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(NYASATIMES) Miss Malawi in USA, South Korea to fund raise for prisons

Miss Malawi in USA, South Korea to fund raise for prisons
By Nyasa Times
Published: June 26, 2009

In an effort to perfect the appalling kitchen environment in the country’s prisons, Miss Malawi Joyce Mphande, is in United States of America (USA) on a fundraise mission.

The 20-year-old Lilongwe-based beauty queen left the country for USA last Friday for a two-month goodwill tour.

Mphande’s trip has been sponsored by Crops of Love Ministries, a religious organization working with the Malawi Prison Service to alleviate the plight of inmates in the country, according to the trip’s facilitator Maganizo Mazeze.

Mazeze told Nyasa Times in an interview, Mphande, who is also Ambassador for Malawi Prisons, will raise funds to purchase electrical or kerosene cookers for the prisons.

“It is believed that if all prisons stop using firewood for cooking, half a million kilograms of wood would be saved each year,” said Mazeze, who is communications consultant for Crops of Love Ministries.

While in USA, Mphande will also visit South Korea for two weeks where she will also fund raise before returning to the USA. Crops of Love Ministries’ partners in USA and South Korea are hosting her.

Mazeze said Mphande is expected to raise about US$50000 (K7 million) which will help all prisons in Malawi but in phases.

“Spiritual life has huge bearing in lasting behavioural change, more critical for those who have been in conflict with the law. And this project is an environmental one. Saving the forests for future generations is the key focus in this endevour,” said Mazeze in an email response to a questionnaire.

Among others, Miss will make awareness speeches to various gatherings including churches about Climate Change, meet influential leaders in several cities in America and will be a guest at an event to mark 45 years of Malawi’s Independence at the Malawi Embassy In the USA.

“She is also attending a number of Breakfast Fundraising events and dinner dance activities before returning in mid August,” said Mazeze, a trained broadcast journalist.

Labels: JOYCE MPHANDE, MISS MALAWI

posted by MrK @ 7:47 PM