Mathews Mfune, Sungani Zakwathu Cultural Heritage Executive Director, who is managing the project, told Zodiak Online that the works will kick start mid-way next month.

He says they will construct five traditional huts of role bearers who live within the Shrine, construct drains to protect it from future floods and construct concrete benches at the reception area to the Shrine among other activities.

"Tropical cyclone Freddy damaged a lot of cultural in the country's southern region early this year and Nsanje was no exception.

“If the situation remains like that we might lose a lot of rich heritage elements which were affected at the Shrine," said Mfune.

He added they will also construction storage room where women will be keeping their pottery materials while waiting to sell some of them.

Mfune added some of the pottery materials will be used at the shrine.

“We sent a proposal which was approved by the Cultural Emergency Response Organization.

We target to finish works in four months’ time,” said Mfune.

Khulubvi Cultural Heritage Trust acting secretary, Eva Chikabadwa, told Zodiak Online, "we are working in partnership with the two organizations in the implementation of the project in question."

Meanwhile, the Trust says there has been no much progress in raising about K400 million for construction of a museum at M’bona Shrine.

The Trust’s acting secretary, Eva Chikabadwa, says she plans to venture into fundraising activities to raise funds for the project.  

“So far the progress is not much. I am planning to employ various initiatives in a drive to raise some funds.

“For example, I am planning on exhibitions and auctioning of some of the works that have been done on the history of the place. This will be done inside and outside the country,” explained Chikabadwa.

Chikabadwa, a Lecturer on Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Practices at the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) told us earlier, they want to visualize M’bona stories and Mang’anja culture for future generations.