By Yamikani Yapuwa

Thyolo, July 4, Mana: TNM Plc on Wednesday launched Mudziwathu Community Project by handing over 11 dairy cattle worth K4.8 million to eleven families, in a pass-on project, under Tikondane Group in Traditional Authority (TA) Nchilamwera in Thyolo.

TNM Chief Technical Officer, Lloyd Gowera, said the launch marks the start of the implementation of community projects worth K318 million nationwide under the Mudziwathu initiative.

He said the initiative cements the company’s commitment to fostering sustainable development and economic empowerment among community members.

“The community project component of Mudziwathu initiative presents opportunities for communities to implement a project of their choice based on their allocated funds as accrued from using TNM services under each TA,” Gowera said.

Gowera asked the first beneficiaries of the pass-on project to take great care of the cattle to ensure they extend the same benefits to more families.

District Commissioner for Thyolo, Hudson Kuphanga, commended TNM Plc for the gesture saying it will add value to the food security efforts in the district.

“When they are raised well, they will keep on giving them milk thereby supplementing the food already found in the district. The money earned from selling milk will also help them alleviate hunger and poverty at household level,” said Kuphanga.

Kuphanga, therefore, directed the agriculture office to come up with guidelines to be followed by beneficiaries of the programme to ensure that they indeed pass-on the cattle to others for the programme to flourish.

He said the Council is ready to support them with all the technical extension services to ensure that the district has healthy livestock.

One of the beneficiaries, Dave Kasanga, expressed gratitude to TNM for the cattle saying the livestock will improve their economic status.

“Once we sell the milk, our families will be assured of money to take care of our families,” said Kasanga.

Through the partnership that Mudziwathu created with people at the community and national level, TNM is paying back one percent of its revenue generated from network usage towards development projects of people’s choice in the community.