MALAWI: Catholic Secretariat Reports Positive Feedback as Luntha TV, Catholic Radios Fill Catechism Class Gap for Children and Youth

By Demetria Banda

The Pastoral Commission and the Pontifical Missionary Society (PMS) at the Episcopal Conference of Malawi’s Secretariat say they are receiving positive feedback from parents and children across the country as Luntha Television and other Catholic radio stations fill children and youth catechism class gap.

National Pastoral Coordinator, Fr Henry Chinkanda disclosed this in an interview, after a year-long adoption of the broadcast Catechism teaching which is called “Learn your faith and win”, in response to Covid-19 pandemic which disrupted on-site teaching of children and young people in their respective parishes.

Malawi government restricted public gatherings as a measure to prevent further spread of the pandemic. Following this directive, the Catholic Church in the country suspended the teaching of Catechism to children and the youth.

Despite children and the youth missing physical contact with their Catechism teachers, the curriculum has not been fully disrupted following the coming in of teaching programmes of Catechism through Luntha Television Radio Maria Malawi, Radio Alinafe, Radio Tigabane, Radio Tuntufye and Kuwala Radio. The children and the youth are still learning about their faith so that amidst Covid-19, they grow in their faith and live with love and hope.

Fr. Chinkanda said they have been receiving positive feedback from parents across the country commending the initiative through the office of Pontifical Mission Societies.

“Last year’s reports indicate that the majority of people, especially children and the youth, are reacting positively to the initiative to the extent that some children contributed money and requested their parents to support their fellow needy children,” said Fr. Chinkanda.

He however said there are challenges being faced in the initiative, saying lack of access to cell phones, television sets or radio receivers for some children from rural areas, block some children’s participation in the lessons.

Fr. Chinkanda added that PMS office that has been supporting the programmes is facing financial challenges given limited funds available to conduct such programs.

“These mass media-based programs are facing a lot of challenges in terms of funding because due to lack of donors who support us since the Covid-19 pandemic has affected a lot of people in the country. You know to broadcast the programmes on Radio and TV, we need money to buy airtime for the stations to stream the programmes live on TV, Radio and Facebook”, said Fr, Chinkanda.

One of the teachers who offer broadcast lessons to children, Patricia Kanyumbu concurred with Fr Chinkanda saying children are responding well to the programmes.

“So far, most of the children and the youth are able to follow the lessons live on Luntha TV and through the Catholic radios on Saturdays from 8am to 10 am in both English and Chichewa languages as well as participating in children’s and youth quiz on Luntha TV on Sunday from 13:30 -15:30 in the afternoon. The response from children is very good. Children are able to ask for clarifications, make comments and ask questions where they didn’t understand,” Kanyumbu said.

Noel Chibenje who is also a Catechism teacher coordinating the lessons said despite making progress in the formation of faith in children and the youth, some teachers also fail to attend lessons sometimes due to financial challenges.

“Most of the teachers are the youths who are not working and rely mostly on their parents to help them with transport to get to the studios to teach. This sometimes becomes a problem which reads to their failure to attend the lessons,” Chimbenje said.

“We are pleading to everyone to understand that the programmes are helping a lot of children and the youth, as well as elders. We, therefore, request well-wishers to support with anything they can, to sustain the programmes and to buy teaching materials,” added Chimbenje.

He also expressed gratitude to local well-wishers who are supporting the programmes to continue doing so for God blesses the hand that giveth.