MTN Zambia donates to Save the Children’s emergency school feeding programme

MTN Zambia has reiterated its commitment to enhance quality of education in the country by providing ZMW100,000 to support the Save the Children Emergency School Feeding Program in Gwembe District of Southern Province.

MTN Zambia Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Bart Hofker revealed that the donation is in line with the MTN Group Corporate Social Investment program dubbed ‘Yello Hope’ which is being implemented to offer sustainable response to the Covid-19 pandemic during the month of June.

Speaking when he presented the cheque to Save the Children, Mr. Hofker said, “At MTN Zambia, improving the quality of education for the children in our communities is close to our heart because we believe that education is the hope for the development of our country. Nelson Mandela once said, ‘education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.’ When the youth are educated, then the country is educated.

Mr. Hofker also said, “We are committing ourselves to provide One Hundred Thousand Kwacha (ZMW100,000) to enhance the operations of the Save the Children Emergency School Feeding program for this year. I am aware that this program caters to the needs of over thirty thousand (30,000) school children in Zambia. Allow me to commend the team at Save the Children for the wonderful work you are doing to serve the vulnerable children in our communities.”

Speaking when receiving the donation, Mrs. Jo Musonda, Save the Children’s Country Director said: “Allow me to thank MTN Zambia for this donation that will make a significantly positive impact on the lives of the children we work with especially during the Covid-19 outbreak. The impacts of school closures as a result of Covid-19 extend beyond an interference in education – they also carry other risks to marginalised children and children from low-income households, because many rely on school meals to support their daily nutrition. This has been the case in some of the provinces – Southern and Western provinces, that have been experiencing climate change related crisis.

The government of Zambia, Save the Children and other partners are currently responding to the food insecurity crisis that is currently on-going in parts of Southern and Western provinces through the implementation of the Emergency School Feeding Program. The support from MTN Zambia will go a long way in ensuring that the children returning to school will have food to eat and those still at home will receive take home rations. If nutrition needs of children are not urgently met in schools and at home, the result will be undernutrition, reduced immunity and children at increased risk of infectious respiratory diseases and death. Regardless of who we are and where we come from Covid-19 does not discriminate. The phrase “we are in this together” has never had more meaning and we thank MTN for showing that they are in this with us and the children in Zambia. We all need to play our part to tackle the biggest crisis we’ve seen in decades.”

Source: MTN Zambia