Baháʼí Faith in Malawi

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The Baháʼí Faith in Malawi began before the country achieved independence. Before

National Spiritual Assembly. In 2003 Baháʼís estimated their membership at 15000[4] while the 2001 World Christian Encyclopedia estimated the membership at 24500[6] and in 2005 revised their estimate to about 36000.[7]

Early history

In the first decade of the 1900s, the region of Malawi was part of Nyasaland. In a series of letters, or

Star of the West magazine on December 12, 1919. after the end of World War I and the Spanish flu.[8]

Wide scale growth in the religion across

Hand of the Cause Músá Baníní.[13]

Map of Malawi

In 1960 twenty-six Africans and ten white Baháʼís representing five language groups attended a second regional seminar in Salisbury S. Rhodesia on the progress of the religion with attendees from S. Rhodesia, N. Rhodesia, Nyasaland, Mozambique, and South Africa.[14] Classes included "Baha'i Character Development," "How to Give a Baha'i Talk," and "The Covenants of God". Two local conferences in Nyasaland also took place in 1960.[14]

Growth

By 1963 there were Baháʼí Local Spiritual Assemblies in Balaka, Balila, Bawi, Limbe, and Mianje. There were smaller groups of Baháʼís in Chileka, Chipoka, Chiradzulo, Lilongwe, Mzimba, Mzuzu, Sharpevale, and Zomba. There were individual Baháʼís in Chibwawa, Dedza, Fort Johnston (now known as Mangochi), and Karonga.[5] In 1964 the first Baháʼí marriage service was performed in the country; the same year as the

socio-economic development beginning by giving greater freedom to women,[21] promulgating the promotion of female education as a priority concern,[22] and that involvement was given practical expression by creating schools, agricultural coops, and clinics.[21] The religion entered a new phase of activity when a message of the Universal House of Justice dated 20 October 1983 was released.[23] Baháʼís were urged to seek out ways, compatible with the Baháʼí teachings
, in which they could become involved in the social and economic development of the communities in which they lived. Worldwide in 1979 there were 129 officially recognized Baháʼí socio-economic development projects. By 1987, the number of officially recognized development projects had increased to 1482. Malawian Baháʼís have embarked on a number of projects to support the welfare of Malawi.

Bambino School

In a commitment to education and the welfare of humanity, the Baháʼís have set up 60 grassroots Baháʼí literacy schools and 30 Baháʼí primary health care workers were trained and deployed.[24] The largest scale institution is the private school named the Bambino School in Lilongwe. A Baháʼí school started in January 1993,[25] in 2003 Bambino School had an enrollment of 1,100 from nursery level through secondary school and secretarial college[4] and has high school graduation including taking the International General Certificate of Secondary Education.[26] Andrew Nhlane is the head teacher of the high school which has 350 students alone.[27] Students participate in international projects with other schools in Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Bulgaria.[28] International students contribute terms of service.[29] Kenneth Gondwe, aka Babyjinx, is a former attendee of Bambino and has gone on to be an accomplished musician, performer, and business owner running a music production company.[30] Partial scholarships are available.[31]

Modern community

The 2003 golden jubilee of the establishment of the religion in Malawi was attended by Baháʼís from Bermuda, Australia, Mauritius, South Africa, Zambia, and Lesotho, and one of the events of the jubilee was a play based on the life and martyrdom of Mona Mahmudnizhad.[4] The 2004 Namibian Jubilee had guests from the Malawian Baháʼí community.[32] The Baháʼí National Center is located in Lilongwe.[33]

In 2007 public schools began offering religious education at the primary school level. These courses had previously been available only in secondary schools. Both a Christian-oriented "Bible Knowledge" course and a "Moral and Religious Education" course, including Muslim, Hindu, Baháʼí, and Christian material are available. Individual parent-teacher associations or school committees decide which religion courses to offer.[34]

Baháʼí delegates from 17 countries included ones from Malawi convened in New York from February – March 2008 for the 52nd session of the

UN Commission on the Status of Women.[35] Some 120 Baháʼís from Malawi attended the first of 41 conferences called for by the Universal House of Justice between November and February 2008–9 in neighboring Zambia along with Baháʼís from Zimbabwe.[36]

Demographics

The World Christian Encyclopedia notes there may have been 18000 Baháʼís in 1990 and 24,500 in 2000[6] and about 36145 in 2005.[7] In 2003 a Baháʼí source mentioned there were some 15000 Baháʼís in Malawi.[4] A 2007 survey reports about 4% of the population of 13000000—roughly 520000—is split between Hindus, Baháʼís, Rastafarians and Jews.[37]

See also

References

  1. ^
    ISBN 0-87743-233-3
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  2. ^ a b "Overview Of World Religions". General Essay on the Religions of Sub-Saharan Africa. Division of Religion and Philosophy, University of Cumbria. Archived from the original on 2007-12-09. Retrieved 2008-04-16.
  3. ^ a b "International News; Africa; Two New Territories Opened". Baháʼí News (259): 4. September 1952.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Baháʼí International Community (2003-07-09). "Dramatic stories thrill Malawi golden jubilee". Baháʼí World News Service.
  5. ^ a b Compiled by Hands of the Cause Residing in the Holy Land. "The Baháʼí Faith: 1844-1963: Information Statistical and Comparative, Including the Achievements of the Ten Year International Baháʼí Teaching & Consolidation Plan 1953-1963". pp. 19–20, 52.
  6. ^ a b "Bahai Faith, continued...". Adherents.com. 2008. Archived from the original on May 22, 2009. Retrieved 2008-11-12.{{cite encyclopedia}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ a b "Most Baha'i Nations (2005)". QuickLists > Compare Nations > Religions >. The Association of Religion Data Archives. 2005. Archived from the original on 2016-01-23. Retrieved 2009-07-04.
  8. ^ ʻAbbas, ʻAbdu'l-Bahá (April 1919). Tablets, Instructions and Words of Explanation. Mirza Ahmad Sohrab (trans. and comments).
  9. ^ "The African Teaching Project". Baháʼí News (241): 1. March 1951.
  10. ^ "Around the World; Africa". Baháʼí News (238): 1. December 1950.
  11. ^ Baháʼí International Community (2005-02-02). "Thriving community builds social unity". Baháʼí World News Service.
  12. ^ Battrick, Owen (1982). "Bibliographies". Achievements and Victories of the Guardianship. Baháʼí Online Library. Retrieved 2008-11-11.
  13. ^
    ISBN 0-85398-234-1. {{cite book}}: |journal= ignored (help
    )
  14. ^ a b "Prepare Pioneers With Schools and Conferences". Baháʼí News (356): 3. December 1950.
  15. ^ "Newly-elected National Spiritual Assembly of South Central Africa…". Baháʼí News (437): 11. August 1967.
  16. ^ "Southern Africa- Youth Summer School". Baháʼí News (493): 16. April 1972.
  17. ^ "Malawi". Baháʼí News (499): 19. November 1972.
  18. ^ "The Great Safari - part nineteen (section about Malawi)". Baháʼí News (499): 10–13, 16. August 1973.
  19. ^ "The Great Safari - part twenty (section about Malawi)". Baháʼí News (510): 16–18. September 1973.
  20. ^ Hassall, Graham. "The Baháʼí Faith in Australia". Draft for "A Short Encyclopedia of the Baháʼí Faith". Baháʼí Library Online. Retrieved 2008-10-12.
  21. ^ a b Momen, Moojan. "History of the Baha'i Faith in Iran". draft "A Short Encyclopedia of the Baha'i Faith". Bahai-library.com. Retrieved 2009-10-16.
  22. ^ Kingdon, Geeta Gandhi (1997). "Education of women and socio-economic development". Baháʼí Studies Review. 7 (1).
  23. doi:10.1016/0048-721X(89)90077-8
    .
  24. ^ Baháʼí International Community (2008). "In the Field: Some Examples". Baháʼí World News Service.
  25. ^ "Welcome to Bambino Schools". BambinoSchools.org. Bambino Schools. 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  26. ^ "Bambino Curriculum". BambinoSchools.org. Bambino Schools. 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  27. ^ "Andrew Nhlane summary of international projects". Creative collaboration for teachers globally. The Department for Children, Schools and Families, administered by the Office of Public Sector Information of the United Kingdom. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  28. ^ "Andrew Nhlane - Projects". Creative collaboration for teachers globally. The Department for Children, Schools and Families, administered by the Office of Public Sector Information of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 2007-12-17. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  29. ^ "EDUCATE THESE CHILDREN" (PDF). Newsletter. Educate These Children.org. March 2007. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-26. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  30. ^ "Ma Life/Moyo Wanga". Rush Records- Muna Productions. Rush Records. 2006. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  31. ^ "Jim and Nancy Wright Scholars". Pare Foundation.org. Fondation Alphonse and Lucy Griffith Paré. Archived from the original on 2011-07-27. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  32. ^ Baháʼí International Community (2003-12-20). "Secret rendezvous of faith". Baháʼí World News Service.
  33. ^ "National Bahaʼi Centre of Malawi". Religious Associations. Africa Phone Books.com. 2008. Retrieved 2010-10-13.[permanent dead link]
  34. ^ U.S. State Department (2008-09-19). "Malawi - International Religious Freedom Report 2008". The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affair. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
  35. ^ Baháʼí International Community (March 2008). "52nd Session of the UN Commission on the Status of Women: Financing for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women". Baha'i Activities at the 2008 CSW. New York: Baháʼí International Community. Archived from the original on 7 October 2008. Retrieved 2008-11-12.
  36. ^ Baháʼí International Community (2008-11-04). "Zambia gathering is first in series of 41 conferences". Baháʼí International News Service.
  37. ^ U.S. State Department (2007-09-14). "Malawi — International Religious Freedom Report 2007". The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affair. Retrieved 2008-11-12.

External links

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