Bangwe Factory - Project Adds Yet Another Site
Wheelchairs, Medical, Be The ChangePart of the Council for the Handicapped Program
The Bangwe Weaving Factory opened in 1976 as a result of the creation of the Malawi Council For The Handicapped (MACOHA) by an act of the Malawi Parliament in 1971 (Chapter 35:02) under the administration of Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda the First President of the nation. With the advent of MACOHA came a series of nationwide programs and initiatives designed to find ways to support and assist the handicapped to live full and productive lives. Programs were put into place in every region of the country by the Administration.
MACOHA continues today to carry out the same mission for which it was chartered when the Republic was in its infancy. The familiar mission statement in some of its literature repeats a page from the past. MACOHA functions today "as a government implementing agent responsible for services and programs designed to improve the livelihoods of persons with disabilities."
As one of its functions MACOHA oversees the activities of the Bangwe Factory. The factory is located just south of the commercial center of Blantyre, and has a capacity to employ about 150 people of which 75% have varying degrees of disabilities. A disastrous fire a few years ago destroyed much of the equipment and placed in question the future of the facility and its workers. Since then it has been a long, difficult climb up from the ashes. The program continues to run short of equipment and supplies for all of the handicapped people who need the resources it can offer. Currently there are 100 men and women with disabilities being trained in hand weaving, screen-printing, tailoring, embroidery, tie-dyeing, carpentry and other trades that lead to productive lives.















small boy. His parents were missionaries in the northern part of the nation and now the mantel of responsibilities has moved down to the second generation. He is writing about Glen Kalitera who suffered a debilitating stroke in 2002. Glen is still in his 50’s and became a widower in 2003 with the death of his wife.
She Thought She Was Useless
Likisina Khumbulasi was born thirty years ago. She learned to walk as a small child but at the age of six she became very sick. She nearly died from the unknown illness which paralyzed her legs and hand. After sometime she learned to use her hands but remains unable to walk.
Nachulu Banda says simply, “My wheelchair will Help Me Work.”