Kamoto (centre) and ZKN member David Hankey presenting the donation
By Duncan Mlanjira
Sons and daughters of Namitambo in Chiradzulu District extended their annual general meeting by donating 350 bags of maize of 50kgs each to over 170 beneficiaries particularly the old, the sick and physically challenged people in over 40 villages around Namitambo as a Christmas gifts.
This grouping of citizens in Chiradzulu South Constituency, who reside in different parts of the country, contribute funds towards meeting the development needs of their community and every festive season they engage with their kinsfolk in various ways.
Outgoing chairperson, Daniel Kamoto said this was their parting shot to reach out and support the underprivileged who are facing hunger in the area and the beneficiaries were identified by their resident members in the communities they reached out to.
An earlier donation of academic needs
He thanked all members for aggressively supporting the group and the community around Namitambo.
The group’s board members include Member of Parliament for the area Joseph Mwanamvekha, former Malawi Police Inspector General Peter Mukhito, Chief Executive Officer for SFFRFM, Dr. Andrex Kalinde and country director for Water For People, Kate Namatumbo-Harawa.
Kamoto has been succeeded by Peter Chakwana. During his tenure, Kamoto successfully led the group in purchasing and donating a state-of-the-art ambulance for the communities around Namitambo, Nkalo, Thumbwe and Chimwawa health centres.
One of the members Kate Namatumbo-Harawa
He also led the group, trending under the brand name of Zakwathu ku Namitambo, in purchasing and donating beds and mattresses for Namitambo Health Centre and conducted various charity activities for the underprovided in the area that included a girl child education support for 115 needy students.
Kamoto, who served for 3 years from December 2017 to December 2020, applauded all Group Village Headmen from the area — Majikuta, Mpulula, Namonde and Kajanga and other village headmen for their leadership in uniting and supporting the group in their development efforts.
The new chairperson, Chakwana — to spearhead the group’s activities for the next two years up to December 2022 — pledged to carry on what they have achieved.
Since 2017 when the grouping was formed, they have done several projects such as paying courtesy Christmas visits to expectant mothers at Namitambo Health Centre where they donated several materials for their use after baby delivery and also donation of beds and mattresses at the health centre in 2018.
The ambulance that was donated
It was during such visits that they were made aware of the challenges of transport that the serious patients had when referred to Chiradzulu District Hospital or Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital and that spurred the grouping to take an extra mile to procure a state-of-the-art ambulance worth K12 million.
The group also carried out a charity work worth K3 million to the elderly and the sick in 2018.
After mobilizing over K10 million, the group launched the girl child education support for the 115 needy students to pay for school fees, to buy uniforms, school bags and other related academic materials.
Though the emphasis was for the girl child, the group also included some deserving boys in the academic support programme.
The group has many learned people and and the academic support programme is to sustain this culture and have more members that can strengthen the association.
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