Blantyre, September 11, 2020– Malawi’s major fuel importer, Petroleum Importers Limited (PIL) has donated face masks and sanitary pads worth K1.2 million to Girls Up Blantyre for Girls by Girls initiative which seeks to enhance the well-being of girls.
The donation which consists of 350 sanitary pads and 900 face masks aims at protecting girls from Covid-19 pandemic and stigma that arise around menstruation.
Speaking during the handover of the consignment Martin Msimuko PIL General Manager said the gesture underscores PIL’s commitment towards enhancing health and well-being of a girl child.
“At PIL we understand the fact that many girls come from underprivileged families such that menstruation brings many challenges. Most girls face stigma due to lack of sanitary pads hence we thought it wise to donate to the Girls Up initiative to alleviate the challenges,” said Msimuko.
He said that the donation will improve education among girls as schools have been opened.
“Covid-19 forced us to close our schools in a bid to stem it from spreading, it is our hope that girls will be empowered to go to school as they effectively integrate with their friends. We believe that this gesture will restore the plight of underprivileged girls and retain their confidence,” he said.
Receiving the donation, Jacqueline Malombe President of Girl Up Blantyre chapter hailed PIL for the positive response to their call to support girl child.
“Covid-19 has affected a lot of girls more especially in low the incomed areas. This prompted us to start outsourcing these materials mainly as they are going back to school and ensure smooth running of their education,” said Malombe.
She however, urged other organizations to assist the initiative as they are facing a lot of challenges including financing.
“We oftentimes find it hard to reach out to a larger population of girls, we depend on asking well-wishers for assistance. We ask other organizations to emulate PIL’s gesture to help us empower girls as they become powerful when they are healthy and educated,” she said.
In a related development, PIL has made a donation of 3,500 masks worth K2.8 million to Stephanos Foundation to sustain the delivery of social services to vulnerable children amid the Covid-19.
In his remarks, Msimuko said PIL is pleased to collaborate with Stephanos Foundation because it is working towards enhancing the well-being and fundamental survival skills of orphans and vulnerable children. “creation of safe haven for orphans and vulnerable children is what we believe and this augurs well with the works of Stephanos Foundation. We want to see orphans and vulnerable children becoming self-reliant which in the end contributes to social-economic development of their communities,” said the general manager.
On his part, Clifford Kuyokwa Executive Director of Stephanos Foundation expressed gratitude to PIL for the donation.
“As Stephanos Foundation we are very grateful for this timely donation. As an organization we take care of children who are orphans and vulnerable especially the girl child. With the reopening of school most children were not provided with face masks, we are hopeful that these masks will help them,” said Kuyokwa.
He reveled the donation saying the masks will contribute positively towards the prevention of the deadly virus and improve the delivery of social services at the foundation.
