Faith community launches population materials in Malawi

Malawi faith community Wednesday launched the ‘Faith ENGAGE Presentation’. Christians and Muslims, who constitute 97% of the national population, will use the advocacy tool to promote planning of family, population, and development.

Sandra Mapemba who is country director of Population Reference Bureau (PRB) said the tool, produced in vernacular Chichewa and English, will go a long way in leveraging scripture to speak on population management.

“The tool empowers religious leaders to effectively engage congregations in their churches and mosques. It has been produced with all faith groups’ doctrines around family planning,” she explained.

Faith mother bodies in the country are expected to conduct a roll-out initiative in three districts and one traditional authority in each of them.

So far the religious leaders initiative on population and development supported by the Health Policy Project (HPP) has carried out population weekends in Mangochi, Balaka, Lilongwe, and Karonga, using a national ENGAGE.

“This makes matters easier for religious leaders now, because this tool has specifically raised issues based on their religious teachings. We know there are two different methods of planning of family, traditional and normal. Some faiths prefer both and others only the tradirtional methods based on their church standing,” said M’theto Lungu, a member of the faith task force meeting that developed the material.

The launch was officiated by a director from the ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, and participated by leaders from the Malawi Council of Churches, Evangelical Association of Malawi, Episcopal Conference of Malaqi, Quadria Muslim Association of Malawi, Muslim Association of Malawi, and the Seventh Day, among many others.