![Airtel Malawi Zonal Business Manager Leslie Tsilizani offically handing over desks to Headmaster Dyton Malizani as other look on](https://www.kulinji.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/IMG_20190326_132518.jpg)
Airtel Malawi through its mobile money service, Airtel Money has donated 75 double desks to one of the oldest primary schools Nsambamwali in Blantyre.
The school, situated in Lirangwe, is 66 years old but has, for years, been facing a number of challenges including desk-pupil ratio which is 1,000 pupils to 100 desks.
Other issues being faced at the school include no running tap water or connection to electricity. These problems prompted Ministry of Education to seek assistance from Airtel Malawi.
The donation was made with funds from the Airtel Money Trust which is money set aside from interest earned from the mobile money business that goes back to communities in need across the country.
Airtel Malawi Corporate Communications Officer Norah Chavula-Chirwa said the donation was made under Airtel’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility programme called ‘Touching Lives’.
“Nsambamwali Primary School is the first out of a total of 15 primary schools that Airtel Money Trust will be supporting with double seater desks across the country.” she said.
She told Kulinji.com that they will be disclosing the other 15 schools earmarked for the donations as they go:
“This is an ongoing exercise. But our adopted primary schools, Salima Primary and Masenjere Primary in Nsanje are part of the list of 15 schools.”
Chirwa did not disclose the amount of money spent on the desks donation, saying they prefer to focus more on the donation and not the value.
The communication officer explained that for now they are focusing on the donation of desks together with reusable sanitary kits for girls and have earmarked primary schools in need of desks as recommended by the Ministry of Education.
Airtel Malawi is the country’s leading mobile service provider offering 4G/LTE, 2G and 3G wireless networks; and high speed fixed broadband internet services.
Source : Kulinji