Many men in Malawi are carrying heavy burdens. They are living by a thread. They have nowhere to take their burdens to let alone talk about them, and eventually, slowly, break down without anyone noticing.

Prestige Events Malawi (PEM), a Blantyre-based events management company, has organised a men’s conference dubbed ‘Man in the Mirror’ where men will be encouraged to break the culture of silence and openly discuss the challenges affecting their lives as a way of promoting mental health, stronger families and healthier communities.

Prestige Events Director Chrispin Bondwe said in an interview yesterday that the inaugural ‘Man in the Mirror’ men’s conference will be held at Apollo Auditorium in Blantyre on 3 July 2026.

“This is not an ordinary conference. It is a high-impact, thought-leadership platform designed to confront the most pressing yet least discussed challenges facing men in Malawi today which include declining mental health, failing marriages, chronic work-related stress, reproductive health crises, financial fragility, and legacy planning.”

“These are not peripheral social issues — they sit at the heart of organisational productivity, family stability, and national economic resilience. So, this conference is about encouraging men to look into the mirror, confront their realities and find support from fellow men who may be facing similar challenges,” said Bondwe.

He said ‘The Man in the Mirror’ conference emerges from a growing recognition across corporate boardrooms, health institutions, and civil society that Malawi’s men are navigating extraordinary pressures in near-total silence.

“Rising rates of prostate cancer, erectile dysfunction, and infertility sit alongside epidemic levels of work-related stress, marriage failure, financial insecurity, and mental health collapse. According to documented research, 88% of all suicides in Malawi are by men, and men are globally up to three times more likely to die by suicide than women.”

“These are not private tragedies. They are organisational crises. They are economic losses. They are family collapses. They demand a national conversation — structured, evidence-based, expert-led,and action-oriented, hence this conference. Many men suffer in silence due to societal expectations that portray them as strong and self-reliant at all times,” said Bondwe.

He said they have extended the invitation to various organisations and individuals to partner with them to make the conference a success and help men come out with their problems.

“We have invited high profile and respected speakers to this event who include a well-known Professor of Psychology, Chiwoza Bandawe who will make a presentation on a topic tiltled ‘Men’s Mental Health and Work-Related Stress: Facing What We Cannot Afford to Ignore’,” said Bondwe.

Other speakers at the conference include High Court Judge, Justice Allan Hans Muhome who will make a presentation on ‘Wills, Estate Planning, and the Legacy Men Must Not Leave to Chance’ while Moses Chipemba Soko, a Radiology Technologist and Head of Radiology Department at Zomba Central Hospital will make a presentation on ‘Prostate Cancer and Men’s Reproductive Health: What the Scans Are Telling Us’.

There will also be another presentation from Dr Duncan Goche, a Urology Physician and Head of Urology Department at Zomba Central  Hospital ‘Erectile Dysfunction, Infertility, and Enlarged Prostate: Answers Men Are Afraid to Seek’.

 “We believe that these are the topics that will help men to open up and seek help where necessary and these presentations will help give answers to the many questions and thoughts that bother men but they do not talk about them,” added Bondwe.

He said they have organised the conference to be in a more relaxed environment so that men should free up.

“This day will be a Friday and we want men to feel relaxed and there will be different activities including a live band, poetry and different beverages to make men relax. Companies and individuals can buy tickets for their male employees and for themselves, it will be a life changing event,” said Bondwe.

He said they plan to have similar conferences in the central, east and northern regions of the country.

Airtel Malawi employees on Tuesday, donated 83 units of blood in an annual blood donation exercise held to commemorate World Blood Donor Day.

The blood donation drive, which was conducted in partnership with the Malawi Blood Transfusion Service (MBTS), forms part of Airtel Malawi’s long-standing corporate social responsibility initiatives. The company has been organizing the exercise for over a decade, helping to strengthen the country’s blood reserves and ensure hospitals have adequate supplies for patients in need.

Among the donors was retired schoolteacher Andrew Mchisa, who made his 90th blood donation during this year’s event. Mchisa said he was inspired to become a donor in 1993 after witnessing his father require a blood transfusion.

“It is important to donate blood to save lives; therefore, it is important for the nation to undertake this exercise,” said Mchisa.

Speaking during the event, MBTS Public Relations Officer for the Central Region, Upile Kaimvi, commended Airtel Malawi for its continued commitment to blood donation.

“We are happy to have this initiative by Airtel. We have been holding this blood donation drive for the past 10 years. It is important to have enough supply of blood in our blood banks, and we are proud that we can supply blood to hospitals across the country,” said Kaimvi.

Airtel Malawi Managing Director Aashish Dutt said the company recognizes its responsibility to support communities beyond providing communication services.

“At Airtel, we believe in connecting people, and we feel that we have a social responsibility to donate blood and give life to people. We accommodate the needs of the community and help the government in several sectors, and blood donation is one of them,” said Dutt.

He added that the annual blood donation drive reflects Airtel Malawi’s commitment to responding to the country’s most pressing needs while contributing to a stronger national blood bank.

Blood remains a critical resource for healthcare facilities, benefiting accident victims, expectant mothers, patients with severe anaemia, and those undergoing surgery. Health authorities continue to encourage voluntary blood donation as a vital way of ensuring a safe and reliable blood supply for Malawians.

World Blood Donor Day is commemorated annually on June 14 to raise awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products and to thank voluntary donors for their life-saving contributions.

​The Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi (ESCOM) Limited has intensified its nationwide community sensitization campaigns as part of its ongoing efforts to wage war against the vandalism of critical electricity infrastructure, particularly transformers.

​On Thursday, ESCOM, in collaboration with the Malawi Police Service, conducted an anti-vandalism awareness campaign at Mkukula Primary School ground in Lumbadzi, Dowa—an area that has recently seen a spike in vandalism incidents.

​The campaign brought together local chiefs and community members to highlight the importance of safeguarding electricity infrastructure and the vital role citizens play in combating the vice.

​The Cost of Vandalism

​Speaking during the event, ESCOM Senior Control Engineer Peter Murotho emphasized that protecting electricity infrastructure is a collective responsibility. He noted that vandalism not only disrupts the power supply but also severely undermines social and economic development.

​”Vandalizing ESCOM infrastructure leaves the network exposed and poses serious safety risks to the public. It also results in significant financial losses, as substantial resources are diverted to repair damaged infrastructure instead of expanding the network,” Murotho said.

​The Guest of Honour, Lumbadzi Police Officer-in-Charge Mable Msefula, described vandalism as a major bottleneck to reliable electricity supply in the area. She urged community members to work hand-in-hand with law enforcement.

​”Electricity infrastructure is central to our daily livelihoods. Vandalism disrupts essential services in our homes, businesses, and public institutions. It is our duty to protect these assets, and I urge all community leaders and residents to promptly report any suspicious activities to the police,” Msefula said.

​A Call for Mindset Change

​ESCOM’s Chief Public Relations and Communications Officer, Pilirani Phiri, underscored the strategic importance of community-led interventions.

​”From November 2025 to March 2026 alone, ESCOM recorded 138 cases of vandalism and theft of electricity infrastructure,” Phiri revealed. “Through these campaigns, we are driving home two key messages: the need for a mindset shift toward protecting public assets, and the importance of taking collective ownership of this infrastructure. Together, we can defeat vandalism and secure a reliable power supply for all.”

Community Commitment

​Traditional Authority Mkukula thanked ESCOM for the timely initiative, pledging the full support of local leadership.

​”As chiefs, we will work closely with ESCOM to ensure that all electricity infrastructure in our jurisdictions is actively safeguarded,” he promised.

​The interactive meeting concluded with a lively question-and-answer session. Community members engaged directly with officials on critical issues, including how to report vandalism, the anonymity and safety of informants, and grassroots strategies for protecting local assets.

​This sensitization initiative is part of a broader, sustained campaign by ESCOM and law enforcement agencies to curb vandalism through education, community collaboration, and strengthened reporting mechanisms.

The Airtel Africa Foundation has invested US$6.2 million in education, financial inclusion,
environmental sustainability and digital inclusion programs during its first full year of
operations, with education receiving the largest share of funding.

This has been revealed in the Foundation’s inaugural annual report, released on Friday, which highlights the organization’s impact on millions of learners and communities across Africa through its four strategic pillars collectively known as FEED (Financial Inclusion, Education, Environmental Sustainability and Digital Inclusion).

Among its key achievements, the Foundation connected 1,028 schools to the internet through a partnership with UNICEF, bringing the total to 3,296 across 13 countries. The initiative has also reached more than two million learners and nearly 39,000 teachers, while 64 zero-rated digital platforms provided over 11 million learners with free access to educational content.

The report also highlights progress under the School Adoption Program, which has seen
seven public schools fully renovated and a further 43 undergoing upgrades. The program combines infrastructure improvements with digital connectivity and student development
initiatives aimed at enhancing learning outcomes.

In a bid to strengthen Africa's technology talent pipeline, the Airtel Africa Tech Fellowship awarded 257 full university scholarships to students in Malawi, Nigeria, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda. The scholarships are supporting studies in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and helping to nurture future technology leaders across the continent.

Commenting on the report, Airtel Africa Foundation Chair Segun Ogunsanya said the
organization was established to address inequalities in access to opportunity.

“The Airtel Africa Foundation was established to help dismantle barriers caused by unequal
access to opportunity. While talent and ambition are abundant, access to education, digital
tools and economic participation remains uneven. Through partnerships and our continental
reach, we are committed to investing in communities furthest from opportunity,” he said.
The report further underscores the Foundation's growing emphasis on measurable impact and long-term sustainable change across the communities it serves.

Looking ahead, the Foundation plans to expand several of its flagship programs, including extending its School Adoption Program to more than 80 schools, increasing the number of scholarships awarded to over 600 young people, and providing free internet connectivity to an additional 2,000 schools across the continent. It also intends to broaden digital skills training and financial inclusion initiatives to reach more underserved communities.

Ogunsanya further said the Foundation is well positioned to drive skills development and
create lasting change at both individual and household levels while working with
governments to support Africa's economic transformation.

The planned expansion reflects the Foundation’s commitment to scaling successful
interventions and widening access to education, digital connectivity and economic
opportunities for communities across Africa.

By Roy Howa: 

The Competition and Fair Trading Commission (CFTC) says businesses recently penalized for violating competition and consumer protection laws have 30 days to settle fines and comply with refund orders once they receive official communication of the Commission’s determinations.

In an interview with Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Thursday, CFTC’s spokesperson, Innocent Helema, said all orders arising from its formal determinations, including monetary penalties and refund orders, are expected to be settled within the stipulated period.

Helema also clarified that complainants are not automatically awarded compensation under the Competition and Fair Trading Act (CFTA).

“CTFA does not award compensation to the complainant. In this regard, the complainant is entitled to use the Commission’s determination to claim for compensation before the High Court of Malawi,” Helema said.

Helema further said the latest sitting differs from previous ones, particularly in the imposition of monetary penalties.

“The determinations from this sitting represent a difference, especially in monetary penalties. It is worth noting that in 2023, the High Court ruled that the Commission lacked the powers to impose fines on those who violated the CFTA. However, the updated legal framework now provides a stronger basis for these penalties,” Helema said.

On enforcement, he said the Competition and Fair Trading Act of 2024 has strengthened its ability to ensure compliance with its determinations.

“Under the CFTA 2024, the Commission’s determinations carry the legal weight of administrative court orders, providing a robust mechanism to enforce compliance and ensure timely settlement,” Helema said.

The latest determinations follow a recent sitting in which the Commission ruled on a number of consumer protection and competition-related cases involving two major banks, businesses and service providers.