By James Mwale

Ntchisi, February 22, Mana: Build On Malawi, a nonprofit organization, has commenced construction of a two-classroom block in Chimbiri, Senior Chief Chilooko in Ntchisi upon whose completion is expected to accommodate at least 200 primary school learners.

Appreciating the development at the construction site during the ground breaking ceremony on Wednesday, Senior Chief Chilooko, said the school blocks are a critical intervention as learners in his area travel long distances to get to school, with some experiencing life-threatening encounters along the way.

He said: “Learners in my area have had challenging experiences travelling long distances to access the luxury of education. Some have even drowned in Mpherere River during rainy seasons while some have suffered sexual exploitation while returning from school during late hours.”

He, therefore, described the project as a life saver and asked for more blocks so that the area has a full primary school of classes from standard one to eight.

The project is engaging community members in the area who have so far ferried river sand to the site and moulded sunbaked bricks for the project.

According to Chief Operations Officer for Build On Global, Rosann Jager, the project is scheduled for completion in the next 12 weeks.

She said community involvement in the US$30,000 (approximately K50.4 million) project is one way of instilling a sense of ownership in the community members.

“We have a target of 40 school blocks for districts including Ntchisi which will have 15 school blocks,” said Jager.

It is expected that 40 blocks will be built in Kasungu, Ntchisi, Dowa and Ntcheu districts.

Jager commended community members for their involvement and hopes that other members in designated communities would emulate the gesture.          

Member of Parliament for Ntchisi North, Arnold Kadzanja, commended Build On for the project saying it is directly aligned to the Malawi 2063.

He said: “This development in my constituency has served more than one purpose because, on one end, the Constituency Development Fund meant for such a project will now be used to develop another area.”

Ntchisi District Council Human Resource Development Officer, Thokozani Dzekedzeke, said the Council is ready to support the initiative by, among other interventions, providing well qualified teachers and learning materials once classes are operational.

The school block project is being implemented under Build On Malawi’s “Breaking the Cycle of Poverty project.