Scottish students build ECD centre

Scottish students build ECD centre

Steinhart (left) dancing to traditional songs

BY WATIPASO MZUNGU JNR

Seven students from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland have donated an Early Childhood Development (ECD) centre worth K1.7 million to the communities surrounding Mpagaja Village in Blantyre.

The donation was made through Edinburgh Global Partnership (EGP), a global charity organization. Besides the building, EGP donated a starter-pack of 800 litres worth K230,000 to Nancholi Youth Organization (Nayo).

In an interview, EGP projects coordinator, Kat Steinhart, said the donation was in response to the request Nancholi Youth Organization made to the Scottish students in September.

“The Nancholi youth approached us in September last year for assistance and we’re here to respond to their request. We’re very happy to help because their programmes fall in the same category of our project areas. So we didn’t have problems to assist,” said Steinhart.

“Basically, the aim is to help in providing orphans and vulnerable children a better place for learning before graduating to primary school,” she added.

Nancholi Youth Organization board chairperson Molly Mtuwa said the donation had come at the right time when early childhood education is becoming a necessity.

“We’re very grateful for the donation and we can only pledge to make a good use of it. We’ll also play a role for the sustainability of the projects,” said Mtuwa.

Group Village Headman Mpagaja commended the students for the project and pledged to ensure the structure is used for the intended purpose.

“As a community, we need to look after this structure and use it for the intended purpose. We’ll also not sit back waiting for assistance; we’ll help in mobilizing resources for the sustainability of the project,” said Mpagaja who donated land on which the ECD centre has been built.

Meanwhile, EGP says it cannot disclose other development projects lined up for Malawian needy children. Steinhart, however, promised that her organization will do something to alleviate the suffering OVCs go through.

“Hopefully, we’re having another project next year, but we’re not sure when exactly,” said the EGP coordinator.

END