Giant alcoholic beverages producer, Castel Malawi Limited, has committed K20 million to an Employee Volunteering charity initiative which aims at contributing to community support and strengthening the relationship between Castel Malawi and the local communities.
Castel Malawi’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Manager, Linda Kolomba said under this initiative, Castel Malawi employees are making enormous efforts to reach out to communities, hear their stories and try to find sustainable solutions with the aim of establishing long-lasting relationships.
Over the weekend, the employees reached out to two centres in Blantyre, Tidzalerana Shelter and Courageous Kids Foundation where they interacted with the beneficiaries and donated various food and non-food items.
“This initiative is under the Castel Malawi’s Employees Volunteering Program where we would want to engage largely with our local communities in different social initiatives. We want our employees to take part in these Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives which the company is doing,” said Kolomba.
The Castel employees first visited Tidzalerana Shelter in Ndirande township which hosts 12 people with disabilities. The shelter also supports 34 other disabled people who live in the surrounding areas.
According to the Shelter’s Manager, Frank Banda, the facility supports people with various degrees of disabilities. However, they seek support, because they solely depend on donors and well-wishers to sustain the livelihood of the beneficiaries.
“We are thankful to Castel Malawi for this donation. They have given us exactly what we were lacking, and this support will go a long way in ensuring that the people with disabilities who are hosted here, have food and other necessities,” said Banda.
From Ndirande, the Castel Malawi employees proceeded to Mpemba, where Courageous Kids Foundation is situated, hosting 98 orphans. These young people also depend on well-wishers for food and other basic needs.
The mother and founder of the orphanage, Courageous Musasa, said their main challenge is to find food and school fees, for the kids.
“I am short of words over what Castel Malawi has done for us. We did not expect them to make such a donation. Running this facility has not been an easy task, but through such donations we are able to survive. We have intelligent kids here, some of whom have made it to Secondary Schools and Universities across the country, but paying for their school fees has been our greatest challenge,” said Musasa.
Some of the donated items included beddings, maize flour, beans, bonya, soya pieces, school materials, paint, soap, and other assorted items. Kolomba said this gesture will also be extended to other centres in the Central and Northern regions.
Castel Malawi will continue to find means of sustainable support to such needy community organisations, rather than giving once off donations, according to Kolomba.
