Secret Women
In Chichewa, the widely-spoken language of southern Malawi, being pregnant or “kunkhala ndi pakati” translates to being in the middle..
During the month of May I organized a video workshop with Malawi Instute of journalism students. This video was filmed and edited with..
In Chichewa, the widely-spoken language of southern Malawi, being pregnant or “kunkhala ndi pakati” translates to being in the middle..
I’ll never forget my first day in a Malawian newsroom. I came in eager, ready to utilize countless hours of preparation and training done..
“I was detained, in jail for 7 days for no reason,” said Comfort Chitseko, who was arrested by Malawi police in October for allegedly..
Across Malawi, 5000 women have been trained by Annie Bonomali, a mother of six who’s been involved in making products such as soap, jam..
The old “respect your elders” adage has customarily been an important part of Malawian culture, with the elderly able to depend on the..
Not long after cutting their teeth, North American children are encouraged to call forward their dreams and consider the question, “What..
With two hands gripping the steering wheel and the right turn signal flashing, 21-year-old Vanessa Nsona’s concentration does not waver..
A month ago I was approached by George Nedi, projects coordinator at the Nancholi Youth Organization (NAYO), to produce a short..
Skewered meat sizzles on kickstand grills along the main M1 highway, a whole pig is slaughtered in an open-air butcher’s market shack, a..
Skewered meat sizzles on kickstand grills along the main M1 highway, a whole pig is slaughtered in an open-air butcher’s market shack, a..
A build or remodel is not typically what the doctor ordered to stave off chronic stress and depression; the process risks construction..
When I met 16-year-old Chikondi Phiri, she was struggling to lift a weighty load of firewood on top of her head. I offered her a helping..
Being one of the 24 countries with no radiotherapy machine and limited access to medications, Malawi’s health care system has very little..
“Take a deep breath. Another one, and one more…” Those were the last words I heard before I couldn’t fight the anesthetic anymore..
In Malawi, parliamentary proceedings and political scandals dominate the headlines and radio waves. Whether it is a mere press conference..
The flag flies at half mast outside Malawi’s parliament building where thousands of civilians have braved long line-ups in smoldering hot..
Co-written with Sibongele Zgambo from Zodiak Broadcasting Station Its 10 p.m. in Malawi’s capital, Lilongwe, and the nighttime vultures..
Ronald Gomo, 37, is a fisherman who would rather live alone than associate with the other fishermen who reside on the shorelines of..
It’s April 25 and 12 year old Blessings Phiri traveled, by foot for hours from his village to sit in the waiting room of Kamuzu Central..
Joyce Banda was sworn in as Malawi’s newest president on April 7 under the terms of the constitution, following two days of political..
Media freedom in Malawi has been commonly deplored, but amidst the political transition that brought Malawi its first female head of state..
“Very few people look at the film industry as a business here in Malawi”, said Shemu Joyah, the director of the film Seasons of a life,..
Isaac Muralaudira is 8 years old and has never visited a dentist. He suffers from periodontal disease and tooth decay. “His gums are..
Money doesn’t grow on trees, but in Nkalo village it grows near one. In the centre of the village a tree has become the site of new..
Eletina Mwale has worked on several tobacco estates since 1985. Currently, she works on a tobacco farm in Salima, Malawi. “I have been in..
July 21, 2011 was an unruly day in Lumbadzi, Malawi – a violent protest paraded through the streets. While some citizens were using the..
The children of Kachitsa Village, a small village of 1,000 in the northern outskirts of Lilongwe, Malawi, are adamant about their religious..
Violet Banda is not your average 21-year-old. A poised, confident and outspoken child rights activist, Banda personifies the power of radio..
For smallholder farmers across Malawi, crop production is merely half of the battle. The real challenge comes postharvest, when the race..
Malawi’s Legal Aid volunteers sift through a pile of files of those on death row. They are doing everything they can to abolish the death..
Malawi’s Legal Aid volunteers sift through a pile of files of those on death row. They are doing everything they can to abolish the death..
Saturday night in Blantyre and the drinks are flowing at Mustang Sally’s, a fluorescent bar with a swimming pool centerpiece frequented..
Saturday night in Blantyre and the drinks are flowing at Mustang Sally’s, a fluorescent bar with a swimming pool centerpiece frequented..
You’ve been in an accident in Malawi – where do you go? If you said the emergency department you could be wrong. A few months ago my..
“A real African woman has to be a big, full figured, confident and responsible woman.” This is what pageant coordinator Florence..
“This was a time bomb waiting to happen.” That’s what Dr. Philip Amoo had to say after three children died following a bacteria..
“This was a time bomb waiting to happen.” That’s what Dr. Philip Amoo had to say after three children died following a bacteria..
LILONGWE, Malawi – Primary schools in Lilongwe are over their capacity. There are not enough classrooms to seat 8,000 or more students..
Three thousand women were leaping out of their seats and waving their hands in the air amidst a chorus of cheers. A continuous line of..
As the first-ever judiciary strike in Malawi enters its fourth week, the doors to over 200 courts remain closed and justice has generally..
The inaccessibility of oil in Malawi causes a considerable slowdown in regard to the overall productivity of the country. While hospitals..
The inaccessibility of oil in Malawi causes a considerable slowdown in regard to the overall productivity of the country. While hospitals..
Lilongwe street vendors have been headlining Malawi media for quite some time and it doesn’t look like their name will be out of the news..
“The lights are back on? Lets celebrate!” It’s become the common expression for us after moving to Malawi a couple of weeks ago...
After three years of living with chronic petrol shortages, most Malawians have developed strategies for fueling up without queuing up...
“There is fuel in Monkey Bay!” a text message reads. A game of telephone quickly transpires. “Get there quick! No queues! Will be out..
Depending on your perspective, Rev. Macdonald Sembereka is either a valiant hero or an impenitent villain. To some, he is a human rights..
The electricity had been out for 24 hours where I was staying in Namiwawa, Blantyre, either due to the heavy seasonal rains or the theft of..
The electricity had been out for 24 hours where I was staying in Namiwawa, Blantyre, either due to the heavy seasonal rains or the theft of..
A doctor recently told me he sees an average of 20-25 cases of child sexual abuse a month referred to his hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. I..
It’s a Thursday afternoon and the thermometer is about to hit 40 degrees. Taxi driver Mike Msindira, 32, is sweaty, exasperated, but..
One theme runs through conversations in Malawi more than any other: the topic of fuel – and a lack thereof.
The World Health Organization (WHO) announced in October that nearly a third of all countries affected by malaria are on the path of..
As I sat in Toronto’s Pearson airport five months ago getting ready to board the first of three flights to Malawi, I got an email..
As I sat in Toronto’s Pearson airport five months ago getting ready to board the first of three flights to Malawi, I got an email..
Much like kimchi is to Koreans, or tortillas are to Mexicans, nsima is to Malawians. Nsima is a thick, starchy porridge made from corn,..
By Nina Lex, Timothy Banda, Arthur Cola Mvuta, and Glitter Ndovi A garbage filled river outside Blantyre’s main market. Photo by Nina..
Charcoal producers in rural Malawi understand that their work hurts the environment, but they argue that poverty leaves them little choice..
When Montreal’s Dr. James Orbinski visited a hospital in Zomba District, Malawi, in 2004, he was taken back. “It was a living hell,”..
Millions of people in Malawi are employed outside of the formal economy, and often lack social security benefits such as pension plans.
Millions of people in Malawi are employed outside of the formal economy, and often lack social security benefits such as pension plans.
I started the day by losing my phone. We hadn’t been over the Botswana border 5 minutes when from the back seat of our safari jeep I..
Just last month, the shores of Lake Malawi filled with thousands of barefooted festival-goers from around world as the eighth annual Lake..
As I walked to work, the headlines of Malawi’s daily papers caught my eye: “Poly Student Commits Suicide.” I stopped mid-step,..
The topic of immunization is often controversial – but in Malawi, it can be deadly as parents refuse their children access to vaccines...
This simple story of perseverance, self-reliance, and, ultimately, success, isn’t the kind of thing you read about in international..
Thanksgiving is arguably my favourite holiday. My mum roasts a turkey with all the fixings and my dad pours the wine, while my sister and I..
Hazwel Kunyenje is a political cartoonist who has spent more than 15 years illustrating articles, editorials and short stories for one of..
By Ali Schofield, with contributions from Mphatso Mwanvani, Ivory Kalemera and Clement Msiska Imagine you are a woman whose husband has..
This past season, Henry Tambula saw his farm narrowly avoid financial ruin. “I’ve grown tobacco for 25 years,” he said on the..
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health problems are already the fourth leading cause of the global health burden,..
A favourite inspirational story I’ve enjoyed since arriving in southern Africa is that of Malawi’s vice president, Joyce Banda, and..
In Malawi, God’s word is everywhere. Minibuses have “Fear God” scrolled across their hoods, salons signs are painted with “God is..
Employees of The Daily Times and other BP&P papers have been laid off as Malawi faces economic difficulties.
Many Malawian children orphaned and HIV-positive struggle to keep themselves on complicated ARV drug regiments without older family members..
From my past travel experiences I’ve learned that the best way to ease the stress that culture shock can bring is to first tackle the..
On the mainstage at the Bushfire Festival in Ezulwini, Swaziland, Canadian-African spoken word artists D’bi Young and Croc E Moses..
Seated on the porch of her state residence in Blantyre, Malawi’s first female Vice President, Joyce Banda, wraps a thick, white shawl..
Overwhelmed by the heat in her house, a Malawian mother moves the charcoal fire she is cooking on from her kitchen to the yard. Leaving the..
Take a look around Malawi's Blantyre Market and in nearly every direction, you'll see that people have repurposed and are reusing objects..
Today there is a perfect storm working against NGO funding in Malawi.
Text by Sarah Feldbloom South African indie music has rarely crossed the ocean to North America’s mass markets – but the genre is..
Text by Sarah Feldbloom South African indie music has rarely crossed the ocean to North America’s mass markets – but the genre is..
Behind a set of imposing wooden doors and in a building teeming with antiquity, lies an invaluable collection of historical documents:..
At the world-renowned artist studio Núcleo de Arte in Maputo, Mozambican artist Fiel dos Santos recalls a childhood robbed by military..
By Rhodes Msonkho and Denis Calnan Interpretations of the Bible are keeping some parents in Malawi from accessing medical treatment for..
At the world-renowned artist studio Núcleo de Arte in Maputo, Mozambican artist Fiel dos Santos recalls a childhood robbed by military..
By Jane Kaonga and Denis Calnan Maclean Panje scrolls through photos of his nephew, 27-year-old Emmanuel Kafele, on his cell phone. The..
Amid July 20's broken windows, gunshots, and thick plumes of teargas, important issues were lost.
I arrived in Malawi three weeks ago – just in time to see ‘the warm heart of Africa’ break into chaos. Violent protests swept..
On July 3, 2011, Neighborhood Watch, a student-run radio show, was proudly launched on MIJ FM in Blantyre. The bilingual (English-Chichewa)..
For Malawian authors and their readers, maintaining a literary culture in Malawi is important. “It’s about the need to revere our own..
Text and video by Sarah Berman In January 2011, Malawi amended Section 46 of its penal code to limit freedom of the press. The new..
Text and video by Sarah Berman In January 2011, Malawi amended Section 46 of its penal code to limit freedom of the press. The new..
On March 23 2011, five journalism students from the Malawi Institute of Journalism visited a youth center run by Active Youth in Social..
In front of the Malawi Institute of Journalism (MIJ), two parents prevent their child from going to school. While the child is consumed in..
In January 2011, jhr intern Denis Calnan set off to Malawi for a six-month internship placement at Capital radio in Blantyre. When he..
In January 2011, jhr intern Denis Calnan set off to Malawi for a six-month internship placement at Capital radio in Blantyre. When he..
Text by Jenny Vaughan, audio by Sarah Feldbloom Female empowerment is a funny thing. You cannot see it, touch it, smell it or hear it. But..