Health claims and lack of standardized methods

3.0 INTRODUCTION

This chapter deals with the situation analysis of shantytowns and slums of three Malawian and two South African scenarios. The analysis is the result of participatory research conducted in the relevant communities. Selener's (1998:17) definition: "Participatory research is a process through which members of an oppressed group or community identify a problem, collect and analyze information, and act upon the problem in order to find solutions and to promote social and political transformation."

In this chapter there are six subsections.

• Research objectives

• The growth of the inter-censal urban population

• A brief historical description of Malawian cities

• The government's effort to address urban challenges and problems

• The CCAP ministry's approach to urban ministry

• Two South African case studies.

3.1 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The purpose of the participatory research in Malawian and South African communities was to examine the validity of the four hypotheses, namely:

• Its rural background and theory of ministry prevent the CCAP from developing an effective urban ministry that adequately addresses the problems related to poverty.

• Urban ministry in the shantytowns and slums can only be successful if the residents participate in the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the ministry.

• A holistic approach to ministry with joint forums for development is needed to address the urban poverty problems

• At present, ministry in the CCAP operates within a hierarchical, clerical paradigm and, as such, is unable to equip and empower the laity to address the urban ministry's problems and challenges.

In Malawi, the research was conducted in the Nkhata Bay District (a mral community in the Northern Region of Malawi) and in the cities of Malawi: Lilongwe, Blantyre and Mzuzu, while in South Africa, the research was conducted in Soweto (in a community called Orlando East) and in the Cape Peninsula (among the unemployed men who stand alongside the road at traffic lights asking for casual work). The research methods used during the participatory research in both Malawi and South Africa have been documented in section 1.10 of chapter 1.

Selener (1998: 17) further states

Participatory research combines three principal activities: research, education, and action. It is a research method in which people are actively involved in conducting a systematic assessment . . .. It is an educational process because researcher and participants together analyze and learn from the process .... It is an action-oriented activity since findings are implemented in the form of practical solutions.

The research was helpful in that, in the process, the team was able to:

• Assess whether ordinary Christians participate in planning and implementing Church activities.

• Understand whether the Church and government departments are working jointly to address the needs of the urban poor.

• Appreciate the survival strategies that the urban poor have put in place in order for them to face daily urban challenges.

• Assess the actual successes and challenges of the local urban people for the purpose of developing a ministry ethos to address urban issues in an appropriate and adequate way.

• Enable urban pastors to share day-to-day ministry achievements and challenges being experienced, with a view to formulating new ideal intervention strategies and models for urban work.

• Determine the impact that government provision services have in addressing the urban poverty challenges facing the urban poor.

3.2 THE GROWTH OF INTER-CENSAL URBAN POPULATION

This section further examines the challenge of the urban phenomenon as a major problem facing the developing world today. It develops the arguments of chapter 1, section 1.1.2,

further.

The total population of Malawi is 9 933 868. Of this total population figure, 1 435 436 are urban, while 8 498 432 are rural Malawi population and housing census report (MPHCR) (2000: xiv). The urban figure is further divided into three regional figures, i.e. Northern 159671, Central: 567604, and Southern 708, 161. The inter-censa1 population growth data of the final census results reveals that amongst Malawi's four major urban centres, Mzuzu and Lilongwe cities had the highest population increases of 97% and 95% respectively, and their inter-censa1 growth rates were 6.2% and 6.1 % per annum respectively. As for Blantyre city and Zomba municipality, the population had increased by approximately 44% and 48%

respectively between 1987 and 1998. The inter-censa1 growth rate for Blantyre city was 3.3%

per annum while that of Zomba municipality was 3.6% per annum (MPHCR 2000:xiv).

3.3 BRIEF HISTORICAL DESCRIPTION OF MALAWI'S THREE CITIES

The Malawian urban context, as a challenge for the ministry, is further attested in this section, as documented in section 1.1.5 of the first chapter. Also investigated are the acute and diverse problems and challenges that urbanization brings in the Malawian context, as described in section 1.5 of chapter 1.

The research was conducted in three Malawian cities: Lilongwe, Blantyre and Mzuzu. This is the context where a holistic approach to ministry will be implemented. Before reporting the research findings, it is important to give a brief historical survey of each city.

3.3.1 LILONGWE CITY

Lilongwe is within the ecclesiastical jurisdiction of Nkhoma Synod. Therefore, more time is devoted to developing an urban ministry ethos for this city. There are 12 congregations in Lilongwe city being managed by 11 ordained ministers of the CCAP. This will be presented in greater detail at a later stage.

The topography of Lilongwe is characterised by a fairly undulating landscape with rivers, streams and dambos (valleys). The indigenous vegetation of Lilongwe has been described as open canopy savanna woodland characterized by several species of acacia, combretuim, brachystegia, albida and adasonia. Tracts of exotic trees, especially the gmelina species, are also found all over the city (Kayuza 2000:2). Lilongwe was named after the river on the banks of which the city was first built in 1902. The city has an undulating terrain with lithosols mixed with rich fermgennous soils. The climate is cool in winter and hot, but not humid, in summer. The city is located in the centre of Malawi. Neighbouring countries can reach it by air, road or rail.

In 1904, the district became the headquarters of what was known as Central Angoniland and, in 1921, became the headquarters of the new Central Province and Lilongwe District. Roe (1992:19) notes "By the 1930's commerce and trade were developing in the town and in 1947 Lilongwe became a township and in 1966 a municipality." In 1965, it was decided to transfer the status of the capital city from Zomba in the southern region, to Lilongwe in the central region. As a result of this decision, Lilongwe was officially established as the capital on January 1st 1975.

Some of the reasons that motivated the move of the capital from Zomba to Lilongwe were:

1. To stimulate development of the whole country. Roe (1992: 19) comments "The reasons for centralization were pragmatic in that they sought to stimulate development in the hitherto less developed Central and Northern Regions, by establishing a major growth point in the centre of the country."

2. To concentrate the Central Government activities at one place - previously scattered between Blantyre and Zomba.

3. The flat terrain in Lilongwe was conducive to the spatial expansion of the city, (Kayuza 2000:xii).

In his book, Sustainable cities programme, Kayuza has dwelt much on Lilongwe city's socio-economic aspects and sanitation. In the socio-socio-economic sphere, he indicates that in 1998 the population of the city was 435 964, which was 31.5% of all urban population. Of the whole population 48% was below 17 years of age, showing the city had a young population, probably the result of their flocking to the city in search of employment. Job opportunities were still a problem in 1998. Employment and earnings of 1986 to 1988 show that 55772

persons were formally employed. Kayuza (2000:xii) notes "There were no records of those employed informally. But considering the present number of street vendors and others, it is estimated that 40% of the workforce in the city is in the informal sector."

The sanitation situation in Lilongwe city is very inadequate, particularly in the squatter/slum areas. Although the mode of sanitation in Lilongwe is by a water-borne sewerage system, septic tanks, pit latrines and stormwater drainage system, only 8.9% of the city is sewered, 19.8% has septic tanks and 70.7% use pit latrines. Kayuza (2000:xiii) states "The rest openly defecate. The prominent use of pit latrines and open defecation and urination are worrisome sources of water, visual and air pollution."

Table 1: Lilongwe urban growth trends

PLACE POPULATION

1966 1977 1987 1998

Total Urban Population 190,441 319,818 852,359 1,349,092

Lilongwe City Population 19,425 66,842 223,318 435,964

City Population as a%of Total Urban

Population 10.2 20.9 26.2 31.5

Inter-censal average growth rate in%

14.8 8.2 6. 1

Source: Kayuza(2000: 3)

The housing situation is another cause for concern for the city. Lilongwe has a population of 435964. Of these people 78% live in low-income houses, of which 44% live in traditional houses. As a result of the high density, the people encroach on land for high-level development use. Kayuza (2000:xiii) laments "Overcrowding results in environmental deterioration and bad sanitation, which contaminates water. Unplanned settlement causes city sprawl for those settling along the major roads. Those located away from trunk roads are inaccessible to services e.g. vehicles removing sludge." In addition, overcrowding and lack of cleanliness are the major health hazard at the Central Hospital.

70