First Lady ‘chill out’ with Malawi women in  MBC’s Zokonda Amayi Macheza 

Firt Lady Getrude Mutharika joined hundreds of women from across the country at at Sunbird Nkopola in Mangochi on Saturday where she chilled,  interact and dine with them during  the high-level annual celebration of Malawi Broadcasting Corporation’s (MBC) Radio 1 interactive programme, Zokonda Amayi Macheza.

The public broadcaster recognise the women for the initiatives they have put in place in their respective districts.

From a mere phone-in programme on MBC Radio 1 where they just used to greet each other, the women have now formed clubs where they meet in their districts for various activities.

The First Lady praised Zokonda Amai women groups for the commendable work and  urged them to strengthen interaction with one another now that the competition  gave them an opportunity to know each other personally.

The winners are recognised based on functionality of their groups, their initiatives and how those initiatives are impacting on their socio-economic growth, the club’s sustainability and how they are transforming the lives of women by coming together and getting empowered in their respective communities.

Kasungu 1 Women Group emerged 2018 champions carting home K1.5 million cheque from MBC and will have a feast with the first citizen, President Peter Mutharika.

The group, which emerged second in 2017, has deposed the defending champions, Kapiri Women Group from Mchinji, who have now gone down to second position carting home K 1 million.

“The feeling is indescribable,”  the 2018 Champions Chairperson, Victoria Umalis aid when they were announced as winner.

From 2017 and 2018, Kasungu 1 Group Women had engaged themselves in various humanitarian activities which, according to the judge’s assessment, had made an impact on the lives of many peoples.

Among other things, the Kasungu 1 Zokonda Amai Women group built a better house for an old man in the area and they sunk a well which, according to Umali, is benefitting the old man and the entire village.

They also built an Early Childhood Development Centre (ECD) in Group Village Head Bwanali and the members donated blood to Kasungu District Hospital.

“We pay rent for a building where people living with HIV hold their meetings and we are supporting a needy girl, who is now at Polytechnic, with fees, accommodation and upkeep,” Umali explained.

She added that, “We have supported Beautify Malawi (BEAM) Trust by sweeping at Kasungu Boma to set an example of the Trust’s activities.”

Over 15 women groups across the country contested in the 2018 ZAM and Mponela and Zomba Domasi Women Groups emerged third and fourth respectively taking home K750 000 and K500 000 in that order.

MBC Director General, Aubrey Sumbuleta hailed all the women groups enlisted for the 2018 ZAM saying it was not easy for the judges to come up with the winners because the groups had done a lot to change lives of people in their respective communities.

The 2018 ZAM drew over 2 500 women from across the country and Minister of Information Communications and Technology, Nicholas Dausi, and Minister of Civic Education and Community Development, Grace Chiumia graced the occasion.

Other activities that marked the event included tag of war, dancing competition, Miss Matofotofo and Miss Slim competitions, raffle draw and netball match in which the First Lady played.

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