CAMECO Officer tours Malawi’s Catholic Media Institutions

Written by Prince Henderson ECM & Moses Kamanga (Karonga diocese)

A representative from the Catholic Media Council (COMECO) responsible for African Desk,Petra Stammen receintly was in the country where among others she visited Catholic Media Houses available in Malawi.

CAMECO is a Germany based Catholic organisation and it was founded by the German Episcopal Council. Among others,the organisation prepares comments and assessiments on project proposals before they are presented to the donors for funding.

Stammen who entered Malawi via Karonga from Tanzania on a similar mission,visited Karonga Diocese’s yet to be established Tuntufye Radio Statio,Tigabane Radio Station of Mzuzu Diocese,Catholic Secretariat’s Communications Department,Radio Maria of Lilongwe Archdiocese,Luntha Television and Radio Maria in Mangochi.

She visited Karonga Diocese being one of those that have submitted a project proposal through CAMECO for the establishment of a radio station.

According to Stammen,she came to Karonga diocese basically to have an on-the-ground experience of the radio and physically learn how geared is the diocese in its effort to have a radio station.

“I would like to express my appreciation on your (Diocese) effort in putting up various development activities including the idea of having your own radio station. My appreciation should particularly go to Bishop Martin Mtumbuka who seem to have a visionaly leadership,”said Stammen.

During the Karonga and Mzuzu Dioceses meeting,Stammen was accompanied the Vicar General for Karonga Diocese, Monsignor Denis Chitete,Father. Andrew Kaufa, National Communications Sectretary, Father. Eugene Ngoma, Director of Radio Tigabane, Fr Kondwani Mwenegamba, for Karonga Diocese among others.

While at the National Communications Office in Lilongwe,Stammen emphasized the need to coordinate all communications matters of the Catholic Church in Malawi for a clearly visibility of its activities.

According to Stammen,CAMECO is committed to supporting Communications activities in Malawi’s Catholic Media Institution.

“We dont directly fund Catholic media institutions but we are like a bridge that links up our institutions with the donor partners.I am sure we can support Malawi’s Catholic media institutions by linking their project propasals to our potential donors world wide,”said Stammen

For his part,Episcopal Conference of Malawi’s National Communications Secretary,Fr. Kaufa,commended COMECO for sending their representative to Africa and Malawi in particular so that she can see for herself issues affecting the country’s Catholi media industry on the ground.

Father Kaufa said,with the coming in of the AMECEA plenary conference in Malawi next year,a lot of Catholic Media Institutions ought to be assisted in several ways including capacity building and supply of radio or television equipment.

According to Father Kaufa who is just less than a month in office as a National Communications Secretary,his office will strive to bring a difference interms of how Catholic Media Institutions operates.

He said currently the national office is rennovating its studios with an aim of intensfying production of programs that will be shared with the existing Catholic Media Houses and other Public and Private institutions.