Petroleum Importers Limited (PIL), a consortium of four oil marketing companies in the country, has donated textbooks worth K6 million to Bwengu Community Day Secondary School in Mzimba.
Speaking after handing over the textbooks on Monday, PIL General Manager, Martin Msimuko said the gesture was part of transforming lives, opening doors, and laying the foundation for the student’s brighter future through education.
“For too many students in rural areas, resources are limited. Lack of access to quality learning materials often stands as a barrier between students and their dreams. This donation of school books helps to remove that barrier, providing students here with the tools they need to learn, explore, and achieve their full potential.”
“The call of the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number four under Education aims at ensuring that all girls and boys should complete primary and secondary education by 2030. PIL recognizes that the private sector has an important role to play in contributing to achievement of the SDGs in Malawi,” said Msimuko.
Receiving the books on behalf of the Northern Education Division Manager, Emmanuel Luhanga commended PIL for aiding the Government in the development of education in the country.
“This donation by PIL will go a long way in ensuring that the students here at Bwengu do not scramble for resources in their studies. The Ministry, through our office, has mechanisms in place to ensure the books are safe from damage or being stolen. We urge the students, teachers and members of the community to take care of the books so that even those students still in primary school now, should benefit in future,” said Luhanga.
One of the students, Triphonia Kamanga, indicated that before the donation, the situation was bad as students grappled for the few available books.
“We are over 400 students here, but we had few books. We believe these books will motivate us to keep working hard. If we managed to pass well with the limited resources, then nothing can stop us now that we have the books. We thank PIL for choosing us,” she said.
Inkosi Jalavikuwa Munthali of the area also commended PIL for the donation, but appealed for more support especially on the science laboratory which the school lacks.
PIL comprises Total Energies, Petroda, Vivo Energy, and Puma.
