IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - December 2014 - 33

allowing the exchange rate of the kwacha
to ride with the free market.
Devaluation did make the cost of Malawian exports such as tobacco and sugarcane more competitive on the global
market. Yet, there was a reason Bingu
Wa Mutharika had refused to devalue the
currency himself-imports also became
much more expensive domestically, and,
in this case, the devaluation of the kwacha led to a greater surge in the inflation rate than expected. Cost of living
increases led to protests and demands for
higher wages for government workers.
Some Malawians were pushed deeper into
poverty. President Banda took a big hit
for this, and she worked hard to quickly
stabilize the currency alongside promoting a free market.
As economists hoped, there were
promising signs of stabilization. As of
early 2014, the kwacha was appreciating
thanks to increased
donor flow as well
as tobacco sales.
According to a 17
January 2014 IMF press
release, 79 million of a
US$156 million 2012
Extended Credit Facility
Arrangement had so far
been approved for disbursement to Malawi.

Battling Corruption
Soon after taking
office, President
Banda faced what
ha s come to be
known as cashgate, a corruption
sc a ndal where
millions of government funds were being
siphoned through loopholes in Malawi's Integrated
Financial Management System payment platform.
Most in Malawi understand that
the scandal began under Bingu Wa
Mutharika and was merely inherited

Banda has sought innovation in every
area, including health care, education,
entrepreneurship, and agriculture.

by Banda. Many believe that Bingu Wa
Mutharika knew and chose not to take
action. President Banda faced the corruption head on, locking up civil servants
across all levels that were found guilty of
stealing from the national treasury. Amid
this clean-up, she not only faced accusations of her own involvement but also
lost entire villages of voters as payback
for arrests.
Still, Banda did not sweep anything
under the rug. She pushed for zero
tolerance because the consequences
otherwise were so dire. To Banda, corruption took away from everything
she was trying to achieve: "Less children will receive an education.
Less Malawians will have access
to health care. Less fertilizer
will reach the local farmer. Less
resources (will be available) to help
reform the private sector and unlock
the economy. And (there will be) more
donor dependence."

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Lifting the Economy
As Banda worked to find
solid economic footing and
rebuild public trust in the
government, she also
took steps to lift the
economy. She looked
to private development
partners across areas
such as agriculture,
health care, education,
tourism, and mining.

DECEMBER 2014

By providing incentives to expand and
invest as well as freedom to grow, Banda
hoped to "increase access to training,
technologies, and other advancements
that (could) help our economy leapfrog
into the global market."
According to the president, USAID and
the Department for International Development have helped to unlock markets
for agricultural supply chains. Various
nongovernmental organizations have
helped to increase crop yield, access to
markets, and input subsidies with extension services to the local farmers.
Banda also made plans to move farmland from a single growing season to
two growing seasons to provide for both
economic development and food security. She believes this could be achieved
through a nationwide effort to train local
subsistence farmers in best agricultural
practices while also providing access to
irrigation technologies.
According to the WHO, one out of
36 Malawian women are at risk of dying
while giving birth. In the face of this
crisis, Banda not only worked hard to
improve facilities, technologies, and
training in the health-care sector, but
specifically launched the Presidential Initiative for Safe Motherhood,
which has the best chance of success if
embraced by the tribal chiefs of Malawi's
over 20,000 villages. Support of the
tribal chiefs is necessary to bring modern medicine to villages deeply rooted
in ancient Malawian traditions. One of
the three areas of focus, therefore, is
community mobilization. Other areas
include the construction of maternity
waiting homes and the training of community midwives.
Health-care initiatives like this one are
not only about basic human rights, Banda
says, but also help raise household income
levels. "A mother dies or left with complications from childbirth, there is the loss
of her income, but also the other children
may not be able to continue in schooling.
That obviously affects their income in the
future and the future of Malawi."

iEEE womEn in EnginEEring magazinE

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of IEEE Women in Engineering Magazine - December 2014