in English

FUKO is published
with financial support
from Tilitonse Fund

Kukwaniritsa ufulu wolankhula zakukhosi

SPECIAL PULLOUT

APRIL 3 2015

StreNgthening Citizen
Voice and action
FUKO newspaper
is distributed by

Fuko Impact

Special pullout THE NATION 3 APRIL 2015

STRENGTHENING CITIZEN VOICE AND ACTION

SPECIAL ESSAY BY
BRIGHT KUMWENDA, FUKO EDITOR

be.
Neither is it easy to find
suitable words to express
gratitude to a friend for his/
her warmth, goodwill, fairness
and magnanimity.
In such times, some
embrace while others break
down to express deep-seated
emotional contents.
Such a time came on Monday
when Tilitonse Fundwho
has been a friend indeed to
Nation Publications Limited
(NPL) since April 1 2013
bade farewell to Misa Malawi
Print Media House of the Year
after a two-year stint in cofinancing of FUKO Project.
Under the project, whose goal
is to strengthen citizen voice
and action for institutional
change that will lead to better
inclusivity,
accountability
and
responsiveness
Tilitonse Fund committed to
contributing about 14 percent
and NPL about 86 percent of
the total production costs of
FUKO.
Grant amount
By Monday, 30 March
2015 when the co-funding
arrangement came to an end,
Tilitonse Fund had committed
over K94 million to the
project.
This is not a small amount
considering
economic
challenges faced worldwide
and
NPLpublishers
of
FUKOshall always remain
indebted to people of the
United Kingdom, Ireland and
Norway (major contributors of
Tilitonse Fund) for supporting
more inclusive, accountable
and responsive governance in
Malawi.
Achievements
With financial and technical
support from Tilitonse Fund,
FUKO has achieved a lot which
time and space cannot allow
us to chronicle everything in
detail.
During this time, FUKOa
fortnightly
publication
grew exponentially from a
circulation of 10 000 to 30
000 copies and its readership
soared from 100 000 to 300
000.
A copy of FUKO is estimated
to be read by, at least, 10 people
since readers are encouraged
to pass on the newspaper to
others.
Through the partnership,
FUKO became the potent force
for community mobilisation;
provided a robust platform
for free expression; increased
citizens access to credible and

Towards strengthening
citizen voice and action

PHOTOGRAPH: NATION

idding farewell to a
friend has never been
easy and it will never

FUKO is geared towards promoting a more inclusive, accountable and responsive governance in Malawi
well-balanced information;
initiated debate on topical
issues such as the May 20
2014 Tripartite Elections,
Marriage Bill, Land Bill,
Access to Information Bill,
feudalism, Jetgate, Cashgate
and mining management.
The
free
vernacular
newspaper also facilitated
diffusion of technologies in
rural areas, close literacy
gaps
in
schools
and
influenced public strategies
and policies such as the
Alcohol Policy, empowered
citizens, especially the poor
and the marginalised to
claim their rights through
provision of information
on rights, entitlements and
responsibilities.
In
pursuance
of
its
investigative role, FUKO kept
duty-bearers on their toes
to ensure improved quality
of public services, good
management and equitable
distribution
of
public
resources such as drugs in
public hospitals at both local
and national levels.
Through FUKOs watchdog
role, a lot of malpractices
in the public and private

domains were exposed with

some people such as Gertrude
Chikopa being convicted
and sentenced; others like
Philip Joe of Immigration
Department were interdicted
after soliciting a bribe. And
yet other cases involving child
trafficking and child labour
in Mwanza are still in court
awaiting judgement.
Themes
FUKO is structured under
broad thematic areas of
national
development,
community
development,
good
governance,
women
rights,
gender,
youth
development
and
empowerment,
childrens
rights, education, health,
agriculture and environment,
among others.
Challenges
Despite such phenomenal
feats, the journey towards
strengthening citizen voice
and action was not without
challenges.
There were times when
it was marked by lack of
responsiveness on the part
of both rights holders and
duty-bearers; increased costs
of
production
materials

due to changes in micro and

macro fundamentals also
posed a challenge to the

implementation of the project;

so was lack of enabling law to
PAGE 3

ARCHIVE FAST

FACTS

1. NPL and Tilitonse Fund two-year

contract came into effect on April 1
2013
2. By Monday, 30 March 2015 when
the co-funding arrangement came
to an end, Tilitonse Fund had
committed over K94 million to
FUKO Project.
3. FUKO is a bilingual governance
newspaper published in Chichewa
and Chitumbuka, and it is distributed
for free by NPLs strategic partners.

Special pullout THE NATION 3 APRIL 2015

SPECIAL ESSAY
Fluidity of local languages was
also a constraint.
Lessons
FUKO Project was full of
lessons and chief among
them was the power of unity,
collaboration and networking
in achieving the shared
goalmaking Malawi a more
inclusive, accountable and
responsive society.
No
institution
or
organisation can achieve this
single-handedly.
It
needs
concerted efforts.
Distribution
Although NPL publishes
FUKO, distribution is done
by strategic partners such
as Malawi Human Rights
Commission
(MHRC),
National Initiative for Civic
Education
(Nice)
Trust,
Concern Universal (CU), Find
Your Feet, Total Land Care
(TLC), Pride Malawi, Soldev,
Youth Net and Counselling
(Yoneco), Fambitsa Network
CBO, Church and Society
Programme of the CCAP
Synod
of
Livingstonia,
National Smallholder Farmers
Association
of
Malawi
(Nasfam),
Malawi
Carer,
National Association of People
Living with HIV and Aids in
Malawi (Napham), Farmers
Union of Malawi (FUM), Finca,
Fincoop, Creative Centre for
Community
Mobilisation
(Creccom),
Chisomo
Childrens Club, Adventist
Development
and
Relief

WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR

UKO bust a syndicate on

August 15 2014 in which
some people in Thyolo
would illegally access ARVs from
unscrupulous medical personnel
and use the drug for fattening
pigs and brewing and distilling
local alcoholics (mtonjane and
kachasu).
One of the people involved,
Gertrude Chikopa, was arrested
and charged with illegal selling
of drugs and she pledged guilty
following FUKO investigations.
Midima Magistrates Court
convicted Chikopa and fined her
K15 000 or in default serve six
months in prison.
She paid the fine.
The reporter got a tip-off from
a friend that some people in
Thyolo and Mulanje were using
ARVs to fatten animals and
distil, kachasu and mtonjane.
Local brewers claim ARVs
make their products more
potent.
The tip-off came soon after
FUKO published another story
in which the Malawi Network
for People Living with HIV and
Aids (MANET+) complained
that their members in Mulanje
were sharing bottles of ARVs
due to inadequate supply of the
drug in the district.
The reporter visited the
two districts posing as both a
supplier and buyer to get to the

FUKO chalks remarkable

achievements in governance

PHOTOGRAPH: NATION

facilitate access of information.

STRENGTHENING CITIZEN VOICE AND ACTION

The role of FUKO in events leading to the ban on liquor sold in

sachets cannot be disputed
Agency (Adra), Kunyanja
Development Organisation
(Kudo) and others. The
newspaper is distributed to
T/As, DCs, MPs, schools,

hospitals, prisons, churches,

mosques, magistrates courts,
social welfare offices, and other
public offices
Partners! Thanks for the

job well done. If it were not

for your unwavering support,
FUKO Project could not
have made much impact on
communities.

Commitment
NPL will continue financing
and publishing FUKO, a
newspaper it established six
years ago as part of its nationbuilding initiative.
Although this may not be at
the same weight, voltage and
tempo as it was with funding
from Tilitonse.
A cord of two strands is
stronger than that of one
and two are better than one
because they have a double
reward for their labour.
Recommendations
As long as there are citizens,
a need to strengthen citizen
voice and action will always
arise.
There is need for more
funding, more collaboration,
more
networking
to
consolidate and sustain the
achievements of the project.
Conclusion
Although it is painful to say
bye to a friend, such times are
inevitable sometimes and NPL
anxiously looks to the time

when this friend will come

back. Surely, he will. This is
our hope and consolation.n

FUKO busts ARV syndicate

PHOTOGRAPH: NATION

PAGE 2

Fuko Impact

Mzungu shows a bottle of ARVs he bought from Gertrude Chikopa

bottom of the matter.
A farmer from Katundu
Village, Traditional Authority
(T/A) Chimaliro in Thyolo,
Maxwell Hapala confirmed
that most people in the district
administer ARVs to pigs as
they fatten quickly and their
productivity is boosted.
The reporter asked some
farmers in the district to show
him people who could sell him

ARVs to feed his animals and he

was referred to Chisoka Health
Centre health surveillance
assistant, (HSA) Justin Chikopa,
who they claimed supplied them
with ARVs.
The HSA was reportedly
attending
an
engagement
ceremony at Makande when the
reporter visited his home, this
time posing as a buyer of ARVs.
But his wife, Gertrude

Chikopa, sold the reporter a

bottle of ARVs containing 30
tablets at K3 500.
She claimed her husband gets
ARVs from officers at Chisoka
Health Centre at Goliati, T/A
Chimaliro in Thyolo District.
Per bottle sold, medical
officers get K2 000 whereas my
husband gets K1 500. As such, I
can give you a bottle at K3 500.
That is the last price because

this money is shared between

my husband and the medical
officers, claimed Chikopa.
She did not disclose names of
officers.
When contacted for comment,
Thyolo district medical officer
Michael Murowa and his boss,
Ministry of Health principal
secretary, Chris Kangombe,
said they were not aware that
some of their officers sell ARVs
in the district.
Kangombe, however, asked
the reporter to report the matter
to the nearest police and when
he did, police officers found six
more ARV bottles in Chikopas
house and Gertrude and her
husband were picked.
Gertrude was convicted but
her husband denied having any
part in the drug syndicate.
FUKO Projectwith financial
resources from Tilitonse Fund
probed the matter following
concerns from citizens over
drug pilferage and shortages
in different hospitals in the
country.
The aim of the project is
to strengthen citizen voice
and action for institutional
change that will lead to better
inclusivity, accountability and
responsiveness.n

Fuko Impact

Special pullout THE NATION 3 APRIL 2015

STRENGTHENING CITIZEN VOICE AND ACTION

BRIGHT KUMWENDA &
ELUBE PONSEPONSE

Estere Kalulu of Herani

Village, Traditional Authority
Makwangwala in Ntcheu
testifies to a saying that a pen
is mightier than a sword after
her husband dropped his wife
battering habit following a
story published in FUKO in
July 2013.

Turning point

FEATURES

PHOTOGRAPHs: JAMES CHIMPWEYA

A cutting of a story that changed Stephens life

footsteps.
It was this story,
published in FUKO of 10 to
23 July 2013 in a style some
human rights activists
would call naming-andshaming,
that was the
last straw
that broke
the camels
back.
Stephen
was not only
ashamed
but also
devastated
with the bad
publicity
he received
as he was
ridiculed
wherever he
went.
This was his turning
point.
He vowed never to molest
his wife again.
Two years down the line,

Stephen has lived up to

his word and Estere bears
testimony:
My husband is now a
changed man. He no longer
beats me following the

My husband was
a difficult man.
He would punch
me like a bag
for petty issues.

stere Kalulu will live

to remember FUKO
edition of July 10-23
2013 which published a
story headlined Mwamuna
Apepesa Mkazi Wake ndi
Nkhuku 7 (A man fined
seven chickens for wife
battering).
This story melted
Stephen Kalulus resistance
to change his habit of wife
battering.
My husband was a
difficult man. He would
hit me like a punch bag for
petty issues, says Estere
as she divulges into her
past.
She says she tried
everything she could to
bring peace to her home
but to no avail.
On several occasions,
I complained to marriage
counsellors that my
husband would beat me
over petty issues but he
would not change.
If anything, this only
worsened the situation.
Stephen would beat me
again as soon as we arrived
home from counselling,
says the mother of three.
One day, elders asked
her to register women of
childbearing age in the
village.
Knowing how difficult
Stephen was, Estere
asked him for permission
to participate in the
registration exercise and
the request was granted.
However, when she
returned her husband
descended on her,
demanding an explanation
why she came late.
On this particular day,
he beat me severely, she
explains.
This did not go well
with the village elders who
dragged Stephen to their
court and fined him seven
chickens for wife battering.
The elders also invited
FUKO crew to record
the court proceedings
and publish the story
in a bid to deter others
from following Stephens

publication of his story in

FUKO.
Not only that, he is in
the forefront campaigning
against wife battering. I can
now afford a smile.

My husband is now a
member of a village forest
management committee. In
the past, he was unwilling
to participate in any
development work.
Stephen concurred with
his wife.
Since that incident, I
have never lifted my hand
against my wife. I cannot
do that. Wife battering is
bad. Husbands should love
not batter their wives, he
said.
Both Equips Project
coordinator Reuben Kainga
and Village Head Herani
also heaped praises on
FUKO, saying the story has
reduced cases of genderbased violence in T/A
Makwangwala.
Cases of wife battering
have dramatically gone
down in my area following
the publication of
Stephens story and civic
education that different

civil society organisations

are conducting here, said
Herani.
FUKO is a bilingual
governance newspaper
published by Nation
Publications Limited (NPL)
with financial support from
Tilitonse Fund and it is
distributed for free.
Concern Universal
(CU), also with financial
resources from Tilitonse
Fund, trained community
journalists in Ntcheu and
Dedza and the co-author,
Elube Ponseponse, is a
beneficiary.
CU has also been running
campaigns on citizens
rights, entitlement and
responsibilities in T/A
Makwangwalas area.
Through a partnership
agreement between the
two organisations, CU
community journalists such
as Ponseponse contribute
their stories to FUKO.n

Special pullout THE NATION 3 APRIL 2015

FEATURES

Fuko Impact
STRENGTHENING CITIZEN VOICE AND ACTION

BRIGHT KUMWENDA

oncern Universal
(CU) has
described FUKO
Project impact on
Enhancing Quality
and Inclusive Public
Services (Equips)
Project as phenomenal.
FUKO is a
governance and
development
newspaper published
by Nation Publications
Limited (NPL) with
financial support from
Tilitonse Fund.
FUKO whose
project goal is to
strengthen citizen
voice and action for
institutional change
that will lead to
better inclusivity,
accountability and
responsivenesshas
so far received over
K94 million from
Tilitonse Fund to run
FUKO Project.
Our interaction
with Nation
Publications Limited
as both a contributor
of news items and
distributor of FUKO
newspaper copies have

had a phenomenon
impact on Equips
Project, said Reuben
Kainga, CU Equips
Project coordinator.
He said FUKO has
created awareness and
strengthened citizens
voice on their rights,
entitlements and
responsibilities.
FUKO has not
only increased
citizens access to
information on their
rights, entitlements
and responsibilities,
it has also
strengthened their
voices on governance
issues, said Kainga.
Some wife-batters
whose stories were
published in FUKO
were not only
ashamed but they
also reformed.
So, you can
see how FUKO
deterred people from
committing genderbased violence.
Most people are
now aware that
if they commit
crimes community
journalists who live
in their villages will

PHOTOGRAPH: KAINGA LIBRARY

CU talks highly of FUKO Project

Kainga: We have benefitted a lot from FUKO Project

have their stories

published in FUKO,
he said.
Kainga was

referring to a story
of Stephen Kalulu
of Herani Village,
Traditional Authority

Makwangwala in
Ntcheu, who was
fined seven chickens
for beating his wife,

Estere.
Stephen is now
a changed person
following the
publication and
campaign CU
through Equips
Projecthas been
running in the
vil lage on rights,
entitlements and
responsibilities.
Equips Project
is also funded by
Tilitonse Project.
That aside,
FUKO has also
increased visibility
of Concern
Universal projects
and activities across
the country, said
Kainga.
Published in
Chichewa and
Chitumbuka, FUKO
is distributed for
free by its strategic
partners such as
CU, Malawi Human
Rights Commission
(MHRC), Total Land
Care (TLC), Pride
Malawi, Farmers
Union of Malawi
(FUM) and other
organisation s.n

FUKO finds place in adult literacy

SAM MAJAMANDA
Malawi News Agency

Students using FUKO as reference material in an adult literacy class at Mulutha

Village in Mulanje last week
tackles a wide range of
issues that affect their
lives, he said.
FUKOwith financial

support from Tilitonse

Fundis structured under
such broad thematic areas
as national development,

community development,
good
governance,
womens rights, gender,
youth development and

empowerment, health,
education, agriculture,
environment and others.
I like reading FUKO

PHOTOGRAPH: SAM MAJAMANDA, MALAWI NEWS AGENCY

d v e n t i s t
Development and
Relief
Agency
(Adra)
Malawi
has
spoken highly about
FUKO as a teaching
material in their adult
literacy programme.
FUKO is a governance
and
development
newspaper
published
by Nation Publications
Limited (NPL) and is
distributed for free by
different organisations,
including Adra Malawi.
Adra Malawi adult
literacy
programme
officer, Jaffer Kachule,
said the organisation
uses FUKO as a teaching
material in their schools.
Learners like FUKO
because it is readerfriendly in that it is
published
in
local
languagesChichewa
and Chitumbukaand

because I learn meanings

and spellings of different
words.
That aside, I also
learn a lot about our
rights, entitlements and
responsibilities as citizens
of Malawi, said Gritty
Chibwana, a student at
one of Adra Malawi adult
literacy schools in Mulatha
Village,
Traditional
Authority Chikumbu in
Mulanje.
Lewani Nthalawe, a
teacher at the school,
concurred with colleagues
that FUKO is one of their
reference materials.
We
cannot
cover
everything in class, so
we refer our students to
FUKO, said Nthalawe.
Apart
from
Adra
Malawi, Christ-Citadel
International
Church
(CIC) Malawi is also
using FUKO as a reference
material in their adult
literacy classes in Bangwe,
Blantyre.n

Fuko Impact

Special pullout THE NATION 3 APRIL 2015

STRENGTHENING CITIZEN VOICE AND ACTION

Gladys Kachapila, Mwanza

Monica Dunga, Chikwawa

Strengthening citizen voice

through community journalism
NPL, through FUKO Project, is leaving no stone
unturned in ensuring that Malawi becomes a more
inclusive, accountable and responsive society. NPL
in partnership with Tilitonse Fund recently trained
community journalists in all the regions of the country.
The journalists file stories from different parts of Malawi
for publication in FUKO and other products of NPL such
as The Nation, Weekend Nation, Nation on Sunday and

Nation Online. Some of their stories have exposed gross

human rights violation, folly in public policies, strategies
and administration. Some suspected cases of child rights
abuse and child trafficking exposed by the journalists are
in courts awaiting judgement. There is one such case
at Mwanza Magistrates Court awaiting judgement next
week. Here are some of NPL and Tilitonse community
journalists:

Mphatso Magwaza, Ntcheu

Paul Chirambo, Lilongwe

Gift Matola, Nkhata Bay

Temwa Mhone, Blantyre

Alice Goliati, Chiradzulu

Richard Folokiya, Machinga

Uchindami Chawinga, Rumphi

Holyce Kholowa, Zomba

Khumbo Saka, Kasungu

Sungeni Chilewani, Thyolo

Last Ngalu, Dowa

Edwin Anold Polela, Neno

Mercy Madziakaola, Salima

Ayamba Kandodo, Mangochi

Christina Machilika, Zomba

Rodrick Katuka, Balaka

Joseph Chiwaula, Phalombe

Gladson Mbumpha, Ntchisi

Wyness Kibogoyo, Blantyre

Williams Kaponda, Nkhotakota

Winister Nkungula, Mulanje

Alex Adriano, Dowa

Newby Mwamukangama,
Karonga
Aness Banda, Dowa
Raphael Iwalani, Mchinji
Maxwell Phiri, Dedza
McSon Phiri, Lilongwe

Fuko Impact

Special pullout THE NATION 3 APRIL 2015

STRENGTHENING CITIZEN VOICE AND ACTION

FEATURES

case
What do others say Mwanza
judgement April 14
about FUKO?
Auspicious Ndamuwa,
Chisomo Childrens
Club centre manager,
says: FUKO helps our
community-based care
centres (CBCCs) access
information on child
rights child protection,
youth empowerment,
youth development,
gender and good
governance. The
advantage of newspaper
stories as opposed to
those aired on radios
is that you can archive
and refer to them in
future.

Noel Msisha,
Association of
Progressive Women
(APW) acting
executive director,
says: FUKO is a good
tool for community
mobilisation. APW
is running a project
aimed at mobilising
people to participate
in community
development and
FUKO was handy in
as far as coverage and
mobilisation were
concerned.

Tukombo
Dispensary opens
after 15 years

Ollen Mwalubunju, National

Initiative for Civic Education
(Nice) Trust executive director,
says: Since its inception, FUKO
has proved to be a vital tool in
as far as giving power to people
to take to task duty-bearers if
they default in their pledges
and duties. Through FUKO,
the voice of the voiceless has
been strengthened. Ordinary
people are now able to query
ward councillors, members
of Parliament and even the
President on different issues.
Nice has 169 resource centres
throughout the country where
people scramble for FUKO
because it has relevant news.

Tamanda Chabvuta, National Smallholder Farmers

Association of Malawi communications officer,
says: FUKO is helping us to mobilise our members
in different districts of the country. We use and
distribute FUKO to our members to catalyse diffusion
of agricultural technologies. What is pleasing is that
farmers are using FUKO to demand their rights and
entitlements as well as know their responsibilities.

GEORGE SINGINI
PHOTOGRAPHs: NATION

Victor Makwinja,
Christ-Citadel
International
Church pastor,
says: Currently,
our adult literacy
classes in Bangwe
use FUKO as a
learning material.
It excites students
to learn how to
read and write.

Judgement in a case where a

family employed a nine-year-old
girl as a maid will be delivered
on April 14 2015. FUKO of 1831 March 2015 carried a story
which revealed that Francis
White, 44, and his wife Mirika
Grauti, 36, employed the girl
as a domestic worker. The
story led to the arrest of the
couple. FUKO investigations
established that the girl was
employed in September 2013
but up to now she is not yet
paid. The girl said she did not
know her monthly income. I
was just told that I would be
given good clothes when going
back to my home [Nsanje].
GLADYS KAPACHIKA

Mark Botomani, Farmers Union of Malawi (FUM)

corporate affairs coordinator, says: Most people
like reading FUKO because it tackles issues that
affect daily lives of ordinary people. The strength
of FUKO compared with most newspapers is that
it is published in Chichewa and Chitumbuka, two
major languages understood and spoken by many
people in Malawi.

Marriage age excites traditional leaders

BRIGHT KUMWENDA

PHOTOGRAPHs: NATION

raditional leaders in the

country have expressed
excitement with an upward
adjustment of the marriage age
from 16 to 18.
Recently, Parliament passed
the
contentious
Marriage,
Divorce and Family Relations Bill
which has been in the doldrums
for years after president Bingu
wa Mutharika declined to assent
to it as most Malawians felt
uncomfortable with 16 as the
marriage age.
FUKO, with financial support
from Tilitonse Fund, launched
a campaign aimed at sensitising
people to the danger of early
marriages and how the practice
violated childrens rights to
good health and education.
The newspaper, published

Lundu: 18 is better than 16

Chikumbu: I am satisfied

fortnightly in Chichewa and

Chitumbuka, also showcased
best practices where some
traditional leaders passed bylaws in an effort to reduce
child marriages.

Due to an uproar from

people and non-governmental
organisations
(NGOs),
Mutharika declined to assent
to the bill and he sent it

back to a special commission

and Parliament for further
consultations, refining and
fine-tuning.
Although some experts claim
the bill has some grey areas,
most people are satisfied with
the marriage age.
In an interview yesterday,
Paramount Chief Lundu of
Chikwawa said much as he
would have loved to have 20
as the marriage age, 18 is far
much better than 16.
One of the ardent fighters
against
child
marriages,
T/A Chikumbu of Mulanje,
concurred with Lundu that 18
is better for a start.
While expressing satisfaction
with the bill, T/A Mphuka
of Thyolo said what matters
most now is for President Peter
Mutharika to endorse it.n

Government has finally opened

Tukombo Dispensary in Nkhata
Bay 15 years after its construction
began.
FUKO, with financial support
from Tilitonse Fund, published
a lot of stories lobbying
government to have the facility
opened since people were walking
long distances to access health
services.
Although the facility is now up
and running, most people are not
happy with governments decision
to open a dispensary and not a
health centre because maternal
services will still be inaccessible.
Lack of such services has seen
the area registering increased
cases of maternal deaths, women
giving birth on the way to the
hospital or in their homes, and
other birth complications.
Expectant
mothers,
who
witnessed the opening of the
facility on March 9 2015, had a
rude awakening that they will still
walk over 10 kilometres to give
births as the facility was certified
as a dispensary and not a health
centre.
One of the mothers, Milika
Phiri, asked government to
upgrade the facility to either a
health centre or a rural hospital.
If government brings maternal
services closer, cases of giving
birth at home will be reduced,
she said.
Mzuzu
CCJP
diocesan
secretary
Arnold
Msimuko,
whose organisation has also been
instrumental in the opening of
the facility, said people in the area
can be served better by a health
centre or a rural hospital not a
dispensary.
Traditional Authority Zilakoma
said people have already moulde
bricks for the health centre.n

Fuko Impact

Special pullout THE NATION 3 APRIL 2015

STRENGTHENING CITIZEN VOICE AND ACTION

FUKO adventure in pictures

PICTORIAL

Old habits
die hard

Kapeni School
opens

PHOTOGRAPHs: NATION

No sooner had Minister

of Internal Security
and Home Affairs Paul
Chibingu warned officers
from the Department
of Immigration against
corruption, fraud and
kickbacks than FUKO
newspaper caught one
of them at it again.
Immigration officer
Philip Joe, who asked
FUKO reporter Watipaso
Mzungu Jnr for a bribe
of K20 000 to process
his friends passport, has
since been interdicted. In
the photograph, Mzungu
shows a passport Joe
issued after receiving a
bribe. FUKO is published by
NPL with financial support
from Tilitonse Fund.
WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR

Kapeni Demonstration Primary

School in Blantyre remained
closed for over a month after
irate voters burnt its library,
books, head teachers office
and chairs in protest against
late delivery of voting material
at the school by the Malawi
Electoral Commission (MEC).
The school was one of the
voting centres for the May 20
Tripartite Elections. Soon after
the story was published in
FUKO of 25 June 8 July 2014,
communities around the school
contributed about K1.5 million
to purchase teaching materials.
NGOs and government also
came in to assist and within
a week, the school was
opened. FUKO is a governance
newspaper co-financed by NPL
and Tilitonse Fund.ORAMA
CHINAMULUNGU

Treating rabies
with chamba
FUKO of July 1-15, 2014
carried a story which
revealed that lack of
anti-rabies drug caused
some people in Karonga
to resort to using chamba
(Indian hemp) to treat the
disease. FUKO established
that most hospitals in the
country had run out of
anti-rabies drug and some
people were accessing it in
private hospitals at a cost
of K25 000 which was out
of reach for most people.
When FUKO published the
story the Ministry of Health
moved in to supply the
affected hospitals with the
drug. FUKO is published by
NPL with financial support
from Tilitonse Fund.
JOHN CHIRWA

fUKO
eDITORIAL
tEAM

Men carry dead body home

This is one of the saddest photographs FUKO carried in 2014. It shows people from Mzenga
in Nkhata Bay carrying a dead body from hospital to their home. They could not use an
ambulance because the hospital had no fuel to run the vehicle. The story, published in
FUKO of 16-29 April moved a lot of people to the extent that Find Your Feet donated four
bicycle ambulances to the hospital (FUKO 4 -17 March 2015). FUKO is published by NPL
with financial support from Tilitonse Fund. JOHN CHIRWA

Bright Kumwenda
Editor

Hlulo Nyirenda
Copy Editor

Watipaso Mzungu
Reporter

John Chirwa
Reporter

Rachel Kachali
Reporter

Chimwemwe Sefasi
Designer

Special pullout THE NATION 3 APRIL 2015

Fuko Impact

Fuko Impact

Special pullout THE NATION 3 APRIL 2015

Special pullout THE NATION 3 APRIL 2015

Fuko Impact