This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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FM arrives in Malawi
23/05/2005
First Minister Jack McConnell begins a five day visit to
Malawi from today to build on the existing connections
between it and Scotland, and establish an even stronger
friendship between the two countries.
The FM's confirmed itinerary is:
Please note that all timings are in Malawi time, one
hour ahead of Scotland.
Monday
12.50pm
Arrive Lilongwe, capital of Malawi, and met at the
airport by Vice President His Excellency Dr Cassim
Chilumpa.
The FM will visit Minga Community Day Secondary School,
which is twinned with Sanday Community School in Orkney. A
team of five third year students from Sanday won the recent
Scottish
Africa Challenge competition and their prize was a week
long trip to Malawi. Five students from Minga school will
accompany the Sanday students throughout their visit and
they will make a reciprocal visit to Scotland later this
year.
7pm
Barbecue hosted by the British Council. The Sanday and
Minga school party will be in attendance.
Tuesday
9am
Bottom Hospital in Lilongwe. This is Malawi's main
maternity hospital for difficult or emergency births, with
over 10,000 deliveries a year. The FM will be accompanied
on this visit by the Deputy Minister for Health, Hon Frank
Mwenifumbo and the hospital director, Dr Damson
Kathyola.
He will also meet Dr Graeme Walker from the Simpson
Memorial hospital in Edinburgh. He is a the leader of a
team of eight Scottish midwives who are based in Bottom
Hospital for three weeks, to teach basic obstetrics to
staff and students, as well as help in the hospital's day
to day work.
11am
Malawi College of Health Sciences, Lilongwe, where FM
will meet staff and students. The college trains a range of
clinical staff including nurses and midwives, medical
assistants, clinical officers, lab assistants and dental
assistants.
7pm
The FM will host a Scotland and Malawi Reception in
Blantyre, which will be attended by Scots working in
Blantyre and the surrounding region, as well as leading
figures from Malawi public life. Music will be provided by
the Limbe School Choir, which is taught by a Scottish
teacher, Glenys Hughes. Ms Hughes formerly taught at Sanday
Community School in Orkney. The Sanday and Minga school
party will be in attendance.
Wednesday
6am
Henry Henderson Institute Primary School in Blantyre. He
will be accompanied by the Deputy Minister for Education,
Hon. Anna Kachikho. This school, which was opened in 1909,
has strong Scottish connections dating back almost 100
years. It has 1,200 pupils and 26 teachers, with an average
of 70 pupils per class. The Sanday and Minga school party
will be in attendance.
11am
FM on Capital FM in Blantyre for a live interview
www.capitalradiomalawi.com
1.30pm
Malawi TV in Blantyre for a tour of the station, live
interview and a question and answer session with an invited
audience of students from the Malawi Polytechnic and the
Henry Henderson Institute Secondary School.
3.15pm
Montfort College in Limbe and its Education Centre for
the Blind where FM will meet staff and students. This
college has a partnership with Strathclyde University,
which has provided computer software and hardware to assist
in the training of teachers working with visually impaired
children.
Thursday
11.30am
Linthipe Feeding Station where he will meet Matias
Kanyemba, the headman of the 39 villages this station
supports, as well as many of the villagers. This community
is supported by a Scottish-based charity, the Child Support
Project, which provides support such as breakfast for
under-5s, rudimentary health care advice and support for
AIDS orphans.
www.childsupportproject.org.
2pm
Nkhoma Synod and nurse training centre where he will
meet the three Scottish VSO volunteers working in Malawi,
as well as other VSO volunteers, the centre's staff and
students.
The Scottish VSO volunteers are: Mairi MacDonald, an
expert in community work; Pam Wilson, a nurse trainer and
Sheena Nicolson, a teacher trainer
www.vso.org.uk
7.30pm
The FM will host a Scotland and Malawi reception in the
British High Commission Residency, Lilongwe. The guest list
will include Scots working in Lilongwe and the surrounding
region, as well as leading figures from Malawi public life.
The Sanday and Minga school party will be in
attendance.
Friday
9am
Meeting with His Excellency the President of Malawi, Dr
Bingu wa Mutharika, in New State House. This will be
followed by a joint press conference.