Chioloko Primary School learners in Lilongwe sit at desks for the first time in 27 years

* Courtesy of donation from African Trade and Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI)

* Which has invested over K43 million as corporate social responsibility reaching out to over 3,000 pupils in Lilongwe

By Duncan Mlanjira

For the first time in 27 years since it was opened, learners at Chioloko Primary School near Mitundu in Lilongwe are sitting at desks, courtesy of a donation from African Trade and Investment Development Insurance (ATIDI).

ATIDI, formerly known as the African Trade Insurance Agency (ATI), is a pan-African multilateral financial institution that provides political risk, credit insurance, and trade-risk mitigation solutions to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) and boost intra-African trade.

Through its corporate social responsibility (CSR), ATIDI is reaching out to over 3,000 pupils in the Central Region providing safe drinking water through drilling of boreholes and desks in collaboration with Ministry of Education and the Malawi High Commission to Kenya — an investment of over K43 million.

“There has never been a desk here since 1997 when the school opened,” said Chioloko Primary School headteacher, Blackson Chimthethe.

“Similarly, before ATIDI came to sink this borehole, learners used to drink from the nearby Lisungwi river, which is unsafe.”

The beneficiary schools include Chiulongo, Chiseka, Kayabwa, Khombe, Mwenda and Chipoka and speaking after a two-day tour and handover of the items to Lilongwe rural east schools, ATIDI’s principal human resources officer, Tendai Kufa said the project is helping improve access to safe drinking water and providing a conducive environment for learners, particularly those preparing for national examinations.

“Reliable access to safe water is enabling healthier school communities while also benefiting neighbouring households,” he said.

“At the same time, new classroom furniture is giving learners a more comfortable and dignified space to study, learn and achieve their potential.”

Kufa added that the borehole at one beneficiary schools, where a cholera outbreak once threatened closure, had become a lifeline and is serving more than 100 families every day.

Attesting to this, primary education advisor, Jelifasi Chingauke said ATIDI’s support “has come as a huge relief [as] girls were missing classes during their menstrual cycles due to lack of water”.

He thus thanked ATIDI for the donation and also credited the Malawi High Commission in Kenya for identifying the need and facilitating ATIDI’s gesture back in August 2025.

“The zone is in dire need of portable water and desks,” said Chingauke, while Prisca Pindani, a Form 1 student at Chiseka CDSS said the borehole provided by ATIDI has helped to cut the long-distance students had to travel to access water from other sources.

 “We are now drinking safe water from the borehole. In addition, sanitation and hygiene has improved,” she said.

ATIDI Chief Executive Officer Manuel Moses said the organisation is committed to investing in practical solutions designed to improve education in Africa and the well-being of communities. 

“Education opens doors to opportunities and every child deserves the chance to learn in an environment that allows them to thrive.

“By improving access to clean water and creating better learning spaces, we are investing in healthier communities and the next generation of leaders who will shape Africa’s future,” says the CEO.

Since inception in 2001, ATIDI has supported US$93 billion worth of investments and cross border trade into Africa, says the company, which emphasises that “every child deserves the opportunity to learn in a safe, healthy and supportive environment”.

“Reliable access to safe water is enabling healthier school communities while also benefiting neighbouring households.

“At the same time, new classroom furniture is giving learners a more comfortable and dignified space to study, learn and achieve their potential.

“The initiative reflects ATIDI’s commitment to supporting sustainable development in the communities it serves.

“By investing in practical solutions that improve education and well-being, ATIDI is helping create lasting benefits that extend beyond the classroom,” says the company in a statement.

Founded in 2001 by seven COMESA countries with World Bank backing, ATIDI’s headquarter office is in Nairobi, Kenya and its current membership include 24 African States, one non-African state, and 13 institutional investors — including major backing from the African Development Bank (AfDB).