Chewa women encouraged to interact more with each other to focus on economic development and self-independence than just honoring official gatherings

CHEFO Director of Women, Drina Mphote

* We will ensure that wherever Chewa women are, they should come together and support each other in achieving self-independence and improving their families’ economic livelihoods

* CHEFO directorate of women shared with benefits of improving lives through business, home care and health at the interaction meeting

By Duncan Mlanjira

The Chewa Heritage Foundation (CHEFO) Director of Women, Drina Mphote, yesterday held a meeting with Chewa women in Lilongwe to discuss ways of preserving the Chewa culture through various activities — as well as impress on them to support each other in social and economic endeavours.

Mphote encouraged the Chewa women to interact more with each other by participating in activities beyond honouring official gatherings such as funerals, weddings and the Kulamba Ceremony in Zambia.

She emphasised that such activities beyond official gatherings should focus on helping each other in economic development and self-independence.

“We will ensure that wherever Chewa women are, they should come together and support each other in achieving self-independence and improving their families’ economic livelihoods,” she said.

At the interaction meeting, the CHEFO directorate of women shared with the participants the benefits of improving lives through business, home care and health.

One of the participants, Mtisunge Thenza, applauded the new committee for organising the meeting, saying she benefited from learning from the subjects on the agenda.

“I am excited to learn that Chewa women can do more than just attend funerals, we can also do business,” Nthenza said, while requesting the committee to reach out to other women and encourage them to attend similar meetings to learn and change their lives.

The CHEFO Director of Women assured that they would soon embark on a tour of engaging with other Chewa women across the country in the preservation of the Chewa heritage as well as encouraging them to think and act beyond the box.

CHEFO brings the Chewa tribe together with the spirit of promoting Chewa tradition as well as cementing relationship through interactions, cultural dances, food, beliefs and heritage.

It was established and registered in 2023 to deal with some challenges Chewa people face, mainly on culture with its components of traditions and customs, their relationships with traditional leaders and environmental degradation.