TBL boosts Lugarawa community in Ludewa
THE community around the Lugarawa secondary school would have no
reason but a smile after the construction of water reserve tank with a
storage capacity of 50,000 cubic litres financed by the Tanzania
Breweries Limited (TBL) in Ludewa.
This is a part of TBL’s Without Water There Is No Life project in
which TBL has invested Tsh1.3 billion, about 70 per cent of the firm’s
total corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) budget for over a
three-year period, to improve access and availability of water to
communities in the country.
Handing over the water project costing about Tsh15 million, the public
relations officer for TBL, Doris Malulu, said that the project would
benefit not only the students but the entire community of Lugarawa
ward.
“I urge the community to take a good care of the water project. And I
would like to applaud the community in general for making the project
successful as they also supported the project in one way or another by
collecting gravel, sand, burnt bricks and so forth,” she stated.
Malulu said TBL was satisfied with the effort shown by the government
in constructing more classrooms to make sure that more pupils obtain
secondary school places “and may be later even become TBL employees.”
As part of its CSR, TBL has supported a number of projects in Iringa
such as mosquito nets and bed sheets for various schools and hospitals
in the region. “This is the first time that our company supports the
community in Ludewa district. Our firm has been supporting various
activities such as sports, environment, the health sector and now in
2010/11 our key area for support is the water sector,” she elaborated.
So far the company has spent more than Tsh250 million in water project
support countrywide since last year.
Receiving the water reserve tank project, Special Seats MP Pindi Chana
expressed gratitude to the community for Public-Private Partnership
(PPP) initiative as TBL chipped in to support the water reserve tank
project.
“I commend TBL for the support, and our president Jakaya Kikwete for
bringing in PPP which allows partnership with various stakeholders. I
take part in various socio-economic development efforts both as MP and
a resident of Ludewa,” she told the gathering.
She said in past years secondary schools used to be sparse and no
cooperation on the issue existed between communities and private
companies.
Thanking the village leaders for their good plans that bring more
development in their areas, the MP urged the communities to organise
cleaning the water reserve tank periodically, to preserve it in a good
condition.
For his part, the headmaster for Lugarawa secondary school, Hashim
Masoli, said the project was introduced following a prolonged water
crisis in the school and the community around the school.
“The effort for this water reserve tank was contributed by the
parliamentarian after attending a graduation ceremony on September 27,
2010. We thank Madam Chane and TBL for making this project happen,” he
said, urging the MP and the company to continue taking an interest in
the school and the community.
The school has a total of 712 students, among them 395 girls and 317
boys, taught by 14 teachers.
“The project would greatly help the students and the community in
general,” the headmaster noted, pointing out that a project for
extension of boys’ hostel starting later this year can more safely be
completed.
Ludewa district executive director Christopher Nyandiga said the
construction of the water reserve tank completed on February 1-19,
2011 used up about Tsh11.8 million and Tsh4 million for paying
technicians.
“I thank TBL for the support of the project and the MP, Chana for
being near the residents in helping to bring about more socio-economic
development in Ludewa district,” the DED remarked.
District Administration Secretary (DAS) for Charles Keia urged the
community to properly take care of the water project, noting that when
launching a new project the stakeholders examine the way the previous
project went.
“I thank TBL for the support of the construction of water reserve
tank, helping the government fulfill its expectations. In actual sense
the firm has reduced various challenges that the Lugarawa community
was encountering,” he stated.
On behalf of the DC, Keia also urged the parents to convince students
of Lugarawa secondary school to utilize the new hostels being built
because the government has spent lots of money for the construction.
Ends