LUCHENZA ALUMNI DONATE 100 MATTRESSES TO FORMER SCHOOL
"MATTRESSES WILL IMPROVE LEARNING CONDITIONS" - LUSET STUDENT
BLANTYRE, Malawi - The alumni association of Luchenza Secondary School has donated 100 mattresses worth over K4.2 million to help address an acute shortage at the institution, writes Kondwani Kandiado.
The donation came after the school requested the alumni association intervene in the lack of adequate mattresses.
The "Buy a Mattress" campaign by the association reached out to various stakeholders to fund the donation.
"We are giving back to our school and community. We hope this opens opportunities for more donations to solve the mattress challenges," said Dr. Davie Zolowere, president of the Luchenza Secondary School Alumni Association, during Saturday's donation ceremony.
The school now has 120 mattresses, still 210 short of its 330 mattress goal.
"We are reaching out to stakeholders to buy the remaining mattresses so every student has one," Zolowere said.
The alumni association has also resumed administering bursaries to needy Luchenza students.
"We've started with four students, sponsoring them annually with K1.4 million kwacha ($1,870). We don't want students dropping out over lack of fees," Zolowere said.
District Commissioner Hudson Kuphanga applauded the donation for improving education.
He asked the students to care for the mattresses. Kuphanga pledged to assist two needy students with fees and donate three mattresses.
Student Lalet Johnson thanked the alumni, saying mattress shortages affected learning. "Some slept on beds without mattresses. The donation has eased this," she said.
The Luchenza Secondary School Alumni Association has fixed infrastructure and awarded 30-plus bursaries since starting in 2014.