"I would like to see ICEIDA Centre in Malawi"

ICEIDA Malawi has recruited Mr Grain Malunga as Chief Operations Manager. His main responsibilities are to oversee the operations of ICEIDA local staff and offer project advisory services and liaison with government institutions. Grain Malunga has served as Principal Secretary for Ministry of Irrigation and Water Development, from August 2005 to January 2007, after serving as Secretary for Industry Science and Technology from August 2004 to August 2005.

He was motivated to join ICEIDA because of its policy on integrated rural development policy. “I am impressed with what is happening in Monkey Bay where ICIEDA is undertaking projects in social and health sector,” he says. “The approach taken by ICEIDA in developing the Namkumba Peninsula is a good model for replication to other areas. There is a clear linkage on the projects being executed there.”

Mr. Malunga claims the Health project will be more effective with the introduction of the water and sanitation project as it is expected to reduce the occurrence of waterborne diseases and at the same time improve on health services delivery through reduction in purchase of drugs to combat cases of cholera, dysentery and bilharzia.

Asked about the Fisheries and Adult Literacy Projects he says: “The Fisheries project will definitely improve offshore fish capture and use of appropriate fishing gear will improve on fish breeding and access to deeper fish. This in turn will increase revenue for artisan fishermen. All in all there will be local socio-economic development and sustainable exploitation of fisheries resources. The Adult Literacy Project is a vehicle for not only teaching people how to write and read but should be a vehicle for helping people access basic information for entrepreneurship development as well as disseminating messages of hygiene and sanitation.”

-Any recommendations from you for the next steps in the development cooperation between Iceland and Malawi?

“What I wish to be implimented is to have an ICEIDA Centre,” he says. ”This would act as a resource centre so that the local communities can improve on their reading capacity and knowledge gathering in relation to their daily activities and culture. Currently ICEIDA Offices are scattered and this poses a challenge office in terms of administration and sharing of resources. It is recommended that ICEIDA look into facilitating construction of a multipurporse building that will house all project staff, lecture room and library. The library could be staffed with Iceland and Malawi cultural material in order to promote the good relationship that exists between the people of Iceland and Namkumba peninsula. The local communities are willing to offer land for the purpose and that the building would be looked at as a gift to the local communities and a small rental fee be paid for further investment into the local communities. Such proceeds could also be used for purchase of drugs and books for hospitals and schools respectively.

Mr. Malunga is looking forward to share his vast experience in project management with ICEIDA senior management team for the fulfilment of Malawi Government’s overaching policy of economic growth through the “Malawi Growth and Development Strategy” and provisions laid down in “Bilateral agreement between the Governments of Iceland and Malawi”.