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.
