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‘We want our children healthy’

Phiri: Chiefs can help in changing eating habits
Phiri: Chiefs can help in changing eating habits

World Vision Malawi (WVM) has a new  director, Timothy Phiri. He replaced Marco Ngwenya who resigned in September.  Excerpts:

Q:

Who is Chikondi Phiri?

A:

I am a 44-year-old Christian Zambian from Eastern Province, Katete, to be  specific. I am an accomplished agricultural engineer, specialising in irrigation  and water management. I have a degree in agricultural engineering from Eastern  University, USA. I also hold a Masters Degree in the same field. I am also a  qualified leadership practitioner and have an MBA obtained from Solin University  in Tanzania.

Q: What is your professional  background?

A:

I have worked from World Vision for 18 years in various capacities  starting from programme officer and rising to this position. I worked 15 years  for World Vision Zambia where I served on the post of deputy chairperson before  moving to Malawi three years ago. I have a good foundation and great experience  to help me in my work.

Q: Where do you intend to take World  Vision Malawi?

A:

My focus will be on the well-being of children in Malawi. We want  children to be living health life, enjoy god food so that they can develop to  their full potential protect from abuse and be literate. Our 2013-15 strategy  focuses on key areas including health and nutrition for mothers and children,  ensuring that chidden attain age appropriate literacy, are protected and  communities are empowered to demand social services which they are entitled to.  We aim to impact the well-being of 3.5 million children in Malawi within the  next three years. Through this strategy, we plan to contribute directly to 1.5  million vulnerable children and indirectly impact a further 2.5  million.

Q: Why the keen interest in  children?

A:

Nutrition and education programme are designed to ensure children in this  country grow in a safe and friendly environment and realise their full God given  potential. We also want to ensure that communities have a voice and are able to  speak on issues that affect their livelihood and also on governance. Where  people do not have a voice there is abuse and there rights are trumped upon. We  also have programmes designed to empower communities economically through  creation of saving groups who are provided with revolving loans revolving loans  which helps them sustain themselves even after WVM has completed its  projects.

Q: What should Malawians expect from WVM  under your stewardship?

A:

Quality service. World Vision will deliver quality service to the people  of Malawi. As WVM, we are a vessel through which communities get help. The  resources we have are meant for the people and we are agents. I will make sure  that there are no elements of corruption from the staff. We have identified the  need to improve efficiency so greater emphasis will be on quality service. We  also want to impress on accountability on WVM staff. Accountability to the  communities they are assisting. Another burning issue I want to see implemented  by government is that of birth registration. It is very important that children  have a birth certificate as it identifies who they are, detail of their parents  and this is important to curb child trafficking and also assist in tracking  children who have been abducted. When children have their birth certificate, it  becomes easier for government to have accurate data of Malawian children who are  in school. We also have programmes designed to assist those districts affected  by hunger. We will work with government to in assisting those affected  districts

Q: There are concerns that World Vision  Malawi employs Christians only. Isn’t this discrimination?

A:

First what you have to know is that as an institution we have our own  core values that guides us. World Vision is a Christian relief organisation. We  are Christian organisation doing the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. Despite  being a Christian organisation, we do not discriminate in our service. We serve  people regardless of their religion, race or gender.

We also hire people from other  religions. Like when we work in Muslim countries we have Muslims in our  organisation on condition that they don’t deviate from World Vision values. We  do not force them to join our religion but [we expect them to not] depart from  the values that World Vision subscribe to. For example in Mali and Togo we have  Muslims who work for World Vision and the beneficiaries are mostly  Muslims.

Q: What role do you want traditional  leader to play in communities to make your job easier?

A:

Traditional leaders should take a leading role in ensuring cultural  change like discarding of harmful belief that hinder development. Since they are  the first people to be exposed to new knowledge they should be active in  ensuring that their subjects benefit instead of being resistant to change. They  should also be in the fore front effecting changes in eating habits.

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