An outraged Madonna ripped a Malawi judge for sentencing an engaged gay couple couple to 14 years of hard labor - based strictly on their sexual orientation.
"I am shocked and saddened by the decision made by the Malawian court, which sent two innocent men to prison," Madonna said Friday in a statement posted on her web site. "Malawi took a giant step backward," the singer continued. "The world is filled with pain and suffering; therefore, we must support out basic human right to love and be loved." The two were arrested under Malawi's colonial-era laws banning homosexuality after throwing an engagement party at the hotel where Chimbalanga worked. The two were taken into custody Dec. 27, convicted Tuesday and sentenced Thursday to the maximum term. Their lawyer said the two men will appeal the conviction. "I call upon the progressive men and women of Malawi - and around the world - to challenge this decision in the name of human dignity and equal rights for all," Madonna said.
As much as I believe Madonna to be a total fame whore, I believe that this is a very good thing that such a famous person would speak out about this issue. Granted, she probably wouldn't have spoken out if she hadn't adopted kids from there but either way her words will help reach people who probably otherwise wouldn't know about the situation.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Child Death Rate Decreases
Deaths among children under five years old have dropped more than previously thought and the declines are accelerating in several developing countries, reflecting significant improvements in care, according to a new study. About 7.7 million deaths in infants and young children are expected globally in 2010, compared with 11.9 million deaths in 1990 and 16 million in 1970, according to the study, conducted by researchers at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington and published Monday by the journal The Lancet. The rate of decline of about 2.1% a year still doesn't match the annual 4.4% decline needed to meet a United Nations goal to reduce deaths in children under age five by two-thirds between 1990 and 2015. But it appears to reflect a scale-up of funding in recent years for efforts to combat malaria, mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and to immunize more children, resulting in greater progress than previously known against childhood diseases, the researchers said. The new findings reflect lower estimates of child mortality than previous studies, reflecting more data and improved methods of analysis, the researchers said. The paper noted that Unicef reported 8.77 million deaths in 2008, compared with the study's 7.95 million deaths for that year.
The decrease in infant mortality is great news. The amount went down almost by 1 million children and the more children that survive the better. Children in Malawi usually don't live beyond the age of 5, which to Americans and many other people, is not common at all. The death rate is extremely morbid for people like us but looking on the positive side of it all, the death rate is decreasing so something is working over there.
The decrease in infant mortality is great news. The amount went down almost by 1 million children and the more children that survive the better. Children in Malawi usually don't live beyond the age of 5, which to Americans and many other people, is not common at all. The death rate is extremely morbid for people like us but looking on the positive side of it all, the death rate is decreasing so something is working over there.
Church Of Scotland Defends imprisoned men
Reverend Ian Galloway, convener of the Kirk's Church and Society council, has condemned the jailing of a Malawian gay couple as "unjust". Townge Chimbalanga and Steven Monjeza were sentenced to 14 years in prison with hard labour last Thursday after being arrested on 28 December 2009 for their 'symbolic' wedding. Reverend Galloway said: "These men have harmed no-one. They are a danger to no-one and should not be in prison." The Kirk is currently struggling to reach an agreement over the subject of ordaining openly gay ministers after last year's appointment of Scott Rennie to Queen's Cross, an issue which split the Church. The General Assembly, the Church of Scotland's annual supreme court meeting, is currently being held at The Mound in Edinburgh, where Reverend Galloway said he hoped they would unite over the Malawi case.
I think this is really good because although homosexuality is against many peoples beliefs, this church is sticking up for these men. They didn't do anything to anybody so I also believe they shouldn't be in prison for being engaged. The worldwide response is good for these men because the more publicity they get then the worse the government of Malawi looks so they'll eventually be forced to release the men.
I think this is really good because although homosexuality is against many peoples beliefs, this church is sticking up for these men. They didn't do anything to anybody so I also believe they shouldn't be in prison for being engaged. The worldwide response is good for these men because the more publicity they get then the worse the government of Malawi looks so they'll eventually be forced to release the men.
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Money goes to Malawi farming
Accenture and Concern today announced that the Accenture Foundations have awarded Concern US $1.5 million to fund the development of conservation farming programs in Zambia and Malawi. The grant will be used to educate and assist local farmers and communities in sustainable farming practices.
The award is part of Accenture's corporate citizenship focus -- Skills to Succeed -- which educates people around the world, building skills that enable them to participate in and contribute to the economy. The three-year Concern project will train 6,400 farmers in Malawi and Zambia in conservation agriculture techniques. Local trainers will provide participating farmers with the skills necessary to attain food security and harvest surplus produce.
In addition to the grant, Accenture will continue supporting Concern with pro-bono consulting services, which range from advice on developing Concern's business strategy to volunteering hands-on support for the organization.
I think this is great because people are trying to help out the less fortunate and are donating money to help other people get on their feet.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/accenture-grants-concern-us15-million-to-build-conservation-farming-skills-in-zambia-and-malawi-2010-04-29?reflink=MW_news_stmp
The award is part of Accenture's corporate citizenship focus -- Skills to Succeed -- which educates people around the world, building skills that enable them to participate in and contribute to the economy. The three-year Concern project will train 6,400 farmers in Malawi and Zambia in conservation agriculture techniques. Local trainers will provide participating farmers with the skills necessary to attain food security and harvest surplus produce.
In addition to the grant, Accenture will continue supporting Concern with pro-bono consulting services, which range from advice on developing Concern's business strategy to volunteering hands-on support for the organization.
I think this is great because people are trying to help out the less fortunate and are donating money to help other people get on their feet.
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/accenture-grants-concern-us15-million-to-build-conservation-farming-skills-in-zambia-and-malawi-2010-04-29?reflink=MW_news_stmp
Enough food despite food shortages
Despite some remaining pockets of food insecurity and fears that a prolonged dry spell would set back Malawi's maize production in 2010, the country looks set to realize another surplus year. Alick Nkhoma, assistant representative in Malawi of the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), said all indications were that for the fifth consecutive year the country would produce enough maize, the staple food, even to support those in need in Southern Malawi, which experienced a dry spell.
A vendor selling maize in Kawale township in the capital, Lilongwe, located in the centre of the country, said most farmers had managed a bumper maize harvest and were already selling the surplus to commercial traders.
"In the rural areas of Lilongwe [district] most households managed to get coupons, with which they bought the subsidized fertilizers; the rains too were good in most areas - this is the reason there is enough maize here," vendor Thomson Mwale told IRIN.
The outlook in southern Malawi is not as good. A Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET) report noted that as many as half a million people in the Lower Shire Valley in southern Malawi had not harvested any maize and needed immediate humanitarian support, but "the government has enough stocks to meet these needs".
I think that despite the problems with bad harvest it's good that there is enough food to get by. Although there are many people who are starving to death, the food shortage is not an absolute disaster.
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=89175
A vendor selling maize in Kawale township in the capital, Lilongwe, located in the centre of the country, said most farmers had managed a bumper maize harvest and were already selling the surplus to commercial traders.
"In the rural areas of Lilongwe [district] most households managed to get coupons, with which they bought the subsidized fertilizers; the rains too were good in most areas - this is the reason there is enough maize here," vendor Thomson Mwale told IRIN.
The outlook in southern Malawi is not as good. A Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET) report noted that as many as half a million people in the Lower Shire Valley in southern Malawi had not harvested any maize and needed immediate humanitarian support, but "the government has enough stocks to meet these needs".
I think that despite the problems with bad harvest it's good that there is enough food to get by. Although there are many people who are starving to death, the food shortage is not an absolute disaster.
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=89175
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Malawi in need of nurses
Malawi is in need of more nurses and midwives to offer better reproductive health services in hospitals. National Organisation of Nurses and Midwives of Malawi (NONM) said recently that the number of nurses in the country was still low and that it needed to triple if health services are to be improved.
Reports say that currently the southern African country has about 8,000 nurses and midwives and that only half are at the bedside when women are giving birth.
“There is a critical shortage of nurse midwives and this inadequate number has resulted in women delivering on their own,” said NONM Project Manager Harriet Kapyepye. The past years have seen many nurses and doctors leave the country for overseas in search of greener pastures. But a senior professor at University of Malawi’s College of Medicine said many doctors and nurses were now coming back to work in the country. The decrease in number of the intake of students to pursue nursing is also said to be bringing about the shortage.
I think that this is a big problem since there are not enough people to take care of others and nurses. But the fact that there are more nurses and doctors coming is good because they really need them.
Reports say that currently the southern African country has about 8,000 nurses and midwives and that only half are at the bedside when women are giving birth.
“There is a critical shortage of nurse midwives and this inadequate number has resulted in women delivering on their own,” said NONM Project Manager Harriet Kapyepye. The past years have seen many nurses and doctors leave the country for overseas in search of greener pastures. But a senior professor at University of Malawi’s College of Medicine said many doctors and nurses were now coming back to work in the country. The decrease in number of the intake of students to pursue nursing is also said to be bringing about the shortage.
I think that this is a big problem since there are not enough people to take care of others and nurses. But the fact that there are more nurses and doctors coming is good because they really need them.
Malawi Leader goes to China
Malawi President Bingu wa Mutharika is to pay a state visit to China where he will also attend the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai. President Mutharika will be among only four African Heads of State invited for the official opening ceremony. Others are from Kenya, Congo Brazzaville and Mali.“We would like our business people to concentrate more on agro-based products and produce quality goods for export to the international market,” President Mutharika said on departure at Kamuzu International Airport in the capital Lilongwe on Tuesday.
An unprecedented 192 countries and 50 international organizations are expected at the event, which features some 189 National Pavilion Days and 39 International Organization Days as well as 20,000 cultural performances.
Mutharika is expected to open the Malawi Stand at the African Pavilion at the World Expo-2010. Shanghai Expo runs from May 1 to October 31. China says it has spent $4.2 billion—double what it spent at the Beijing Olympics—to host the world’s largest exhibition fair.
It is the most expensive Expo to date and local media have reported the true cost is closer to $58 billion, according to Thomson-Reuters. The Shanghai Expo is promoting itself as the first green and environmentally-friendly Expo, creating China’s largest solar plant as part of the facilities and using zero emission vehicles for transportation. But most of the exhibition sites will be demolished when the Expo ends.
I think it's pretty cool because I'm really excited for the world cup. The world cup is something that brings the world together for the same reason and for once it's not something due to war or disaster.
http://www.nyasatimes.com/national/malawi-president-heads-to-china-for-world-expo-2010.html
An unprecedented 192 countries and 50 international organizations are expected at the event, which features some 189 National Pavilion Days and 39 International Organization Days as well as 20,000 cultural performances.
Mutharika is expected to open the Malawi Stand at the African Pavilion at the World Expo-2010. Shanghai Expo runs from May 1 to October 31. China says it has spent $4.2 billion—double what it spent at the Beijing Olympics—to host the world’s largest exhibition fair.
It is the most expensive Expo to date and local media have reported the true cost is closer to $58 billion, according to Thomson-Reuters. The Shanghai Expo is promoting itself as the first green and environmentally-friendly Expo, creating China’s largest solar plant as part of the facilities and using zero emission vehicles for transportation. But most of the exhibition sites will be demolished when the Expo ends.
I think it's pretty cool because I'm really excited for the world cup. The world cup is something that brings the world together for the same reason and for once it's not something due to war or disaster.
http://www.nyasatimes.com/national/malawi-president-heads-to-china-for-world-expo-2010.html
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