Shawo Mwakilama receives an Outstanding MUSEAA Alumni Award

Global Youth Service Day 2007- “Making Commitments Matter”

Over 1200 Lilongwe city secondary school students celebrated this year’s Global Youth Service Day event at Silver Strikers Stadium.  Global Youth Service Day is the largest annual celebration of young volunteers, where millions of young people in countries around the world participate as volunteers in community projects.    

The Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy and Malawi-U.S. Exchange Alumni Association (MUSEAA) organized Malawi’s celebrations by communicating with youth on themes of HIV/AIDS, girl-child rights, keeping girls in school, gender based violence and youth volunteerism using musical performances, exhibitions, sports and open discussions.  In his remarks the Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) David Gilmour, commented “do yourselves a favor and protect yourselves from HIV/AIDS.  It is the biggest threat you will face individually, it is perhaps the biggest threat confronting your country, and will be with us for a long time to come.”  Inspired by the strong messages, students took advantage of the mobile Voluntary Counseling and Testing (VCT) unit provided by National AIDS Commission (NAC) and Malawi AIDS Counseling & Resource Organization (MACRO) to know their status. 

Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Honorable Jaffalie Mussa, who is also an Embassy exchange alumnus commended American citizens on their strong spirit of volunteerism, branding it “the most important value” he observed during his visit to the U.S. during his International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).    

Two MUSEAA alumni also engaged in lively discussions with the youth.  Wise Chauluka, a Consultant in Behavior Change Communication, advised the youth that “behavior change ranks highest in HIV/AIDS prevention;”  Sitabene Malange of Eye of the Child,  an NGO under the National Youth Council of Malawi, encouraged those who attended to  volunteer in their communities.  

She also emphasized to the students the importance of volunteerism to national development.  Ms. Malange devised an action plan that links the MUSEAA, National Youth Council, Peace Corps, Volunteer Services Organizations, the Malawi Government and Malawi’s youth to carry out volunteer services nationwide.

The students enjoyed an exciting afternoon of Basketball and Netball games, and visited the colorful and informative pavilion provided Population Services International (PSI), Malawi Red Cross, National Youth Council, NAC, and MACRO.  A student from St. John’s Secondary School commented that the messages from Youth Alerts’ Schools Team Presentation “delaying sexual debut” gave her “more confidence in making lifetime decisions.”  Perhaps, the most inspiring moment of day came when Deputy Chief of Mission Dave Gilmour presented the Outstanding MUSEAA Alumni Award to Shawo Mwakilama
because of his strong commitment in the fight against HIV/AIDS. 

Shawo is a recent graduate of Chancellor College and participated in  the “University Leadership and the fight against AIDS," internatinoal visitors program.  He drew upon his experience in the U.S. to develop a Peer Education Program for prison inmates and wardens at Maula Prison in Lilongwe.  He modeled the program after the HIPS Corps of the University of Tennessee and the WE CARE Project under the Calvary Episcopal Church targeting centers in Memphis, Tennessee. 

The 29 peer educators now have the responsibility of training 2000 fellow inmates at Maula Prison on how to prevent HIV transmission, provide care, offer counseling and referral services and deal with issues related to stigma.   DCM Gilmour characterized Mwakilama as "an excellent example of how young people can use their talents to benefit their community.”