Lilongwe to host women’s car service symposium

Tyre Trove, a Lilongwe-based Malawian-owned firm, has organized a Women’s Car Service Symposium this coming weekend which is designed to impart and unlock the basics of road vehicle maintenance among women motorists.

The event, which is slated for Saturday, May 27,2023 at the company’s premises along Paul Kagame Road (Chilambula Road), and adjacent Amina House, will also enable participants learn the essential skills of keeping cars smooth while gaining confidence to tackle road-related issues.

In an interview with Nation Online a while ago, the company’s Managing Director Trevor Kandoje described the event as a golden opportunity for female motorists “from all walks of life” adding that safety and empowerment and the key underlying objectives behind the imminent event.

Said Kandoje:“ All women from all walks of life and all ages are invited to participate but we are definitely targeting those that can legally drive or are working towards obtaining a driver’s license to be in attendance and learn as much as they can.”

Kandoje explained further: “Knowing certain basic things like how to change a tyre in an emergency situation can prevent women from being stranded and helpless on the road.

Furthermore, the same can be said about identifying smaller problems on a car such as a check oil sign and what it means. Women can save money as well as be more self-reliant if they have knowledge about their cars. They cannot be easily duped but conmen.”

Quiized about the unique feature of the event from the first symposium, Kandoje stated that this time around, the modules will be more practical unlike the previous event, citing examples such as checking oil levels or learning how to safely jumpstart a car battery, as well as changing a flat tyre while in-transit.

He said the event also intends to promote “a more hands on approach,” stressing the skills that will be imparted will be lifelong and usable throughout one’s lifetime.

“We are conducting the function in Lilongwe at our company premises, Tyre Trove. We are along Paul Kagame Road, the turn opposite Chipiku Retail Shop, just past by Amina House. Our sign written Tyre Trove – COF Centre is large and visible by the road sign. No one can miss it,” he added,

According to Kandoje, the company is also planning to hold a similar event in both Blantyre and Mzuzu in near future.

One of the would-be participant Stella Chiphazi-Mbewe described the upcoming event as a product of inequity and innovation on the part of Tyre Trove.

“This is the first of its kind.Us women are vulnerable to tricksters, thieves and all other unscrupulous types of men each time we have a bredakdown.In fact, you risk your life to wait for rescue mission, only to learn thereafter that the problem which affected the car could have been fixed within seconds.I really implore my fellow women who own cars to take this event as a life-prolonging initiative which is rare.Let us meet there,” said Chiphazi-Mbewe who resides in Capital City’s Area 25 residential area.

Tyre Trove is an indigenous business entity that has been operating for the last 5 years.

The company has grown organically from solely selling tyres to operating a tyre centre, motor vehicle and motorcycle spare parts and mechanical services, panel beating and painting, 4×4 accessories such as nudge bars, bull bars, side steps, supply of batteries, supply of new Yamaha and Honda Motorcycles.

Most recently, the company has been operating a world class Certificate of Fitness (COF) for all kinds of vehicles which has been operating for now a year.

Meanwhile, the company plans to expand foot-prints into insurance services in order to building convenience for its customers, according to Kandoje.