Volunteer teaching ICT skills for Mpemba Reformatory Centre as they await Govt to provide one;

The centre also has a volunteer chaplain, Rev. Patrick Mapundula

* As Blantyre Round Tablers honour their traditional Christmas visit to donate various items

By Duncan Mlanjira

As Mpemba Reformatory Centre awaits the allocation of a full time information & communication technology (ICT) teacher for the computer lab that Blantyre Round Table No. 20 provided in April this year,  management has managed to acquire services of a volunteer teacher.

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This was disclosed by the Centre’s Principal, Mike Maulidi in his vote of thanks for the Tablers 60th anniversary of their festive season visit to the reformatory centre tradition where they treat the kids to a luncheon and donate various items for the conducive livelihood of the kids.

Maulidi also said for juvenile kids to reform well and get well integrated back into society, the Centre also secured volunteer services of a resident Reverend to chaplain the kids in the reformation process.

“The ICT lessons are running smoothly now and we consider ourselves very lucky to have Blantyre Round Table as our most trusted friend and destiny helpers.

The Tablers pose with Kaliati after commissioning the ICT lab

“As you know very well that for someone to realize they have committed a sin through crime, we were tremendously thrilled when Rev. Patrick Mapundula offered his services as our Chaplain.

“We tend to be this lucky that other stakeholders keep coming to assist us because of your generosity in all these years in which you have been very visible through the media,” said Maulidi, whilst appealing to the journalists present to continue highlighting challenges they and others face in order to attract assistance from other wellwishers.

The charitable organisation’s annual camaraderie visit to the Centre starts with a bus ride to Chichiri Shopping Mall for an ice cream treat before going back for the Christmas lunch.

The Tablers chairman Andrew Lulker presents the donation to Maulidi

Thereafter, the Tablers donate the various food and other accessory items before playing a football match against the kids team — which is played in a competitive spirit to outshine each other.

The ICT lab that was commissioned by Minister of Gender and Community Services, Patricia Kaliati as Blantyre Round Table added more value to the assistance they provide to the centre.

This is on top of some donations they make for the juveniles to learn other entrepreneurial skills such as carpentry, sewing, bricklaying and other academic studies.

The Tablers chairperson Andrew Lulker, gave an inspiration speech to the kids, advising them to believe in the fact that there a positive life ahead of them if they focus on the reformation that they are offered.

Each kids goes off with personal items

He thanks various sponsors that made it possible for them to continue honouring their trading and made special mention of Colony Club Casino, which donated K1 million; SS Rent a Car, who provide bus for visit to Chichiri Shopping Mall; Kips for the ice cream; Aqua Pure; DJ Hardware and several others.

Also donated was a brand new sewing machine and rolls of cloth to be used for sewing lessons in sewing school uniforms — one of the vocational skills they learn.

The sponsorship from Colony Club Casino is also to assist the Tablers for their planned tree planting activities.

Blantyre Round Table is non-political, non-religious international community-based charity organization of like-minded professional young men from the ages of 18-40.

The football match is competitively played

Notable projects that they have undertaken over the years include building and commissioning the Louis Marchesi Physiotherapy ward at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in 1983, which is still in use today and is supported by the Tablers.

In 2013, they partnered with PEP stores which donated clothes, sports equipment, sanitary items and shoes worth K30 million which was distributed in communities such as Blantyre, Bangwe, Thondwe and Chiradzulu that touched the lives of over 1,000 people.

In 2017, the Tablers partnered up with Banja La Mtsogolo and Queens Hospital and carried out an extensive cervical cancer screening drive in Chikwawa District that reached out to over 600 women.

In 2018, we supported flood victims in the Lower Shire, in partnership with its parent body Round Table Malawi, international Tablers and their corporate friends where they donated food items, maize seeds, blankets, cooking utensils and black sheeting to over 2,000 flood victims.

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