Malawi • www.jhr.ca/blog • Field Notes

Not skirting around the issue: Malawian women take on gender norms

In Malawi, Media Internships,

by Mara Silvestri February 7, 2012

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 speakers were taking center stage at HHI Multipurpose Hall, advocating on the topic of women’s rights. It was Seodi White, a social development lawyer and Director of Women and the [...]

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Health & Fuel: A follow up on Malawi’s shortage impact on health services.

In Educational Internships, Malawi,

by Josiane Blanc February 6, 2012

The inaccessibility of oil in Malawi causes a considerable slowdown in regard to the overall productivity of the country. While hospitals have developed strategies to ensure continuous access to resources, their employees and patients are still queuing up nearby the pump. According to Dr. Themba Mhango, the director at the Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital (QECH), [...]

Tagged as: Blantyre, fuel crisis, health services, hospitals

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The street vendor’s motto: “Freedom is bought by blood”

In IYIP Rights Media Internships, Malawi, Media Internships,

by Kara Stevenson February 5, 2012

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 anytime soon. There have been a few battles between street vendors and riot police, creating chaos in the city. Since moving their business onto the streets of Lilongwe, street vendors [...]

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Developing energy-saving lights and solar lights to improve standard of living in Malawi’s cities and rural areas

In IYIP Rights Media Internships, Malawi, Media Internships, Trainer,

by Kara Stevenson February 3, 2012

“The lights are back on? Lets celebrate!” It’s become the common expression for us after moving to Malawi a couple of weeks ago. There are times where my fellow jhr co-workers and I are left to sit in the dark for hours in our Lilongwe home. Moving to Malawi has conditioned us to adapt to [...]

Tagged as: electricity, power outage, solar lights

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Fueling up without queuing up: Thoughts on the future of social media in Malawi

In Educational Internships, IYIP Educational Officer, Malawi,

by Paula Millar February 1, 2012

After three years of living with chronic petrol shortages, most Malawians have developed strategies for fueling up without queuing up. While befriending gas attendants for information on tanker arrivals will cost you a couple hundred kwacha, those buying on the black market continue to pay nearly triple the going rate. Across the country, the prospect [...]

Tagged as: Facebook, fuel, fuel crisis, jhr, malawi, shortages, Social Media

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Fuel hunting in Malawi

In Educational Internships, IYIP Educational Officer, Malawi,

by nlex January 31, 2012

“There is fuel in Monkey Bay!” a text message reads. A game of telephone quickly transpires. “Get there quick! No queues! Will be out soon!” Filling up in Malawi has become increasingly difficult and expensive. This week’s five-day drought is said to be the worse since the fuel crisis in 2009, forcing drivers to queue [...]

Tagged as: forex, fuel, increase, malawi, prices, shortages

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Malawian human rights activists risk their lives for free speech

In IYIP Rights Media Internships, Malawi, Media Internships,

by Desiree Buitenbos January 25, 2012

Depending on your perspective, Rev. Macdonald Sembereka is either a valiant hero or an impenitent villain. To some, he is a human rights defender – an unwavering activist who speaks candidly about civil and political issues in the country. To others, he is a loudmouth dissenter of President Bingu Mutharika. The latter view of Sembereka [...]

Tagged as: democracy, elections, Governance, human rights, jhr, malawi, politics, protest, Public Engagement Fund

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In Malawi, child rape is a tough case

In IYIP Rights Media Internships, Malawi,

by tlupick December 23, 2011

Thumbnail image for In Malawi, child rape is a tough case

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 wasn’t sure I had heard him correctly.

Tagged as: abuse, children, malawi, rape, sexual assault

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Fuel scarcity fuels corruption in Malawi

In IYIP Rights Media Internships, Malawi,

by Elena Sosa Lerín December 23, 2011

It’s a Thursday afternoon and the thermometer is about to hit 40 degrees. Taxi driver Mike Msindira, 32, is sweaty, exasperated, but resigned to the idea of losing time and his daily income of $75 CAD – instead of driving passengers around, he must spend his time driving all over Blantyre looking for fuel. He [...]

Tagged as: corruption, fuel crisis

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