Miriam Nyoni

Miriam Nyoni, 50, is a master of ceremonies (MC) with a difference. Aside from the job of directing a programme of events to perfection, with a charisma that spices up an occasion, she has taken the art further to advancing messages of hope, encouragement and caution including HIV and Aids to her listeners. After being diagnosed with HIV, Miriam decided to help both the young and old on life’s challenges and how they can avoid contracting the disease through her messaging. Excerpts:

Who is Miriam Nyoni?

I am the sixth born in a family of seven from late Gideon Katawa Msiska and Maina Ndovi. I am very friendly to all, osasunga mangawa (never keeps grudges) and ever smiling.

Tell me your background.

I grew up with a lot of challenges following the death of my mother at the age of eight. I missed out the opportunity of growing up and learning from a mother. My father was very good, caring and well nurturing. I was born in Zimbabwe and to be frank, I was under a lot of peer pressure. Let me take this opportunity to caution parents to be very careful with children as they grow. They should be protected from peer pressure through counselling and making follow-ups on their associations. Parents should never tire or lapse in looking after their children.

I am talking from experience. I was very intelligent in school but in Form One, I started being very delinquent by joining a group which, regrettably, ended up influencing me negatively and ruined my life. I did not know what I was doing. Coupled with the lack of good guidance, I strayed. Our school was closed because of war in Zimbabwe. My father brought me to Malawi. I did my Standard Eight at Matiki Primary School but was not selected to any secondary school. I repeated the class three times then went to Phwezi Secondary School. From there, I went to Lunjika then Chitipa secondary schools. I was expelled from Chitipa because I fell pregnant. I do not want to hide because I have also discovered that intelligent children are used by Satan to flop. While peer pressure is bad, children too have to listen to their elders all the time.

Tell me about your diagnosis with HIV.

I tested positive following a series of bouts with severe malaria, shingles, tuberculosis (TB) and all sorts of opportunistic diseases 19 years ago. Having HIV is not the end of the road or mean you are a sinner. I am happy and living with it. I take drugs every day for the past 12 years, I have good nutrition and I do not get stressed. It is not easy to go to hospital to get tested without being well informed.

What happened after the pregnancy?

I wrote the Malawi School Certificate of Education ( MSCE) at the then Lilongwe Commercial School but scored badly, although I passed. I would like to thank all my relatives such as Mr and Mrs W. Banda and Mr and Mrs Mpina. They never gave up on me because they saw potential. They encouraged me to go to school. Parents should never give up on their children. I applied to the Natural Resources College (NRC), was picked and I was the only girl in class. I studied field assistance. I enjoyed learning with boys and they nicknamed me Peter because they felt I was behaving like them. My first job was at Bvumbwe Research Station. Thereafter, I joined the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

Do you have a family?

I am married to David Songerwayo Nyoni and together, we have six children and one grandchild

What sort of advocacy do you advance as an MC?

Because I meet different audiences, I target all groups. I do any advocacy such as encouraging parents to love and encourage their children to go to school; I talk about HIV and Aids; I encourage people to go for testing and know their status. As we are about to go for voting, I encourage people to keep their voter registration certificate safe. Everybody has the right to vote. I encourage people to love each other regardless of their religious beliefs and to maintain our culture all the time.

In this world when you are diagnosed with HIV, know that you are not alone. In Malawi we hear 1000 people being infected every day. Lets us all know our status, let’s keep our promise. We need a zero in Malawi; zero new infections, zero stigma and discrimination and zero HIV related deaths.

How and when did you start this trade?

I started with a family gathering at my cousin’s wedding in Nkhamenya years ago. I am talented with good public speaking, so I capitalised on that. I thank my late father and my late brother who used to encourage me to participate in school debates and drama. They saw potential in me.

How did you decide to incorporate the messages that you do?

I decided to incorporate the messages because this is a good platform to send out messages. I have seen that people receive messages while in jovial moods. You only have to see me in action such as at a wedding. I start by introducing myself before sending out my messages. Then, I dance like there is no tomorrow. My favourite song is Vulindile by the late Brenda Fasssie. That way, when someone goes back home, they easily recall the day’s events and cannot forget my messages. Apart from the fun I dish out, my messages stick. If they have questions, they take them up with relevant professionals.

Is it a lucrative business?

Sometimes. I can say yes but not very profitable

What do you do apart from being an MC?

Working. I am a girl guide and also Malawi Girl Guides board member. I work with girls during my free time. I encourage them to work hard in school, not to be abused, leave school or indulge is sex early. I have seen opportunities in being educated, so I feel bad when a girl gets married at an early age

Last word

Always remember that stigma fuels HIV in society. Love one another and love people living with HIV. When people see me at functions telling them I am living with HIV, they do not believe me because I am always jovial and stress-free.

For those still in denial, HIV is real and it is out there. I would like to thank the UNCARES/UNPLUS were I got information on HIV and how to live positively.

I apologise to all those I have wronged. I enjoy being an MC and I am a proud mother. My motto is to have educated children. As parents, we should love and pray for our children. Let our children know how to respect, love and be responsible.

My advice to all girls: never be cheated, there is still time and room for you to be educated. Say no to bad behaviour and have goals in life.

To those about to marry, please choose wisely, pray for the best, do not get married because your friend is married. God‘s time is the best. Have someone who is matured.