Chakwera donates K120m to 427 needy students

President Lazarus McCarthy Chakwera, through the Presidential Charity Initiative, has donated K120million to 427 needy students in six public universities towards tuition fees arrears, accommodation and upkeep allowances.

Each of the six public universities will get K20 million.

Speaking during the handing over ceremony of the cheques held on Wednesday in Lilongwe, President Chakwera said the reason he made for the support to needy students is not just because they have potential and talent, but because he knows that what young people need in this country is the necessary support for them to get started on their journey toward self-actualization.

“In fact, this year, my Charity will spearhead another initiative to raise more resources, because I know that the need is enormous, and I consider this investment in the education of our talented youth to be a game-changer for strengthening citizen capacity for self-reliance and nation-building,” he said.

However, the President directed Minister of Education to engage the
leadership of all public Universities to ensure that all of them across the board develop and deploy their own mechanisms for making the tertiary education they provide more and more self sustaining over time.

Minister of education, Madalitso Kambauwa Wirima said universities need to have a more sustainable way of helping the needy students.

“Every student selected into the public universities they should be assured of support that includes fees,” she said.

Wirima said she will take the responsibility as the minister to get all universities to start the initiative to reach out to needy students.

A representative of the needy students, Patrick Savala commended President Chakwera for coming forward to support them.

“We were really struggling to pay our tuition, accomodations as well as upkeep,” he said.

Savala said the support will help them to fulfill their goals.

Chairperson for the Presidential Charity Initiative Committee, Vizenge Kumwenda said the initiative realized K281m during a golf tournament last year.

“The funds were used to support Cyclone Freddy victims and now the needy students,” he said.

Kumwenda said they are planning to have another tournament on 7th October, this year.