The document discusses a project launched by Developing Radio Partners (DRP) and Population Reference Bureau in Malawi. It aims to make journalists aware of Malawi's rapid population growth and its consequences. DRP trained journalists from four community radio stations in a workshop covering topics like climate change, food security, and maternal health. Malawi faces challenges from its growing population, including strains on social services and natural resources. Community radio can help educate communities and find solutions by discussing these issues. The workshop was intended to provide journalists resources to create better programming around health, environment, and population issues in Malawi.

1. Newsletter Winter 2013
Healthy Stations, Healthy Community
Malawi
In Malawi, DRP trained
community radio
stations to report on
climate change,
population growth,
agricultural production,
education, and maternal
and reproductive health.
Population Crisis in Malawi
Population Reference Bureau and Developing Radio
Partners launching a one-year joint initiative
This photo at right tells much about a new
project Developing Radio Partners
launched in October in Lilongwe, Malawi.






Malawi is one of the least
developed and most densely
populated countries.
85% live in rural areas; 80% earn
income from farming
75% of women are responsible
for subsistence farming.
Rural women have an average of
six children in their lifetime.
50% of young women ages 20-24
were married by age 18.
Access to health and education in
rural areas is limited. Only 12%
attend secondary school.
With funding from USAID, the Population
Reference Bureau and Developing Radio
Partners have launched a one-year
initiative aimed at making journalists
aware of Malawi’s rapid population
growth and its consequences so they can
inform their listeners and policymakers
about this issue in compelling and
accurate ways.
The project was launched on October 28
with a four-day interactive workshop in
Lilongwe that brought together journalists
and station managers from four
community radio stations.
As Malawi continues to make progress on
its economic and social development, the
country still faces a major challenge: its
rapidly growing population. Malawi adds
more than 400,000 people each year.
Today, Malawi’s population of 16 million
is four times what it was in 1966.
This rapid growth strains the
government’s ability to provide health
care, education, and other social services.
It also requires sufficient economic
growth to provide employment for the
growing number of working-age people.
Nearly half of Malawi’s population is
under the age of 15 and most of them eat
just one meal a day. Nine out of ten
school children come to school without
breakfast – and schools don’t offer a
lunch program. More than a quarter of
girls between the ages of 15 and 19 have
already begun having children.
Sandra Mapemba, a Population Reference
Bureau expert and one of the workshop
presenters says the population situation is
becoming critical. “We must slow the
population rate to have enough food for
everyone. There are too many people,
less farm land, fewer farmers and
ultimately less food production.”
As the population increases, natural
resources, such as forests and arable land,
are being depleted to make way for
people to live. Climate variations that
produce droughts, flood, and higher
temperatures also take a toll on natural
resources and agriculture.
(0ver)
www.developingradio.org

2. Developing Radio Partners Newsletter
Winter 2013
UN Conference on Climate Change
DRP President Bill Siemering was invited
to participate in the third Conference on
Climate Change and Development in
Africa held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in
October, sponsored by the United
Nations Africa Climate Policy Centre:
www.uneca.org The theme was 'Africa is
Rising: Can the opportunities from
Climate Change Spring the Continent to
Transformative Development?' – a call to
transform the negative of climate
change into a positive opportunity.
Fatima Denton, the ACPC coordinator,
who authored the theme, said the label
'vulnerable' is getting stale; 'we're also
capable.' While Africa is the continent
most affected by climate change, less
than 3% to emissions of greenhouse gasses
come from the African continent.
One of the recurring themes at the conference
was the importance of getting this information
from the scientists to the farmers and to hear
from the farmers.
Community radio is the most effective way to
bring the information from the scientists to the
farmers in local languages and the best way to
gather traditional knowledge about the climate
from the farmers. We are working with the
Africa Climate Policy Centre on ways we can
extend our current work in Zambia to other
African countries.
Above: Fatima Denton, Coordinator for the African Climate
Policy Centre (ACPC) of the
United Nations Economic
Commission for Africa (UNECA)
Population Crisis in Malawi - continued
Presenter Walter Mugove, the regional
coordinator of a project that teaches
permaculture techniques, says government
and industry are ignoring the warning
signs. “It’s business as usual. We are not
taking climate change seriously. Storms are
becoming more powerful. Now we have
floods and droughts in the same rainy
season. 2010 had the highest
temperatures on record.”
Making Journalists Aware
Developing Radio Partners brought
together nearly half a dozen specialists for
a four-day workshop that included more
than a dozen sessions and two field trips:
one to a rural family planning clinic and
For DRP news updates, in-depth
stories and videos, please visit
developingradio.org/blog
Support Us! To make a taxdeductible gift, visit us at
developingradio.org
another to an agriculture college that
teaches conservation farming techniques.
At the Banja La Mtsogolo Mobile Clinic
and Outreach Center, participants
interviewed staff and patients – sitting in
on a daily program where women learn
about family planning services.
Community Radio as a Solution to
Solving Malawi’s Population Crisis
Station managers and journalists
described the workshop as inspiring.
Lance Ngulube, the manager at Mzimba
Community Radio, said, “Radio can
mobilize the community – educate them
and get solutions. We will be developing a
new 30-minute program in January on
health and environment as a result of this
workshop.” All agreed that they would
use knowledge from the workshop to add
value to their existing programs.
rapid population growth, DRP hopes to
enrich the programs at each station – by
encouraging better production techniques
and greater input from their listeners.
As a follow-up to the workshop, DRP is in
weekly contact with each of the four
stations via phone to help troubleshoot
any issues that may come up – and via the
weekly Bulletin. This tip sheet offers
stations story ideas each week on topics
covered in the workshop – including
climate change, teen pregnancy, food
security and ambulance at Malawi clinic
Motorbike maternal health.
In addition to making the journalists and
station managers aware of the impact of
de
www.developingradio.org