PIL targets 18 centres with CSR initiatives

Petroleum Importers Limited (PIL) has said it targets to reach 18 health and academic centres with its Corporate Social Responsibility programme (CSR) this year.

The company had earlier announced setting aside K50 million for its CSR campaign.

According to PIL’s General Manager, Enwell Kadango, the company will target community day secondary schools and rural health facilities.

He was speaking on the side lines of a donation of 50 desks valued at K1.5 million to Rivirivi Community Day Secondary School in Balaka.

“We realise the enormous challenges the education sector is facing such as shortage of learning materials, desks and books as is the case with Rivirivi, this is why we have decide to reach at least day secondary schools with this kind of help,” Kadango said.

He also said the initiatives will reach at least six public health institutions.

Kadango also called for collaborative efforts to ensure challenges facing the country’s health and education sectors are addressed.

“Government alone cannot meet the growing demand for these services, so as the private sector, we really need to join hands and give a helping hand to communities we operate in for the development of the country,” Kadango said.

Head Teacher for the School, Dorothy Kamanga, said lack of desks at the institution has over the years seen a rise in the dropout rate, especially among girls.

“As simple as lack of desks may seem, it has contributed much to high dropout rates among girls most of whom have trouble standing up from the floor whenever they are required to do so, as a result, they just decide not to come to school,” she said.

PIL is a private company tasked with the importation of fuel in the country.

The company is wholly owned by Oil Marketing companies; Puma Malawi Ltd, Total Malawi Ltd, Petroda Malawi Ltd and Engen Malawi.