YOTI MEDIA Network

28/09/2025

A FRAGILE START

As the morning sun glows over the lush rolling hills of the Chipata district, Sara Mbewe gently sways her baby boy, Raphael Zimbili, on her back after feeding him at her home in Kapata township — 575 km (about 357 miles) east of Zambia's capital, Lusaka.

"My son had a fragile start, [born] prematurely at just seven months, with a low birth weight in April 2022 and had to be placed in an incubator," Mbewe told Global Sisters Report.

Mbewe was unable to produce breast milk during this critical time, leaving Raphael at risk of severe malnutrition. It was at this moment that the Strengthening the Capacity of Religious Women in Early Childhood Development (SCORE-ECD) project became a turning point for her son.

Mbewe received vital training on early childhood nutrition, including the importance of locally sourced foods and complementary feeding practices, which significantly improved Raphael's health. She was guided on introducing complementary feeding at six months, including porridge enriched with groundnuts, soy, eggs, beans, pumpkin, and even traditional protein sources like caterpillars.

"By October 2022, my child's weight steadily increased thanks to the - https://mbuyotimedia.blogspot.com/2025/09/upholding-dignity-of-zambias-sick-and_21.html

21/09/2025

UPHOLDING DIGNITY OF ZAMBIA'S SICK & DYING

Monica Chibuye is in her final moments as she confronts the harsh realities of Alzheimer's, which has stripped her of her memories and connections to loved ones.

Chibuye, 72, has been battling the disease for over two years, and it's taken an emotional and psychological toll on both her family members and caregivers.

"I struggled financially and couldn't afford home-based care due to high medical bills. I had no option but to seek holistic medical therapy for mum here at Mother of Mercy Hospice due to the facility's quality palliative health care," Chibuye's daughter Lillian told Global Sisters Report.

Located in the lush suburb of the Chilanga District, approximately 20 km (12 miles) south of Zambia's capital Lusaka, the Mother of Mercy Hospice and Health Centre offers solace, comfort and dignity to patients and their families.

Lillian said that before her mother's admission to the facility in early 2024, she felt hopeless after witnessing her deteriorating health condition.

"My mother's condition was characterized by frustration, sadness and fear," she said. "I thank the religious sisters for their - https://mbuyotimedia.blogspot.com/2025/09/upholding-dignity-of-zambias-sick-and_21.html

18/09/2025

SCHOOLS OF HOPE

As laughter and singing echo through a community school in Mathare, a slum in the heart of Nairobi, Kenya’s capital, the vital role of quality education becomes unmistakably clear.

On his way home from school, Mwangi navigates a rugged path winding through rows of shacks tightly packed within the sprawling Mathare Township.

With a growing number of vulnerable children in Nairobi’s second-largest slum, the rising rate of school dropouts in Mathare compounds the struggles of a community already burdened by widespread illiteracy.

“It’s not that dropping out of primary school due to lack of sponsorship didn’t affect me, but I’m hopeful for a brighter future now that I’m back in the - https://mbuyotimedia.blogspot.com/2025/09/schools-of-hope.html

14/09/2025

TURNING ON THE TAPS

For years, Hassan Juma has struggled to secure clean water for his family in Dar es Salaam’s southern suburb of Bangulo.

Like many in the sprawling coastal city, he has faced persistent water shortages and has been forced to rely on expensive private vendors to meet his household’s basic needs.

Across Dar es Salaam, particularly in fast-growing suburbs like Bangulo, residents have long suffered from an unreliable water supply. With no regular public supply, many have been forced to dig shallow wells, often without proper sanitation or testing. This exposes communities to contaminated water and waterborne diseases such as diarrhoea.

“A 20-litre container [of clean water] costs 600 Kenyan shillings ($0.22), and my family needs several of those each day. It’s hard to understand why - https://mbuyotimedia.blogspot.com/2025/09/turning-on-taps.html

13/09/2025

PRIZED PRODUCTS, PRIZED MARKET

In the picturesque city of Changsha, a cool breeze from the Xiangjiang River whispers through landmarks like Yuelu Mountain and Orange Isle. Inside the exhibition halls, the rich aromas of African tea, spices, and essential oils filled the air, as a renowned showcase of China-Africa cooperation brands got underway.

The fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE), held from 12 to 15 June in the capital of Hunan Province in central China, reflects the country’s deepening commitment to Africa, a continent that is home to the largest number of developing nations.

Over 30,000 participants from nearly 4,700 Chinese and African companies gathered for a vibrant showcase of Africa’s signature exports - from Kenyan tea and Ugandan cocoa to Zambian honey, Malawian to***co, Rwandan chilli peppers, South African citrus, and handcrafted fashion and gemstones.

Since its launch in 2019, CAETE has become a flagship platform for strengthening China-Africa economic ties, drawing participation from 53 African countries and 31 Chinese provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities.

New initiatives at this year’s CAETE, such as zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent of tariff lines for all the African countries with diplomatic relations with China, are expected to boost African brand visibility in China, open new trade and investment opportunities, and inject fresh momentum into Africa’s development.

“I’m excited to showcase our African garments, covering men’s, women’s and children’s fashion, along with -

In the picturesque city of Changsha, a cool breeze from the Xiangjiang River whispers through landmarks like Yuelu Mountain and Orange Isle. Inside the exhibition halls, the rich aromas of African tea, spices, and essential oils filled the air, as a renowned showcase of China-Africa cooperation bran...

09/09/2025

UPGRADING MATERNAL HEALTHCARE IN ZAMBIA

For Helen Zulu, maternal health care is not just a service at Monze Mission Hospital - it is an effort to save lives.

Zulu, 39, spoke to Global Sisters Report about a stressful ordeal she went through in 2018 at Monze Mission Hospital, 185 km (115 miles) south of Zambia's capital of Lusaka.

A few days after giving birth, Zulu's child developed a life-threatening medical condition known as hydronephrosis, where the flow of urine is blocked within the urinary tract, causing urine to back up and potentially damage one or both kidneys.

"Whenever I think about my child's healing in the face of adversity, I become emotional," said Zulu, a mother of three. "This hospital's quality health care reflects its profound importance to the lives of - https://mbuyotimedia.blogspot.com/2025/09/upgrading-maternal-healthcare-in-zambia.html

08/09/2025

TIK THE TOK

On a sunny afternoon, Nelly Wahome mounted a smartphone on a tripod to film one of Mombasa’s tourist hotspots - Nyali Resort, a popular northern beach resort in Kenya.

Wahome, 25, shared the latest video clip via her TikTok handle in a quest to enchant her followers with the day’s tourism scene along Nyali’s coastline. Within a few hours of uploading, her content attracted hundreds of views.

“What began as a light-hearted experiment - a video on life in a tourist town I posted on TikTok a year ago - has surprisingly grown into something much bigger. My following has since tripled to - https://mbuyotimedia.blogspot.com/2025/09/tok-talk.html

06/09/2025

DREAMS OF VULNERABLE GIRLS

One 18-year-old Zambian girl said she was raised in a home shaped by her grandfather's sexual abuse, which led her down a bleak path.

Growing up in a challenging environment due to her family's financial constraints, the girl, who asked that her name not be used to protect her identity, turned to her wealthy grandmother to help support her education.

At first, this seemed advantageous, but it came with significant psychological trauma.

"Things turned sour after her husband sexually abused me! The horrific experience affected my academic performance," she said.

"My class teacher realized that I was traumatized, forcing the school authorities at - https://mbuyotimedia.blogspot.com/2025/09/dreams-of-vulnerable-girls.html

30/07/2025

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01/06/2025

ZIMBABWE'S MANDARIN ROAD TO SUCCESS

Tears of joy streamed down Taurai Tawanda’s face upon learning that she had been awarded a scholarship under the China-Zimbabwe Friendship Scholarship Programme for academic excellence.

Tawanda says the scholarship is a game-changer in her teaching career, as it will help to broaden and enrich her job prospects, particularly among key Chinese companies based in Zimbabwe.

“I am grateful to the authorities who have made it possible for me to hone my skills in teaching the Chinese language, especially as our language consultancy firm is about to -

Tears of joy streamed down Taurai Tawanda’s face upon learning that she had been awarded a scholarship under the China-Zimbabwe Friendship Scholarship Programme for academic excellence. 

31/05/2025

LUSAKA'S HOME OF HOPE

Just like other vulnerable kids who crowd Zambia's street corners for handouts, Amos Zulu was filled with fear.

One frigid night, he lay awake on his thin cardboard wondering how to relocate to another township from Lusaka's notorious slum of Chibolya, a renowned hub for drug trafficking, alcohol abuse and burglary, among other illicit activities, where even the police do not dare to tread.

Zulu, 15, eluded police arrest and realized how dangerous drug dealing was. The fierce anti-drug security crack squad made him quit drug trafficking and go to St. Lawrence Home of Hope.

"I fled from my uncle's house at the age of 12 after I endured physical and mental abuse. I then joined a gang of drug dealers in our neighborhood to - https://mbuyotimedia.blogspot.com/2025/05/lusakas-home-of-hope.html

26/05/2025

CHINESE HEALTH-CARE IN MASHONALAND

Gertrude Nyathi walks calmly into Zimbabwe’s Mahusekwa Hospital for antenatal care in Mashonaland, where she is expected to give birth in the next five months.

In a country where medical facilities are obsolete, patients flock to seek medical care at the Chinese-aided hospital, seen by many as a game changer in Marondera district.

“Before this hospital was built, pregnant women had to travel long distances to go to Harare for antenatal services and some even gave birth on the way. The Mahusekwa Hospital has brought great relief to - https://mbuyotimedia.blogspot.com/2025/05/chinese-healthcare-in-mashonaland.html

Gertrude Nyathi walks calmly into Zimbabwe’s Mahusekwa Hospital for antenatal care in Mashonaland, where she is expected to give birth in the next five months.