Hamels Foundation opens K1.2 billion school
The Hamels Foundation of Springfield, Missouri in United States of America on Tuesday opened a primary school worth over $3 million (about K1.2 billion) in Namunda Village, Traditional Authority (T/A) Mabuka in Mulanje District.
The foundation, with facilitation from Global Aids Interface Alliance (Gaia), embarked on the school project in 2012 after learning that the nearest school that children in the village attended is seven kilometres away.
Speaking in an interview, founder of the foundation, Heidi Hamels, who is a former teacher back in USA, said she visited Malawi eight years ago and saw the need for more education facilities not only in Mulanje, but nationwide.
“Hamels Foundation realises that education is the answer for everything and everybody; it is the answer for dealing with HIV and Aids, unemployment and poverty and that is why we embarked on this project to ensure Malawian children have access to education and break the cycle of those ills,” said Hamels.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Mulanje South East, Naomi Kilekwa Phiri, commended Gaia for championing the construction of the school, saying it will bring development to the area.
“The school is not for Namunda Village only, but for the whole constituency and it aims to assist children in the community to access education, as such, teachers and members of the community should ensure the facility does not fall victim to vandalism,” said Kilekwa Phiri.
Currently, the school, which has been named Mulanje Government Primary School, has five teachers’ houses, an administration block, two classroom blocks comprising four classrooms each and a borehole.
Construction of additional blocks, teachers’ houses, a library and grounds for netball and football is underway.
