AfricaPress-Tanzania: NMB bank has set aside more than 2bn/- in this fiscal year as part of its community plough back to financially support government institutions in health and education sectors amongst others, as well as individual clients, farmers, small, medium and large businesses.
That was said recently by NMB Bank Korogwe Branch Manager, Lugano Mwampeta adding that the process of repaying the community comes from the profits the financial institution is making as a result of doing business in its midst.
“We receive a lot of applications; this shows how trustworthy our bank is. But also these students and teachers have a good opportunity not only commercially but also socially because we not only do business but we also provide social services because we live with them in the same community, where we do business,” said Mwampeta, while visiting Primary and Secondary Schools, as well as one Police College (CCP) and some health centres in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions.
He said the exercise forms part of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the Northern Zone, where some of the schools’ head teachers praised the bank for supporting them with financial education and material donations, noting that they significantly bring developments in the country.
Speaking at different times the teachers from Tanga, Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions described how the bank’s support come on time and facilitate change in learning, besides helping parents in the responsibilities of shouldering the burden of purchasing desks, teaching materials and building classrooms.
As part of its plough back to the community, the bank has been deducting one per cent of its profits made in any financial year as a special fund to support education, disasters and health services, and after handing over the equipment, it has been dispatching special teams go around to see if the beneficiaries reached them.
Making the revelation recently, Msambiazi Primary School Head teacher, Selemani Kombo in Korogwe District, Tanga Region, said his school’s performance has improved after receiving support to complete the classroom and teachers’ office.
“If you had come a few months before today (March, 2021) you would have witnessed a lot of surprises, because in fact this school was in a bad situation on the part of the teachers’ office, even some classrooms were not what you see.
“We had a meeting with parents and school officials, when we received information that NMB Bank is providing assistance with roofing materials and desks, we said our problem is roofing materials.
“Thankfully, we received the iron sheets and roofing tiles, and we are grateful for the money we planned to spend on the roofing of the paint and other materials until the building was completed,” said Mr Kombo.
On her part, Semkiwa Secondary School in Korogwe Headmistress Deborah Singu talking about the support of 55 seats and tables, said that showed them how thirsty their students were to stay in a good place.
“First of all, let me assure you that we have received the support we requested, basically these chairs and tables are so strong that students are competing. Interestingly, these Form Four students, after seeing that their class was good, decided to donate and bought a wall clock to be unique, ”said Mwalimu Singu.
The Academic Teacher at the school, Mr Bashir Abdu said that their School has undergone a major academic change after the students got better opportunities to stay in the classrooms.
“Initially, even absenteeism was great, a student coming missing a place to stay is looking for a reason to escape from school, tomorrow he also does not come. But these chairs have given them even the desire to read first and are interesting just to watch. NMB thanks you very much for rescuing us,” he pointed out.
