Alliance One Spends K400 million on CSR

Tobacco buying and processing company Alliance One Tobacco Malawi says it has spent about K442 million on its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs during the last two years assisting the sectors of health, education, environment, social welfare and water and sanitation among many others.

 According to the company’s Corporate Affairs Manager Fran Malila, through its CSR initiatives, Alliance One has for the last two years managed to renovate as well as construct new classroom blocks for over 22 primary schools in various districts in the country with an aim of improving the learning environment of pupils, a development she says has contributed to the increase of schools’ enrollment.

Malila added that as one way of creating a conducive learning environment for learners, her company had also donated school desks, learning materials as well as branded school bags to pupils in some of the schools across the country a development that has contributed significantly in fighting child labour especially in tobacco growing areas.

“As a corporate responsible entity, Alliance One thought it wise to renovate as well as construct new classroom blocks in these 22 primary schools so that pupils who are future leaders of this country should learn in better environment. In the process we are also fighting child labour as our aim is to see every kid to go to school and not be used as a source of labour in tobacco fields,” she said.

Malila also disclosed that her company has also constructed a 40 beds postnatal ward worth about K90 million at Area 25 Health Center which has so far greatly improved delivery of postnatal and antenatal services at the public health facility. According to Malila construction of this ward has reduced the burden of travelling long distances to Bwaila and Kamuzu Central Hospitals by residents of areas 25, 49, 51 and Mgona among others areas to seek such services.

According to Malila, her company also donated various medical equipment to Mzuzu Central Hospital’s paediatric ward worth around K18 million. The donated items included bilirubinometer, oxygen concentrators, urine collectors, patients screen, glucometers and electrophoresis among others.    

Speaking in an interview Director for Education at Ntchisi District Council Ronnex Banda commended Alliance One Tobacco for renovating a number of primary schools in the district, a development he said has significantly reduced school dropout among learners which previously used to be rampant.

According to Banda, enrollment of pupils has increased in both schools where Alliance One Tobacco donated several in-doors and out-doors playing materials including footballs and chess playing boards as most children are being attracted by these sporting materials.

He cited Makanda Primary school based in Traditional Authority Chilowoko where he said its enrollment rose from 1,800 last year to 2,635 during this school calendar attributing the increase due to the refurbishments of classroom blocks as well as availability of the sporting materials especially that of Chess and football.   

“Good conditioned classroom plays an important role in creating a proper learning environment of learners as it helps to simulate their abilities to perform better in class considering that its every human being wish to live in a better environment,” he said.

Some of the primary schools which Alliance has renovated during the past two years include Manthalu in Mchinji, Chiwaliwali and Landira in Ntchisi, Chimwasongwe and Malembo in Lilongwe rural, Emsizini in Mzuzu, and Ntanila and Malembo in Dowa District among others.

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