Malawi seminary alumni fundraise to refurbish school in memory of Bishop Assolari
Alumni of St. Paul The Apostle Seminary of Mangochi Diocese, founded by Malawi’s most social development conscious-minded Catholic priest, late Emeritus Bishop Alessandro Assolari, have set up a target to raise MK20 million to refurbish their old school which is in dilapidated state.
The seminary, which was opened in 1985 after its construction was initiated by Emeritus Bishop Assolari, has produced some high profile citizens, including the current Secretary General of the Episcopal Conference of Malawi, Fr Henry Saindi as well as Gerson Solomon, MP from Thyolo and Kingsley Namakhwa, a former Minister in the late Bingu wa Mutharika administration.
The school is situated about three kilometres after Bakili Muluzi Bridge at Chiusi Hill on the road to Malindi.
According to National Publicity Secretary of the group, Donasius Pathera, some of the dilapidated sites within the school are toilets, library and classrooms.
“The dining room is as well unusable, and there are cracks on the main storey building as well,” Pathera said. “The school needs at least MK20 million for it to be on its feet again.
“We are deeply in need of assistance to see the school running. The Alumni only cannot manage to solve all the problems the school is having. We are appealing to other well-wishers to assist us.”
He said the Alumni started organising themselves to bring back the school’s lost glory by first donating academic books worth MK600,000.
And as one way of making the school self-reliant, the Alumni have since donated five piglets as a long term project to sustain the school. The piglets will officially be handed over the piglets on June 18 when the school will be celebrating their patron, St. Paul The Apostle.
The alumni will help raise the pigs in conjunction with the school management. The pigs will then be sold to the public to raise money to alleviate some of the problems rocking the school.
“This is also the day we will have our annual general meeting in which new office bearers will be elected for them to map way forward for a fund-raising dinner-dance in September at Sunbird Capital Hotel and a golf tournament in Blantyre.
He said those who interested to donate towards the cause can contact the following: Montfort Howahowa 088489 4332, Donasius Pathera on 0999387835 and Charles Baluwa on 0999522499.
Bishop Assolari, was a Montfort misssionary from Bergamo, Italy. He was the first Bishop of Mangochi Diocese of the Catholic Church. For 31 years of being a bishop of the Diocese, he built about hundred instutitions including St. Paul The Apostle Seminary, St. Johns Major Seminary, now called St. John University DMI, and established the Catholic radio station, Radio Maria.
Assolari, who died in 2005 in Italy at the age of 77, changed the complexion of Mangochi, Machinga and Balaka districts, which fall under Mangochi Diocese with beautiful structures including hospitals.
Follow and Subscribe Nyasa TV :
Now Malawians you are talking.It is high time to remember another group of our heroes such as late Emeritus Bishop Alessandro Assolari for his part in a heroic and historical contribution to our national democratic transformation which had been brutally denied to Malawians for three decades by Banda’s bloodthirsty regime.Assolari and his colleagues made it easier for us in exile to return to our beloved motherland Nyasaland/Malawi including the two opportunistic and kings of corruption late Bingu and his brother Peter.Indeed,the catholic Bishops had exposed their precious life to make Malawians human beings again,therefore,their valorous role deserves our sincere gratitudes.In… Read more »