First Lady says women key to Malawi development agenda
irst Lady Gertrude Mutharika says women involvement and participation in various development efforts the country is undertaking is key to fast track social and economic development.
The First Lady made the remarks at Comesa Hall in Blantyre on Wednesday night during Zokonda Amayi Macheza event organised by taxpayer-funded Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC).
Zokonda Amayi is a request programme aired on MBC Radio One where women from across Malawi write letters or make phone calls to greet each other and share tips on how to improve the welfare of their families.
She said: “Women, who are in majority, have special characters and talents that can add value and bring tangible results. It is, therefore, absurd to believe that this country can attain meaningful development without their involvement and participation at all levels.”
Mutharika also said her Beautify Malawi (Beam) Trust is currently championing girls’ education with bursaries and girls’ hostel projects as a deliberate effort to ensure that the country creates a socially and economically empowered generation of women.
MBC director general Aubrey Sumbuleta hailed the First Lady for gracing the event saying it demonstrates high level commitment to the MBC’s cause.
During the event, MBC and the Zokonda Amayi Macheza group donated 50 bags of cement to Beam Trust as part of the broadcaster’s contribution to the girls’ hostel project.
Various women went away with different prizes including a fridge.
The event was held under the theme Empower Women, Empower the nation. n
