MALAWI: AMECEA impressed by the Malawi Catholic Media’s Role
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| From left Joseph Kimu (Director of Radio Maria -Malawi);Sr Hellen Kasaka (National Communications Coordinator), Fr Raphael Mkwizu (Diocesan Coordinator of Communications) and Fr Chrisantus Ndaga (AMECEA Social Communications Secretary) in Mangochi Diocese. |
The Social Communications Coordinator in the AMECEA region Fr. Chrisantus Ndaga is pleased with the way the Catholic Media in Malawi operate and collaborate with the National office of communications.
In an interview with Radio Maria Malawi reporter Raphael Mloaza to find out if he was satisfied with what Catholic Media institutions work and help each other in operation. Fr Ndaga who managed to visit all the Catholic Media Institutions in all the three regions of Malawi said urged the media practitioners to do more so as to make the Communications Office realize its mission in the region.
“I am very impressed with the way Catholic Media Institutions in Malawi is collaborating on issues regarding communications for example featuring of the important events in the Church on all Catholic media is something the Church should be proud of,” he said.
On using the media as a way of spreading the Gospel, Fr Ndaga said “during the 17th AMECEA Plenary Assembly, Bishops promised to continue empowering Social Communication Departments in order for the Church to fully embrace new forms of media as modern ways of propagating the Gospel.”
“As Catholic Communicators we need to be vibrant and help in spreading the word of God as this is part of our mission and is the message of the Synod Fathers that communication should become one of the best instrument for evangelization and not only for entertainment especially in the modern world,” he said.
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| Fr Ndaga and Luntha Catholic TV Staff in Mangochi |
When asked if AMECEA has plans or strategies for supporting the Catholic Media in the region, he said one of the plans is to organize a workshop on fundraising. “Unfortunately, when we hear of fundraising we always think of international donors but we can also have it locally as the director of radio Maria, Fr. Joseph Kimu was telling me that almost 80% of fundraising for the station is coming from the local people and as I was going round the station I managed to hear from the live program somebody from Blantyre pledging 3000 Malawi Kwacha to help radio Maria,” he said.
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| From left: Fr Chrisantus Ndaga (AMECEA), Fr Eugen Ngoma, (Director Radio Tigavane); Sr Hellen Kasaka (National Communications Coordinator) and Fr Paul Chirwa (Diocesan Coordiantor of Communications) in Mzuzu Diocese |
“These are some of the strategies we need to come up with to make our people see the need of the media, see the need of our mission and by doing so they will be ready to contribute. We should not be getting away from having partnership with donor funding but to start from within and our people are the strength of our mission,” Fr Ndaga said.
He also requested the Communication Secretaries and Directors of Catholic Media Institutions to be sending news items to AMECEA for news blog. He encouraged them to strengthen communications commission in order to bear fruits.
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| Fr Ndaga and Alinafe Catholic Radio Staff in Lilongwe |
Fr. Ndaga’s visit to Malawi was a privilege to the conference as most Catholic Media institutions felt encouraged, supported and recognized. During his visit members shared their achievements, experiences, future plans and some challenges. The role of AMECEA Social Communications Secretary is to coordinate all communication activities in the AMECEA region.
He visited Malawi from 28th November to 2nd December 2011.
SOURCE: Communications office -MALAWI
