By: Lloyd M’bwana
The country’s sole and private-owned fuel provider, Petroleum Importers Limited (PIL) on Wednesday, April 13, committed to its social-corporate responsibility by donating 50 desks worth MK1.5 million to Gumba Junior Community Day Secondary School (CDSS) at Traditional Authority (T.A) Gumba in the western and border district of Mchinji in a bid to reduce school dropouts among female learners.
The company has put aside MK50 million to address education and health sectors’ challenges in which various communities are facing across the nation hence other consignments on the same support have already been made to Njuli and Kadzakalowa CDSS in Chiladzulu and Ntcheu respectively.
In an interview with The Maravi Post after donating the desks, Enwell Kadango, PIL General Manager disclosed that his organization was touched with the plight of students at Gumba School hence felt obliged to make the donation.
Kadango added that his company in its quest of partnering government in uplifting the standards of education in the country especially for the girl child who is subjected to various unfavorable conditions during learning.
“We are involved in the promotion of education standards in Malawi because our consortium believes that Malawi can avail itself from poverty if its citizens are educated. We want to contribute to the global vision for education for all and be part of the implementers of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Education transforms ordinary people become extraordinary individuals capable of transforming their country economically. We are investing in education because we want to be part of the transformation of Malawi. This year already, PIL has made a donation of desks and other learning aides to two schools in Chiradzulu and Ntcheu. Apart from hat the company is also working with government to assist in health sector as a way of uplifting living standards of the people in Malawi”, assures Kandango
.
Langiwe Phiri, is one of the Gumba CDSS beneficiaries who did not mince her words with excitement over the donation saying learning would be easy as absence of desks was posing a threat their learning mode.
“Before these desks came, we used to write exercises using our knees which were tiresome work to finish teacher’s exercises but now with the donation definitely learning mode won’t be the same. Apart from absence of desks, we need completions of these two school blocks, water and sanitary facilities, which will motivate many other girls who dropped to come back to school”, urges Langiwe who is in form two and wants to become a Doctor.
Echoing on the same, Chrispin Chasowa, Gumba CDSS’ Head teacher expressed gratitude for the donation describing the initiative was timely and a big booster to students who he said had then been dignified with a conducive learning environment through the provision of the desks from PIL.
“Desks donation has come just after another well-wisher offered us new science teaching and learning materials. PIL is a true partner in education considering the challenges this school is facing since its inception in 1998 including lack of teachers’ houses, school laboratory, water and sanitary facilities among others.
“If these needs are provided in time, definitely, our learners especially girls will start participating full in class for better of their future. With the current number of learners 67 in form one and 54 in form two, these desks aren’t enough. This is the reason we still seek further support from other corporate world to emulate what PIL has done to us”, appeals Chasowa.
Petroleum Importers Limited is private company tasked with fuel importation in Malawi which has been importing bulk of fuel for the country since 1999. Therefore, PIL is a wholly owned by following oil Marketing companies Puma Malawi, Total Malawi, Petroda Malawi and Engen Malawi Ltds.
