Lilongwe, Malawi
Theme: The future of Counselling in Africa
IAC-AFRICA CHAPTER: THE PREPARATION PHASE
Dominic Nsona, as the IAC Regional Representative for Africa, was able to get in touch with Counselors from different African countries and form what we call the IAC-Africa Chapter. Through a number of virtual meetings, this team came up with different ideas and suggestions and accepted the proposed theme of the conference. One important task that has been accomplished by some members of this team is the review and assessment of the abstracts presented. This experience can be the foundation for ongoing networking and collaboration for the development of Counseling in Africa.
Counsellors who have taken part in this IAC-Africa team are: Dominic Nsona (Malawi), Huguette Ostiguy mic (Malawi), Esnaty Obetile (Botswana). Dr. Thelma Majela (Botswana) Ifeoma Eze (Botswana), Selebaleng Silver Mmapatsi (Botswana), Ehiz Odigie-Okpataku (Nigeria), Grace Linda Nabatanzi (Uganda), Kimani Githongo (Kenya). Sr. Dr. Elizabeth Okpalaenwe (Kenya), Josephine Muthami (Kenya), Yolanda Shiers (South Africa), Jeanette Coates (South Africa).
The Future of Counselling in Africa
Keynote Speakers
President of the International Association for Counselling (IAC), Professor, Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada
Dr. Borgen joined the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia in the Counselling Psychology program in 1976. Since that time he had taught a range of research, theory and practice based courses in the master’s and doctoral programs, has been the research supervisor of numerous master’s theses and doctoral dissertations. Dr. Borgen has had a long standing involvement with the International Association for Counselling as he believes that IAC’s historic and current contributions are multifaceted and can contributes to the development and enhancement of counselling practice, education, research and policy around the world.
Dr. Borgen give us a very special overview of the challenges of “Being a Counsellor”. As he explained, we, as counsellors, we touch Individuals but at the same time we impact on the world. What a beautiful profession! Dr. Borgen invited us to be lifelong learners to more and more fulfilling our professional important role in this world.
Clinical Psychologist, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry & Mental Health at the Kamuzu University of Health Sciences, Malawi
Dr. Bandawe is a Clinical Psychologist and practices at his clinic: Harmony Mental Wellness Solutions, in Blantyre, Malawi. He has thus far published three mental health education books: Mind Tips: A Psychology of Practical Living Skills for Malawi (2005), Mind Tools to Sharpen Your Mental Health (2006 and Practical uMunthu Psychology (2010). He has a regular column in the Malawi Weekend Nation Newspaper which seeks to promote mental health literacy. He has given numerous mental health talks to youth groups, organizations and churches.
His presentation, “A new frontier in counselling: Unpacking and repackaging uMunthu” in psychosocial counselling practice, Dr. Bandawe described how everything in life is interconnected. Highlighting that as Black/African people, we must “make new again” and ‘grow and flourish the authentic Africa spirit/humanity”. Dr. Chiwoza Bandawe’s enthusiasm for the richness of African culture inspired the participants to be proud of being African Counsellors for Africa.
“Make new again”
Dr. C. Bandawe
Saint John of God Hospitaller Services (SJOG), Lilongwe & Mzuzu, Malawi
Presentation Title: “Broadening the Scope of Psychosocial Counselling Practice“
Dr. Ndumanene D. Silungwe has been working with Saint John of God Hospitaller Services for over 20 years, contributing to the mental health field in many ways through different services. He is a Clinical .Psychologist involved in promoting Mental Health in Malawi in participating through associations and Mental Health groups to create awareness about social issues affecting mental health. Dr. Silungwe challenges us to integrate in our counselling approach the multi-dimensional reality that affect people at an individual level and at a community level.
President of Malawi Association for Counselling (MAC)
Presentation Title: “Overview of the development and reality of Counselling in Malawi“.
Mr. Nsona presented the historical and social background of the counselling in Malawi from the time of HIV pandemic. He outlined the development of MAC as an association and the actual situation of counselling training and services in Malawi. MAC has moved forward but still faces many challenges mainly in advocating and promoting mental, psychosocial and emotional professional counselling as part and parcel of the Mental Health services.
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