Timotheos Foundation hands over school blocks in Nsanje

Timotheos Foundation, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), has handed over school blocks for a junior primary school in Senior Chief Tengani’s area in Nsanje District.

The junior primary school, built at Chigumukire Child Care Centre, is from Standard One to Four and will admit up to 300 pupils, mostly orphans.

Speaking during the hand-over ceremony, Ministry of Labour, Youth, Sports and Manpower Development Francis Kasaila hailed the foundation for the facility, saying it will offer education to children in the district who will contribute positively to their area and the nation at large.

“This investment in the children is an investment for the country. For us to develop as a country, we need education.

“Therefore, these children should be engaged to work hard in class to acquire knowledge that will empower them in future,” said Kasaila, who is also a legislator for Nsanje Central.

The organisation’s director of programmes Charles Paundedi said they opened the centre in 2015 following a need that was in the district for a childcare centre for orphans.

“We used to invite children [orphans] to eat. But later we decided to open this junior primary school to provide education as well. We also have a foster home. As time goes by, we intend to be building more classrooms according to demand,” he said.

A representative of Timotheos Foundation of Canada Gerrit Oomen said they opened the junior primary school to offer quality education as public primary schools were congested in the area.

The project has cost K150 million, according to Paundedi and will be a model school for quality education.