Bank M, Rotary Club to raise 1bn/- for teaching hospital

DAILY NEWS Reporter

BANK M CEO (Designate), Jacqueline Woiso (second left) and Dar Marathon 2016 Chair, Agnes Batengas sign MoU in Dar es Salaam yesterday whereby Bank M and Rotary Clubs will raise funds for construction of a teaching hospital at the University of Dar es Salaam (UDSM). Looking on (left) is the Rotary Protocol Chair, Hamza Kasongo and RDM Board Chair Sharmila Bhatt. (Photo by Robert Okanda)

BANK M has partnered with Rotary Dar Marathon in a bid to raise over 1.0bn/- for construction of a teaching hospital in the city. The marathon, organised by seven Rotary Clubs in Dar es Salaam, staged to take off in the last quarter of this year—during Nyerere Day, expects to draw 15,000 marathoners.

The marathoners would run for “Healing Lives, Transforming Communities” in the 5km family walk, 9km walk and a 21.1km which is the marathon itself as well as cycling. The Organising Committee Chair Ms Agnes Batengas said yesterday the arrangements are going well and they are expecting to make it a memorable sporting and family event.

“The marathon aims at collecting funds to overcome several community challenges, as in this year we are proceeding with the last year’s project which is building of a teaching hospital,” Ms Batengas told journalists. The hospital will be built at the University of Dar es salaam, Mlimani area.

Last year, the same marathon raised 1.0bn/- that was directed for the construction of the same teaching hospital. The famous Marathon in the city of Dar es Salaam will be graced by former President Ali Hassan Mwinyi, who for the last eight years in row participated in the race.

The runners and cyclists will start and end the race at The Green, Oysterbay, in Dar es Salaam. Last year, the event attracted over 13,000 participants from across the world and was led by the former president Mwinyi.

Rotary Dar Marathon turns eight this year and Bank M for the last eight year in a row has joined hands to become the main partner of the Marathon 2016 which will be held on Monday 14th October 2016 -Nyerere day.

The iconic Marathon is organised by seven Rotary Clubs in Dar es Salaam in partnership with Bank M. For the past eight years, the Rotary Dar Marathon in partnership with Bank M has conducted several projects including planting of trees, providing water and sanitation facilities to schools.

Other projects include setting up a state-of-the-art Children Cancer ward at the Muhimbili National Hospital. The ward, which is one of the best Pediatric Oncology facility in Africa; also the newly refurbished and well equipped Rotary Entrepreneurship Centre at the University of Dar es Salaam