by Hilary Ngwira

On April 12, 2018, Centenary Bank Limited made history by opening the first-ever bank branch at Dzaleka refugee camp in Malawi. As the branch celebrates its 5th anniversary at the camp, it is evident that the branch has significantly impacted the lives of the refugees living in the camp.

The Bank’s mission was to provide refugees with access to financial services that were previously unavailable to them and include them in the financial system. With the support of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the World Food Programme (WFP), Centenary Bank Limited has disbursed loans to thousands of refugees over the past five years. The loans have been used to start businesses, pay for school fees and improve living conditions, uplifting the economic lives of refugees and giving them a sense of independence and hope for a better future.

In addition to providing financial services, the Bank has created job opportunities for refugees, empowering them to support themselves and their families. This has contributed to the overall development of the refugee camp and has helped to reduce dependence on external aid.

Managing Director of Centenary Bank Limited, Zandile Shaba, expressed her pride in the impact of the initiative on the lives of refugees. “Our initiative in Dzaleka has shown us the power of financial inclusion to transform lives. We attribute the success of the initiative to our commitment to social responsibility and our dedication to improving the lives of marginalized communities,” she said. She added that “through this initiative, the Bank has shown that financial inclusion is not just a matter of profit but also a matter of social impact.”

Shaba emphasized the importance of partnerships and collaboration in achieving sustainable development goals, stating that the initiative would not have been possible without the support of UNHCR and WFP, who provided critical resources and expertise.

Looking forward, the Bank will continue to prioritize financial inclusion as a key component of development initiatives. “By including marginalized communities in the financial system, we can create opportunities for economic growth, social mobility and overall well-being,” said Shaba.

Centenary Bank Limited’s initiative in Dzaleka has demonstrated that financial inclusion can make a significant difference in the lives of refugees. The Bank remains committed to supporting similar initiatives that prioritize social impact and empower marginalized communities.

By Eric Norman Mkwaira

The Catholic church in Malawi celebrated the National Vocations Sunday at Our Lady of Victory – Madisi Parish in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe on 30th April 2023 with a Eucharistic Mass which was presided over by the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe, His Grace George Desmond Tambala.

His Grace George Tambala has asked the youths to refrain from the activities which other people are doing with the purpose of demolishing their intended vocations.

His Grace also warned the youth to be careful with online actions including crimes which can be made on social media as many social apps do not control what to watch and what to upload. He emphasized on taking all precautionary measures as there are foreign agents including those people who give bad tutorials on how to do something by giving example of those people who put videos of how to shoot somebody or how to rob a bank. He said this can destroy the youth in the church thereby minimizing the prospects to vocations.

“For us in Malawi, we have now the coming in of ideas, ways of thinking that are very foreign to us as Africans and also as Christians. Their ideas and ways of life are aimed at enticing the youth to the wayward life,” he said.

He has however asked the youth to decide to join religious life now as there are less people in the parishes compared to the clergy. The Catholic Vocations are categorized into four different callings: married life, priesthood and religious life and the single life.

“We have also a challenge today, that people take time to decide and maybe they never decide at all. As a human being, that’s not good at all. A Christian has to be a person who takes a decision. That’s what I wanted to say that we need their word now, their decision now, not tomorrow,” he expressed.

On families, the Archbishop said that there’s a need for the good families in the church. Good families will give good candidates to priesthood, sisterhood and brotherhood.

The Eucharistic Celebration of the Mass was co-celebrated by the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe the Very Reverend Father Vincent Mwakhwawa, Pastoral Coordinator of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe Father James Mkwezalamba, the Parish priest of Madisi Parish Father Kelvin Khodola and other priests.

The Pontifical Mission Societies in Malawi (PMS) says it is ready to share information about vocations to all the youths in the country in order to help them all decide which vocation to take accordingly.

PMS Director in Malawi the Very Reverend Father Vincent Mwakhwawa said the target will help the youths to also share the information within themselves as they will not be shy with elder people.

“We have to accept that priests and sisters and brothers cannot reach every other corner of the country because of time, resources and also the vastness of the Dioceses. Through the young people we want to reach out to many young people so that they can share information,” he said.

In his remarks, the chairperson for the youth from the Archdiocese of Lilongwe Chisomo Nkhoma said as the youth they are ready to go and teach their fellows in order to help them understand their vocations.

Vocations Sunday in the Catholic Church takes place every year on the last Sunday of the month of April.

By Sam Kalimba

Youth in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe plan to raise an equivalent of USD4,000.00 on the Vocation Sunday that falls on 30 April, 2023. Revealing this was the Vicar General for the Archdiocese, Very Rev. Fr. Vincent Mwakhwawa on Thursday in an interview with this reporter.

The Vicar General who is also the national Pontifical Mission Society ( PMS) Director at the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM) said that the youth of Lilongwe were challenged by their counterparts from the Catholic Diocese of Mzuzu who last year raised close to $3,000.00.

“The Vocation Sunday venue is on rotational basis. Last year it was hosted by the Diocese of Mzuzu youth and now it is the turn of the youth of Lilongwe to host. Much as the occasion is meant to train the youth how to discern and decide on their personal choices on the right path to serve God, the day also serves as a call for collections for the purposes of helping the universal Church fund the vocational institutes. I am happy to learn that the youth in the Archdiocese of Lilongwe have agreed to raise about $4,000.00 to be sent to Rome. It is so gratifying to see the participation of the youth in raising funds for the vocations,” he said.

Fr. Mwakhwawa said that the youth of Lilongwe will assemble on 30 April at one of the rural parishes in the Archdiocese to ensure everyone’s vocation is considered important. He said that among other activities, the prelate of Lilongwe Archbishop George Tambala will give a motivational talk to hundreds of youths that will gather at the parish.

“Our Archbishop has a soft spot in his heart for children and youths of the Archdiocese. He has special plans for them and he will speak to them from that perspective as he will be encouraging them listen carefully to God’s call to various vocations. We also have received confirmations from various religious institutes in the country to attend and provide talk sessions. We will also have lay professionals to provide career guidance to the participating youth,” he said.

The preparations for this year’s Vocation Sunday were launched on 25 February at the same parish that will host the event. Youths from the Diocese of Mzuzu presented a Candle to the youth of Lilongwe symbolizing the passing on of responsibility for the year 2023 to 2024. From 30 April, the youth from Lilongwe will among other activities engage in peer-to-peer animation on different types of vocations and how to get involved.

It is expected that youths will come from all the 46 parishes in the Archdiocese and some from other dioceses. Sunday collection for this fourth Sunday in Easter will go to the ECM Secretariat for the promotion of vocations. This year’s Vocation Sunday will be cerebrated under the theme ‘hearts on fire, feet on move’.

by Sam Kalimba

Handmaids of Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Sisters of Zimbabwe say they feel great hope of fulfilling the Synodality theme of “For a Synodal Church: Communion, Participation, and Mission” as they open a new community in the AMECEA Region, Malawi.

Prioress General, Mother Madeleine Chapisa HLMC, came in person from Zimbabwe to officially announce their arrival in the Episcopal Conference of Malawi through the Archdiocese of Lilongwe on 15 April 2023 on the sidelines of the official launch of the Centenary Bank.

She said that their coming to Malawi is a fulfillment of the synodality objects as it puts the concept of synodality into practice.

“From the time our two sisters arrived on this land they are overwhelmed by love, faith and commitment of all the faithful here. During this Synod period the sisters already feel great hope of fulfilment in their communion with the local Church, participation in its life and mission. I see we have many things to learn but we are ready to learn on the journey,” she told congregants.

She said that in his sendoff homily to Sisters Evelyn Kadzere and Valentine Gudyanga who were coming for a mission to Malawi, Bishop Paul Horan of the Diocese of Mutare in Zimbabwe made it clear that this was not their own idea or project but they were coming in the name of the congregation and the Church.

She thanked His Grace, Archbishop George Desmond Tambala on behalf of her congregation, for the invitation to join the Church of Malawi to make their what she termed as small contribution to its great mission especially during the time when the country had experienced Cyclone Freddy and its effects.

“We could not come at a better time than this. Yes, we are making the synodal process a reality and at the same time the coming of our sisters has made us feel very close to you and all the people as you face this tragedy,” she said.

As a matter of introducing their congregation Sr. Madeleine Chapisa Said that the Handmaids of Our Lady of Monut Carmel was founded in 1959 in Mutare, Zimbabwe by an Irish Carmelite Bishop, the late Bishop Donal Raymond Lamont.

“Our founder gave us the title ‘Handmaids of Our Lady of Mt. Camel’ for, he wanted us to be close helpers of the Blessed Virgin Mary, who is the servant of the Lord in the great work of salvation as seen in Luke 1 verse 38,” she said.

She said that as the first Carmelites on Mt. Carmel in Israel, they live the Carmelites Spirituality after the example of the prophet Elijah and Mary mother of Carmel. They believe that living in the presence of God, they strive to do ordinary things with their hearts and mind fixed on God’s will for themselves and His people. In the Carmelite family they are Contemplatives in Action.

According to Sr. Madeleine their participation in the work of salvation is not confined to any one ministry but rather they engage in every service that gives them the opportunity to help Mother Mary in bringing people to Jesus and also keeping in line with their way of life.

Rev. Sr. Valentine Gudyanga and Rev. Sr. Evelyn Kadzere HLMC, arrived in the country at a time when schools were on recess to work at St. John’s Boys Secondary School which belongs to the Archdiocese of Lilongwe.

End.

by Eric Norman Mkwaira

The Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe has launched the Centenary Bank Limited at the Archdiocesan level on Saturday 15^th April 2023 at Maula Podium in Lilongwe.

The launch started with the Eucharistic Celebration which was presided over by the Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Lilongwe His Grace George Desmond Tambala as main celebrant with the Auxiliary Bishop for the Catholic Diocese of Chipata Bishop Gabriel Msipu Phiri and Bishop for the Catholic Diocese of Dedza Right Rev. Peter Adrian Chifukwa as co-celebrants.

His Grace Archbishop George Tambala emphasized the launch as a chance to give Malawian citizenry better products and services as the bank will give the citizenry a chance to improve their livelihoods.

In his homily, His Grace George Tambala said the Catholic Church cannot invest in anything that can cause harm to the people but uplifting the lives of people and giving alternatives in terms of social participation.

“We as Catholics don’t just invest in any place… The Catholic church does not invest in anything that does harm to people and as an example, like if there is a factory that is making arms. We can’t invest in that kind of thing because at the end the people will lose their lives,’’ said His Grace.

The vice president of the republic of Malawi Dr Saulos Claus Chilima was the guest of honor.

Chairman of the board of directors at the Centenary Bank Limited Dr Francis Pelekamoyo added that they are aiming to go and reach all hard-to-reach areas in the country so that the citizenry can have full access of bank services.

Dr Pelekamoyo added that they want to start giving financial tips to the people so that they can manage well their finances.

“We want to undertake financial literacy. We don’t just talk about banking, but we also provide financial literacy to our customers so that they know what they should do with the money lent to them,” he added.

He said the bank will reach all the people by using parishes which the Catholic church has in the country thereby creating the wide network to the citizenry.

At the event many people managed to open their bank accounts as there were many workers from the bank who were helping in getting them open their accounts.

The Archdiocese of Lilongwe and the Centenary Rural Development Group Limited of Uganda bought MyBucks Bank and rebranded it to Centenary Bank Limited.

By Eric Norman Mkwaira

Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Lilongwe His Grace George Desmond Tambala has emphasized the need for the laity to put orders whenever they do their tasks.

The emphasis came at the Eucharistic celebration of Easter Sunday which was held at Banja Loyera Chilinde Parish in Lilongwe on 09th April 2023.

His Grace led the Eucharistic Celebration where he among others asked the faithful to take a good example of what happened when Jesus rose from the dead.

His Grace Mentioned that there was order of doing things by then as he gave an example of Mary Magdalene who witnessed first that the tomb of Jesus was empty but did not enter but instead, she went back to tell the disciples about it.

His Grace asked the congregation to follow orders whether at the church or in their families.

Archbishop George Tambala delivering the homily to the congregation

However, His Grace George Tambala told the congregation that they should share the gospel of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to other people rather than keeping it to themselves.

His Grace, further, invited the people of God to consider celebrating the resurrection together with their families and to not forget to keep the gospel amidst themselves.

The Parish Priest for Banja Loyera parish, Fr Augustine Katundu together with Fr Francis Bisayi co-celebrated the Mass while the Banja Loyera Joint Choir led the singing during the liturgy.

Fr. Augustine Katundu co-celebrating the 

Mass

Fr Francis Bisayi read the gospel of John 20 verse 1 to 19 while Ms. Anne Mandala read the first readings of Colossians 3 verse 1 to 4 and Mr. Elias Lazaro gave second readings of Acts of the Apostles 10 verse 34a to 37 and 43a.