Africa-Press – Malawi. Old Mutual Malawi Ltd has donated K4 million towards renovation of Embangweni Mission Hospital mortuary which currently accommodates one dead body only. The has also signed a K5 million partnership with Sanwecka Tech towards training of 30 youths from Ndirande.
The development was disclosed on Tuesday 1st November when Old Mutual Malawi Ltd which offers comprehensive insurance, investment and corporate solutions, made cheque presentations to the two institutions.
According to Onismas Karakadzai, General Manager for Mthunzi Funeral Services which is a member company of Old Mutual, the K4 million donation towards the renovation of Embangweni Mission Hospital is an expression of commitment towards improving the country’s health sector.
“Embangweni Mission Hospital has a huge catchment area, and it caters for diverse patients within and outside Embangweni and this obviously includes our customers, the reason we exist as a business.
“Old Mutual is contributing over MK4 million. We have a strong desire that the money will help to modernize the Mortuary at Embangweni Mission Hospital so that it is now able to offer a dignified send off to our departed loved ones,” said Karakadzai.
Receiving the donation was Dr Mary Mbelwa, a member of friends of Embangweni, a grouping which came up with the idea to renovate the mortuary. Mbelwa thanked the company for the donation. She said it is very sad that up to now the hospital’s mortuary only occupies one dead body hence the idea to renovate it to at least accommodate six dead bodies.
She added that the project’s budget was pegged at K28 million two years ago before kwacha depreciated. “We are citizens of Embangweni and our hospital which was belt decades ago, is old. The mortuary which we are renovating is just a small room which can accommodate one body and it has no facilities for hand washing.
“Looking at the situation we established the Friends of Embangweni group to mobilize resources so that our relatives are send off in dignified way. With this donation, it means we now have K22 million at hand against the budgeted K28 million,” said Mbelwa.
She has since called on some other well wishers to emulate the gesture by Old Mutual claiming they still have a long way to reach the targeted amount which will cater for a modified room, standby generator, refrigerator and other mortuary necessities.
At the same event, Old Mutual Malawi Ltd donated K5 million to Sanwecka Tech Companions for a partnership which according to Patience Chatsika, the company’s Marketing and Corporate Affairs Manager, is towards training 30 less privileged youths from Ndirande in Blantyre.
Chatsika said the money will go for implementation of a skills development program and entrepreneurship that will see 30 young people trained in ICT skills which include Cell phone repair, Home Gadgets repair and Dish Installation.
“As a business, we are highly concerned with the problem of unemployment, and we believe that equipping young people with skills would go a long way in changing the status quo. As a business we believe that through this support, we will contribute towards improved access and equity in skills development training,” said Chatsika.
Reacting to the gesture, Rasheed Kasito who is Managing Director at Sanwecka, commended the financial service provider for the timely response which he said will help the beneficiaries to become self dependent, thereby contributing towards development of the country.
He said the choice of Ndirande to produce these 30 beneficiaries was because the township is commonly known for skilful works and that this is one way of encouraging a hard-working spirit which is demonstrated in Ndirande.
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