott
He further said that Illovo Malawi recognizes the need for having a safe and reliable blood bank room.
In March, Illovo Malawi donated a multi-million kwacha Blood Bank Fridge which has been installed at the renovated site.
Illovo Malawi is one of the country’s largest single private-sector employers providing direct employment for 9 000 people permanent, seasonal and casual employees and an additional 5 000 direct and indirect contractors creating a total of 14 000 jobs.
Illovo is also a major contributor to the Malawian tax authorities through direct and indirect taxes. The company further supports an estimated 5 200 smallholder cane farmers through various smallholder schemes.
OneZed, a pan-African Channel that caters for the Zambian as well as Malawian markets, has encouraged filmmakers to submit proposals for Comedy and Drama TV series that tell Malawian stories.
In an interview with Malawi Voice on Wednesday Head for OneZed Channel and Zambezi Magic, Mosibudi Pheeha, said they are looking for proposals that reflect authentic Malawian stories with an outstanding storyline.
“We are encouraging filmmakers with unique Malawian stories to tell; to submit their proposals for a Comedy and Drama TV series,” said Pheeha in a Zoom interview with Malawi Voice
Among others, Pheeha, said the proposal must clearly highlight the main theme, character biography for main actors; clearly explain why the story is important and why it should be produced.
The closing date for receiving the proposals is 29th August 202; and the proposals are submitted through the M-Net corporate submissions portal.
About 25 learners from Chitukula Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) in the rural Lilongwe have been rescued from being chased out the institution following paying of their fees, thanks to Friends of Sattar’s Family Fund able hand.
Out of 25 learners who were in the verge of dropping school 19 are girls.
The support comes amid huge drop outs at the school as many female learners are opting for early marriages.
According to the fund’s team leader Lumbani Tembo, school management approach them after a number of learners were not reporting for classes due to school fees.
Tembo told this publication that the paid school fees will cover the students education life circle at the institution.
“The needy students will be supported with school fees till they finish their education at the institution. We can’t afford brilliant young girls dropping out school of MK15, 000. 00 per term.
“We want to carry them all into their education life circle at the institution. We have started with 25 learners for this final term that come October, in new term, the number will increase depending on school management assessment on needy student,” assures Tembo.
He added that apart from school fees, the fund is expected to support self boarding female learners at the institution.
One of the beneficiaries Ruth Lester, a form One learner minced her words with excitement of attending classes at peace while assuring fund’s team of working hard to realise her dream of becoming a nurse.
School’ Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) Baloni Yolofesi lauded the fund team for the timely support towards needy learners fees.
Yolofesi assured the fund team of proper utilisation of the support rendered to their children.
The School’s Headteacher Patson Khumalo applauded the team for the support while appealing for more help on the need for administrative block which the school do not have.
Khumalo disclosed that the school’s performance lower than anticipated due to lack teacher houses who travels about 12kms daily for work.
“With long distance the teachers take for work, learners are always unable to finish syllabus hence poor results in national examinations.
“Imagine, one classroom is used for administrative, library and laboratory. How can you expect learners to do well in national examinations? worried head teacher.
He added, “The school has only two houses out of 13 teachers with only for three school blocks.
“However, with the school fees provided, we expect reduction of drop outs as many learners will be back to school and motivate others.
“We therefore other well-wishers to help also with girls hostel as many travel long distances that affect their classes attendance”.
Established in 1997, the school has the enrollment of 260 (126 boys and 134 girls) and is located at Traditional Authority (T.A) Chitukula headquarters in the Lilongwe City North Constituency.
Sattar’s family bursary fund rolled out three years ago aimed at supporting needy students in primary, scondary and tertiary education across the country.
Last month the team’ s fund donated of assorted items worth millions to the financially struggling Malingunde School of the Blind in the rural Lilongwe.
Currently, the fund is being restructured to cover also following areas talent identification and vulnerable communities.
