- Mchinji
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Mchinji Location in Malawi
MchinjiCoordinates: 13°49′S 32°54′E / 13.817°S 32.9°ECoordinates: 13°49′S 32°54′E / 13.817°S 32.9°E Country 
MalawiRegion Central Region District Mchinji District Elevation 3,875 ft (1,181 m) Population (2008)[1] - Total 25,184 - Languages Chichewa Time zone +2 Mchinji is a town in the Mchinji District of the Central Region of Malawi. As of 2008 estimates, Mchinji has a population of 25,184. The area's economy is sustained by rain-fed agriculture, although the town is currently in the midst of a food crisis. Mchinji is also a major railroad junction, being the railhead nearest to Zambia.
Contents
History
Pop singer, Madonna, caused legal controversy when she adopted from Mchinji.
Mchinji was formerly known as Fort Manning. In 1930, Fort Manning was attacked by a lion that caused over thirty-six deaths over a five month period.[2]
A magnitude 6.6 earthquake struck Mchinji on March 10, 1989.[3] At least 9 people were killed, 100 injured and about 50,000 left homeless in Malawi.[3] It was also felt in Zambia.[3]
American pop singer Madonna adopted 13-month-old David Banda from Mchinji in October 2006.[4] This generated international controversy because Malawian law stated that she needed one year of residence for potential adoptive parents.[5] The effort was highly publicised and culminated in legal disputes.[6]
On June 19, 2008, the British Minister for International Development responsible for Africa, Gillian Merron, visited Mchinji and spoke about maternal health and challenges faced by residents.[7]
Geography
Mchinji lies at an elevation of 3,877 feet (1,182 m),[citation needed] 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from the Zambian border.[8] It is situated 7.7 miles (12.4 km) away from Katambo, 2.2 miles (3.5 km) away from Kadulama Lambo, 1.4 miles (2.3 km) away from Daka and 2.8 miles (4.5 km) away from Tsumba.
Demographics
Population development
Year Population[1] 1987 4,921 1998 11,479 2008 25,184 Languages
Chichewa is the main language spoken in Mchinji.[9]
Economy
Mchinji is described as "dirt poor" by The Times.[10] Harvesting rain-fed agriculture is the main occupation in Mchinji, with groundnuts, tobacco, soya and casava beans being the primary cash crops.[11] Maize, yams, velvet beans and pumpkin are prominent food crops.[11] During the dry season, secondary activities are pursued, such as brick-making, beer brewing, bicycle repair and carpentry.[11] Due to a food shortage partially caused by the region's many droughts and partially caused by poor government planning, a UNDP rural development program was established in Mchinji.[11] Mchinji is currently the location of a pilot project of a social cash transfer to benefit very poor members of rural areas.[12]
Politics
The Member of the Malawian National Assembly for Mchinji East is D. M. Kamphambe, while the MP for Mchinji North is L. Kayera, A. M. Tembo for Mchinji North East, D. S. Zaipa for Mchinji South, Godfrey C. Zulu for Mchinji South West, and H. T. Fwataki for Mchinji West.[13] All are members of the Malawi Congress Party.[13]
Facilities
Orphanage
The Mchinji Mission Orphanage, popularly known as the "Home of Hope", is one of the largest children's homes in Malawi.[14] Reverend Thomson Chipeta, remembering losing both his parents, brought orphaned children into his home in 1992 and construction of an orphanage began in 1998.[14] As of 2007, there are six large residential houses, a dining/assembly hall, a clinic, classrooms for nursery, primary and secondary classes, and staff housing.[14] "Baby David" lived in the orphanage prior to being adopted by Madonna.[4]
Education
The "Home of Hope" provides a primary school to its residents.[14] Due to a shortage in secondary schools in Malawi, the orphanage built one in January 2006 to cater to all residents in the surrounding area.[14] Children are taught in smaller groups than at government schools and have November and December off.[14] In March 2007, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) donated 600 textbooks to that secondary school.[15]
Religion
There is a Presbyterian church in Mchinji.[14]
Medical
Mchinji Hospital is the only medical facility for several miles.[16] According to actress Claire Sweeney, mothers "only come here if their children are really sick because work on the farm nearly always comes first."[16] AIDS is rampant in the region.[17] As of 2008, the children's ward of the hospital contains 185 children suffering from malaria, pneumonia or anaemia.[17] Patients at the hospital are fed a blend of milk, protein and medicine.[16] The hospital does not have beds for those accompanying the sick, cooking or washing facilities, although in early 2008 a brick shelter was created to protect parents from nature.[17]
Transport
Mchinji was previously the railhead nearest the Zambian border, after the 570-mile (920 km) railway from Lilongwe was extended to Mchinji in 1980.[18] In September 2010, an extension to the Zambian border town of Chipata was opened, providing a new rail access point to Zambia via Mchinji. [19][20] The idea of a Mchinji-Chipata railway was conceived in 1982 as part of a bilateral project between Zambia and Malawi, and the Malawi section of the railroad was completed in 1984, though Zambia did not actively pursue the project until 2006.[21]
Minibuses run from Mchinji to Lilongwe, and local shared taxis can be taken from Mchingi to the Zambian border.[8] A water transport system existed from Lilongwe to Mchinji, though Bakili Muluzi favored road transport and the system was dropped.[22] The nearest airport is at Lilongwe, 47 miles (76 km) away.
References
- ^ a b "Malawi: largest cities and towns and statistics of their population". World Gazetteer. http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gcis&lng=en&dat=32&srt=pnan&col=dq&geo=-150. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
- ^ Morris, Brian (2000). Animals and Ancestors: An Ethnography. Berg Publishers. p. 33. ISBN 185973491X.
- ^ a b c "Today in Earthquake History-March 10". United States Geological Survey. 2008-01-31. Archived from the original on 2008-04-21. http://web.archive.org/web/20080421121621/http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learning/today/his_03_10.php. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ a b Tenthani, Raphael (2006-10-16). "Madonna adoption divides Malawi". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/6054492.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ "Madonna Adoption Plans Trigger Broad Backlash". Reuters Wire Services. 2006-10-17. http://news.sawf.org/Entertainment/24351.aspx. Retrieved 2008-02-23.
- ^ Tenthani, Raphael (2007-09-03). "Upset in Madonna's Malawi Adoption Case". Associated Press. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory?id=3553924. Retrieved 2008-02-23.[dead link]
- ^ "Britain urges Malawi to hold free, fair polls". Nyasa Times. 2008-06-19. http://www.nyasatimes.com/national/607.html. Retrieved 2008-06-26.[dead link]
- ^ a b Murphy, Alan; Armstrong, Kate; Firestone, Matthew D.; Fitzpatrick, Mary (2007). Lonely Planet Southern Africa: Join the Safari. Lonely Planet. p. 233. ISBN 1740597451.
- ^ Baldauf, Richard B.; Kaplan, Robert (2004). Language Planning and Policy in Africa: Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique and South Africa. p. 85. ISBN 1853597252.
- ^ Clayton, Jonathan (2006-10-12). "Madonna's boy flies out amid fears for the babies left behind". The Times.
- ^ a b c d Digby, Bob; Bermingham, Susan (2000). Changing Environments. Heinemann. p. 194. ISBN 0435352466.
- ^ Nankhonya, Jacob (2006-06-30). "Govt to introduce pension for the aged". The Daily Times. http://www.dailytimes.bppmw.com/article.asp?ArticleID=9757. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ a b "Profiles of Cabinet Ministers". Malawi Government. http://www.malawi.gov.mw/Home%20Cabinet.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Home of Hope". Malawi Orphan Fund. http://www.homeofhope.org.uk. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ "USAID Donates Books to Mchinji". AllAfrica. 2006-03-27. http://allafrica.com/stories/200603270476. Retrieved 2008-06-26.[dead link]
- ^ a b c "Malawi: the Children's Hospital". BBC News. 2003-02-28. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/breakfast/2807033.stm. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ a b c Mathiason, Nick (2008-01-27). "Fair trade hopes take root". The Observer (The Guardian). http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2008/jan/27/fairtrade. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ "Malawi: Transportation". Encyclopaedia Britannica. http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-43952/Malawi. Retrieved 2008-06-20.
- ^ "Extending Beyond Chipata". Railways Africa. 2007-11-02. http://railwaysafrica.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1874&Itemid=35. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
- ^ "Railway Gazette: News in Brief". http://www.railwaygazette.com/nc/news/single-view/view/news-in-brief-40.html. Retrieved 2010-09-26.
- ^ Lungu, Andrew (2007-10-05). "Defining Chipata-Mchinji Rail". The Times of Zambia (AllAfrica). http://allafrica.com/stories/200710050966.html. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ Manda, Levi Zeleza (2008-06-23). "Turn roadblocks into tollgates". Nyasa Times. http://www.nyasatimes.com/columns/642.html. Retrieved 2008-06-26.[dead link]
External links
Categories:- Populated places in Malawi
- Malawi–Zambia border crossings
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