The Bank’s Limbe Branch Manager Dyson Mmina said their gesture is a response to a request by the International Labour Organization (ILO) and Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM) to support Limbuli Education Zone with the books. Apparently, the zone was worst hit by the cyclone.

“The donation of these books is part of our support towards the promotion of education standards in the country and as a bank we are proud to be associated with the socio-economic growth of the country,” said Mmina.

He said Standard Bank is passionate about the improvement of education and other crucial public sectors like health, agriculture and sports through their corporate social responsibility programs.

Director of Basic Education in the Ministry of Education Grace Milner who received the books on behalf of the Ministry of Education said education was the worst hit sector by the Tropical Cyclone Freddy as several education facilities were destroyed.

Said Milner, “a lot of books were destroyed during the disaster and this has exacerbated shortage of books in schools consequently affecting both teaching and learning in the affected schools.”  

She therefore thanked Standard bank for the donation of the textbooks and urged other private companies to emulate the bank’s gesture.

Technical Officer for ILO Malawi Office Patience Matandiko said the books will contribute to the reduction of child labour in the zone which is surrounded by tea estates.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) in partnership with the Teachers Union of Malawi (TUM) have been implementing a child labour elimination project in Mulanje and other districts like Thyolo, Chitipa, Ntchisi, Mzimba and Dowa.