FEATURED NEWS ARTICLES (Click on link below to read more)

• BLM OPENS NEW YOUTH DROP-IN CENTRE

• 30TH CLINIC OPENS IN MALAWI

• MSI NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE VISITS MALAWI

BLM OPENS NEW YOUTH DROP-IN CENTRE
By Felistas Sibweza

Banja La Mtsogolo (BLM) has opened a new Youth Drop-in Centre in Karonga in the northern region of Malawi. The centre which is the first in the region was officially launched on 27th January, 2007 by the Minister of Youth Sports and Culture, Hon Jafali Mussa MP. The Youth Drop -in Centre is an initiative by BLM to ensure that the youth, aged between 10 to 24, have equal opportunity to access SRH information and services as well as HIV/AIDS counseling, to help them to make informed decisions. “The government is always pleased to work with NGOs that foster youth activities in rural areas and I commend BLM for this particular initiative” the minister commented.

The youth in Karonga have recently also been beneficiaries of a
UNFPA-funded Youth SRH and HIV/AIDS Project which was established by BLM mid last year and this centre will complement the on-going youth activities in the district. The youth in the remote parts of the country like Karonga especially young women, are vulnerable to SRH problems and they are particularly prone to the risk of unplanned pregnancies, STIs, HIV/AIDS and clandestine abortions mainly due to unavailability of factual and adequate SRH information in the various places they meet.

“Indeed, the young people in our villages are encountering a lot of problems and we are ready to support BLM in its efforts to ensure that the youth are spending their time wisely at the centre” said the local leader for the area, TA Kalonga. The youth who will patronize the Drop-in centre will access much needed SRH information and services. Selected out-of-school youth who are trained by BLM in SRH issues will counsel their peers and refer them to BLM centre for a youth friendly clinic-based SRH service that is provided free of charge under the Subsidized Treatment Fund. Young people will also pass their idle hours after school at the centre by participating in various Indoor and Outdoor games.

The Youth Drop-in Centre initiative has been one of the best strategies adopted and being implemented by BLM’s Young People SRH Project and has also helped in effecting positive behaviour change through provision of relevant information. Karonga Youth drop-in centre which is the fifth to be established by BLM is funded by DFID and Norway/SIDA.

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 30TH CLINIC OPENS IN MALAWI

On 5th May 2007 Banja La Mtsogolo (BLM) opened Ginnery Corner Clinic which also turns out to be BLM’s 30th clinic. This new look clinic with full modern laboratory facilities is situated at BLM’s Head Office at Ginnery Corner in the commercial city of Blantyre.

 Minister of Health Honourable Marjorie Ngaunje was the guest of honour at the official opening of this clinic. In her remarks, she applauded BLM for complementing the ministry in advancing  its broad goal of raising  health status of all Malawians and reducing occurrence of death through the establishment of more and more clinics in the country.
 “ BLM’s continual investment in the health of the Malawi Population is something other players in the health field should emulate”, said the Minister.
She then appealed to development partners to continue supporting BLM in order for Malawi to continue enjoying high standard SRH services.

“This clinic has been opened largely due to the high demand from the public that surrounds us. Besides that, BLM is committed to complementing the Malawi government efforts in ensuring that health services are easily accessible and convenient to the population”, BLM Management remarked. Apart from several corporate organizations, BLM’s 30th clinic is surrounded by two major colleges and four smaller ones with student bodies of over 2000 who will benefit from excellent SRH services.

Before the clinic was established, the facility was operating as a laboratory for the community around BLM’s support office. Through some extensive renovations the building that once only operated as a laboratory has now been advanced to the level of offering diverse services ranging from general SRH services to Counselling and Testing for HIV. BLM offered one-day free services to its clients to mark this joyous occasion. The function was spiced up by live band and drama performances and enjoyed wide media attention which included a live coverage on one of the radio stations.

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MSI NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE VISITS MALAWI

Banja La Mtsogolo (BLM) had the pleasure of hosting Marie Stopes International - UK Chief Executive Dana Hovig from 15 to 19 April 2007. BLM was the first partner programme in the MSI Global Partnership to be visited by Hovig in his new position as Chief Executive following the retirement of Dr Tim Black, CBE in December 2006.
 
During his five day visit, Hovig attended a Board Meeting of BLM at Head Office and visited a number of BLM programme activities including static clinics, Community Clinic Outreach sites and, an exciting community sensitization and mobilization campaign at Chiwamba in Chief Chimutu village in Lilongwe.

Apart from holding discussions with BLM’s key development partners like DfID and Norway/SIDA, Hovig had the pleasure of meeting the Minister of Health – Hon Marjorie Ngaunje and her team who assured him of her ministry’s support to BLM pro-poor projects.
“I am glad to note how the Ministry has strengthened the support and collaboration between BLM and ministry officials in reaching out to the poor communities with health care services”, Dana commented.
 
In his remarks Dana Hovig said he is very impressed with the work BLM is doing for rural masses and Malawi as a whole in the provision of health services. In emphasizing this point he said if other partners ask him about his expectations, he will simply say “Be Like BLM”.

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