A Malawian Micro finance lending institution, Select Financial Services on Wednesday (2 March, 2002) donated assorted relief items worth MK2.5 million to assist people affected by Tropical Storm ANA.
Handing over the items to officials from the Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA) at Capital Hill Lilongwe, Select Chief Executive Officer, Kisa Kalolokesya said the institution was compelled to help having seen the devastation that ANA caused in the affected districts.
Kalolokesya said as a corporate citizen, they felt it wise to join other stakeholders who have and are still reaching out to the affected through various donations.
“It’s our duty as an inclusive finance company to play our part in helping the affected. As such, we felt duty bound to assist and make a difference out there and we believe that the donation will change lives of the affected people,” said Kalolosya.
Receiving the donation, Commissioner for Disaster Management Affairs, Charles Kalemba thanked Select Financial Services for responding positively to the call made by President Dr. Lazarus Chakwera to assist people affected by ANA.
“The responsibility of reaching out to the affected must not always be left to donors and international bodies. Each one of us must reach out with the little we have and that’s the spirit DoDMA is encouraging,” said Kalemba.
Considering that the camps have not yet been demobilized, Kalemba appealed to other financial institutions to emulate the gesture by Select Financial Services by donating any item that may be used by those still in need of assistance.
The donated items include 200 bags of maize flour each weighing 25kg, 100-20 litre plastic buckets, 250 units of plastic cups, 200 units of plastic plates, 180 packets of Likuni Phala and 80 bales of soya pieces.
Kalemba has since assured Select Financial Services and the general public that the donation will be used for its intended purpose.
