Woman defy odds in Nyika timber milling project

Unlike in the past, worldwide women continue to prove people wrong when working in different capacities in as far as their capabilities especially in male dominated fields is concerned.

Esther Kathumba has surprised and impressed many people that despite having minimum resources she has managed to help in the implementation of timber milling project in Nyika National Park.

The project aimed at producing timber so as to assist communities in surrounding districts of the park to help in projects such as roofing school blocks, houses, health facilities, among others.

Plying her trade under Takula Building Contractors and General Dealers, Esther was contracted through a duly processed procurement deal to provide a service to the Nyika-Vwaza Association by producing timber which will benefit a total of 70 schools around the Nyika National Park and Vwaza Game Reserve.

Esther has described her experience working at Nyika National Park as a litmus test on its own that has cleared misconceptions that construction and timber milling are jobs for the males as she has executed perfectly.

“The 192 kilometre terrain from Mzuzu City to Nyika National Park is quite very challenging but I had to rise above gender barriers and do the job to the satisfaction of my client which is Malawi government through Nyika Vwaza Association,” she narrated to Malawi Daily Telegraph.

She has since asked people to stop looking down on women and that government and non-governmental entities should be trusting companies owned and run by women with different work without any doubt.

“People should stop doubting us (women) with their work, look what I have delivered, it’s unbelievable to some people but for sure I have delivered beyond their imagination, women have a potential too,” said Esther.

Meanwhile, Takula Building Contractors and General Dealers has announced that it will donate some timber to help in finalizing the construction of infrastructures at Thazima Health Centre in Mzimba district.

Chairperson for Nyika Vwaza Association, Sugar Mkandawire, has since thanked government for assisting a total of 70 schools in districts surrounding the protected areas saying the timber will help in addressing challenges such as shortages of furniture in rural schools and hospitals.

“We have challenges of desks, windows and door frames in most public schools in our areas around Nyika National Park and Vwaza Game Reserve, I am very thankful that the contractor has fulfilled the contractual agreement to provide us with planks to 70 schools,” Mkandawire said.

There are a lot of overgrown pine trees in the Nyika National Park, however in a media briefing earlier this week the Parks and Wildlife Division manager Peter Wadi could not state clearly about what next with these trees as they are waiting for the government approval on the newly formulated Plantation Management Plan.