Probles of climate change

Climate change can course drought and food shortage, can also have  a huge impact on people's lives. For example, in Malawi  around 1.5 million girls as young as 13 facing the possibility of an early marriage because their families cannot feed them.

South Africa: 57 Kids Trafficked From Malawi Found At Back of Window-Less Delivery Truck - Rescued in South Africa

Fifty-seven Malawian children between the ages of 11 and 21 have been rescued from three suspected human traffickers in South Africa.

Three Malawian nationals who were transporting the children have since been arrested by South African police.

Accoridng to Times Live, the suspectes appeared briefly at the Rustenburg Regional Magistrate's Court on Tuesday morning. Their case was postponed to September 13. They are facing 57 counts of human trafficking.

The men - aged between 25 and 36 - had refused to open the back of truck when they were apprehended by the police on Sunday near Rustenburg.

Accoridng to acting National Police Commissioner Kgomotso Phahlane , when police opened the truck' two children fell to the ground.

"On investigation and during the search, 57 undocumented children between the ages of 11 and 21 were found in the back of a delivery truck which did not have windows," Lieutenant General Phahlane is quoted by Eye Witness.

Phahlane said the Malawian children were being transported "as if they were goats."

The children are now being cared for at a place of safety by the social development department in North West. . Eighteen of them are girls while 39 of are boys.

"They are well looked after by under the auspices of the Department of Social Development in the North West Province [as] these centres provide support and care in line with the Child Care Act'" said Phahlane.

Phahlane says it's unclear at this stage whether the children were being trafficked for labour or sexual exploitation.

"These children were transported by the three adult occupants, including the driver, who are Malawian nationals. These adults could not provide a satisfactory account on the status of all the children," said Phahlane as quoted by IOL.

"The driver and his two companions were arrested for human trafficking. Further probe has revealed that all children were also Malawian nationals. An investigation is currently underway which involves authorities and law enforcement agencies including engagements with our counterparts in Malawi."

The law society has joined calls by the opposition to investigate how the late President Bingu wa Mutharika accumulated billions.

The law society has joined calls by the opposition to investigate how the late President Bingu wa Mutharika accumulated billions.

The late Bingu Wa Mutharika

Malawi: Police in Salima Arrest Woman for Selling Her Own Child

Police in Salima have arrested a 23-year-old Mirriam Kapindira for allegedly intending to sell her 3-year-old biological daughter to unknown Lilongwe business lady.

Police spokesperson for Salima, sergeant Gift Chitowe, said on January 15, police received a tip that the two were negotiating on the illegal business at Kamuzu Road Trading Centre.

"Following the tip, we only found the seller who managed to pocket part of payment of K100 000 from the agreed K200 000 but the buyer managed to escape an arrest.

President of Zimbabwe arrives in Malawi

President Mugabe arrived in Malawi on Sunday 9th February 2014 to attend the African Leaders Forum on Disability.  He was welcomed by Malawian president Joyce Banda and her foreign affair minister Ephraim Chiume. He was accompanied by Foreign Affairs Minister Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Mr George Charamba, and other government officials.The two-day forum seeks to improve the welfare of people living with intellectual disabilities in both their social and economic circumstances, and their access to basic human rights. Sexual abuse of people with developmental disabilities is common because of their greater risk of victimization, and often goes unreported. Most times, the perpetrators are authority figures in the victim's life.Research suggests that 97 to 99 percent of abusers are known and trusted by the victim.

Most abusers assume the mentally challenged will not report the abuse and, more often than not, they are right. Malawi and Special Olympics -- the largest organisation for people living with disabilities in the world -- are hosting the forum together with African leaders, disability and global development organisations, businesses and civil society, and Special Olympics athletes, to make a difference in the largely marginalised lives of people with intellectual disabilities.

The goal is to ensure that global development policies, programmes, organisations, and the post-2015 development agenda are fully inclusive of people with disabilities. Other delegates to the forum include the Chair of the African Union Commission Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, UNESCO director for education Mmantsetsa Marope, Malawi Minister of Disabilities Rachel Kachaje, and Unicef Zimbabwe deputy director Dr Jane Muita.

The forum will conclude tonight with a State dinner hosted by President Banda at Kamuzu Palace.

Blind Retired Teacher's Pension Cancelled Due to Lost Government Records

Catherine Uteka (43) is a formidable woman. She is a qualified teacher, a grassroots activist, a widow and a mother of one. She is also partially deaf, totally blind and living with HIV.

Catherine, a  former primary and secondary school was infected with HIV in the year 2000 and four years later she was heavily attacked by meningitis and eventually lost three senses: smell, sight and hearing. She was told by

"I was then told by [Malawi] government officials that I should resign from my job because the state does not employ people who are blind - only non-governmental organisations do," says Catherine.Catherine then took her story to the Ministry of Persons with Disabilities who listened and sympathised with her. "Officials from the Ministry of Persons with Disabilities said despite what I had experienced, including losing my sight, I could still work in government. The Ministry then sent me to Mulanje Vocational School, where I learnt Braille," explains Catherine.

The Ministry of Education also sent her to Domasi College of Higher Education in the old capital Zomba for further studies.

"But despite acquiring all these qualifications, calls for my resignation from my job by Malawi government officials continued," says Catherine. According to a file from Malawi civil service dated 30 August 2010, the extremely able Catherine was forcibly retired on medical grounds.

The termination letter, signed on behalf of secretary for education, science and technology, is written as if Catherine was glad to have her position terminated, stating: "I am pleased to inform you that the board has recommended that you should retire as you cannot discharge your duties effectively as a teacher... . May I take this opportunity to thank you most sincerely for the services you have been rendering to this Ministry and the entire Malawi nation."

Catherine began receiving her pension in October 2010 after her forced resignation, but she was underpaid.

S.Africa police deport hundreds of illegal Malawi migrants

Police in South Africa took advantage of the coming of the one of Malawi's biggest musician Lucius Banda who toured S.Africa to net illegal migrants from Malawi to his shows.

Reports from S.Africa indicate that the department of Foreign Affairs and Security in the country used the show that was being hosted by Malawi's hit maker Lucius Banda  as an opportunity to net all Malawians living illegally in the country.  According to the reports, Police in South Africa went to the show and at the end of the show, they started checking documents of the attendees.  Those without proper documentations were sent parking.

Malawi president dissolves cabinet in response to corruption scandal

Malawi's president Joyce Banda has dissolved her cabinet on Thursday due to claims that officials in her government had misappropriated state funds. A statement from Banda's office said a new Cabinet would be announced in due course.