Is exhuming bodies a taboo?

The rejection of President Joyce Banda’s request to exhume and re-bury the late Chakufwa Chihana’s body at the national heroes acre in Lilongwe has precipitated a debate on whether bodies should not be exhumed after all.

Raising children born out of rape

Mercy Malikebu (not real name) in July 2012, shocked police prosecutors who were ready to corner a man who had raped her daughter and made her pregnant by asking for the withdrawal of the case and transfer it to civil suit.

Polygamy: A ticket to promiscuity?

In a society where having multiple concurrent partners is viewed as a gateway to promiscuity, polygamous marriages have not been spared the stereotype that those involved in it can never be faithful. But is this the case in Malawi where polygamous marriages are common among the Yao and the Ngonis?

Should men witness child birth?

The picture of a man in a labour ward sharing the pain of a wife who is about to give birth sends a chill on the spine of conservative fathers who regard such spectacles as a taboo.

But this image is gradually becoming a reality in Malawi with more men embracing the concept advanced by reproductive health authorities that husbands should appreciate challenges expectant women go through.

Polygamy: A ticket to promiscuity?

In a society where having multiple concurrent partners is viewed as a gateway to promiscuity, polygamous marriages have not been spared the stereotype that those involved in it can never be faithful. But is this the case in Malawi where polygamous marriages are common among the Yao and the Ngonis?

Permanent birth control: For wife or husband?

It took a near death experience for the Davis family to decide to undergo a permanent birth control procedure.

Enelesi Davis, a businessperson who lives at Kachere in Blantyre, has nine children. When she gave birth to her sixth child, the medical personnel at the clinic advised her to undergo a permanent birth control.

Skin bleaching: Who says lighter is better?

In an attempt to enhance their beauty, several women are now using skin chemicals to bleach their skin. But this trend, dangerous as it appears, speaks volumes about the lengths women can go to conform to a societal perception that lighter skin is beautiful.

Dealing with ‘strange’ babies

In a space of five months, Malawians have had a fair share of stories of mothers giving birth to children with strange features.

The first case was that of a Nkhotakota mother, who delivered a child with no eyes, ears, nose and skull. Just recently, a woman in Salima gave birth to a child who had scales-like features and whose skin was torn—a condition doctors later identified as Harlequin Ichthyosis, a genetic disorder which with medical support and improved treatment, a child has a better chance of living into childhood and adolescence.

Do charms really work?

Dr Chitute, a Mangochi-based herbalist challenges people who are struggling to get employment and those with family problems to try his charms.

When should children stop sleeping in parents’ room?

In an African set up, it is common for a child to sleep in the same room with their parents and sometimes in the same bed until they reach a certain age. But is this good for the child’s development?