How NMB's Community Policy Helps Improve Learning Environment

By Mugini Jacob

SHORTAGE of desks that has been facing Ryaghati Primary School is now history, thanks to National Microfinance Bank (NMB), giving back to the
community policy.

The public school with several hundreds of pupils is located at Rorya District in Mara Region.

Recently, the school received a donation of 75 desks from NMB as part of the bank's investment on social development through its Cooperate Social Responsibility (CSR) unit.

"The support of 75 desks from NMB has ended the problem of desks in our school", Ryaghati primary school head teacher Mr Mattabango Faraja said during the official handing over of the desks. A party from Ryaghati, the bank also donated 50 desks to the neighbouring primary school of Minigo where the handing over event took place.

Minigo Primary School is located about 2 kilometres away from Lake Victoria in the same district with several villages located near the world's second largest water body. The school (Minigo) with 901 pupils has been facing a big challenge of desks to enable every child enjoy learning.

Thus, the bank's support was seen as a huge relieve to the school pupils who have been experiencing difficulties to learn due to lack of desks. Shortage of desks has been a very big challenge in our school and we see this as a very big support Mr Julius Alal, the chairperson of Minigo primary school committee said.

His remarks was supported by Minigo primary school head teacher Mr Joseph Wangwe who said NMB has greatly helped to reduce shortage of desks facing the school. But Mr Wangwe said his school (Minigo) is still facing a shortage of 68 desks even after the bank's donation.

The school pupils, teachers and parents came together to witness donation of the desks. The pupils sang various songs with some thanking the bank for helping them with desks. The bank also used opportunity to donate iron sheets and other construction materials such as timbers to Katuri secondary Making SADC benefit from Tanzania's economic potential school.

The building materials will help to improve teacher's' facilities at the public secondary school which is also located in Rorya District. Rorya District Commissioner (DC), Mr Simon Chacha welcomed the bank's latest support in the area.

"In a very special way, I would like to thank NMB for this assistance of desks and construction materials. They will help to improve learning infrastructure for the three schools", the DC said. He described NMB as one of the key stakeholder supporting efforts by the fifth phase government to improve learning environment in public schools.

"This is not the first time I am receiving donations from NMB as the DC of Rorya . They (NMB) have been giving us donations and I have been receiving the bank's donations every year", Mr Chacha said. The bank has a branch that provides a wide range of banking services for Rorya residents at Shirati , a about 3 kilometers away from Minigo primary school.

Rorya NMB Branch Manager, Ms Jackline Kapolesya attended the handing over event. Mr Amos Mubusi who represented the NMB Lake Zone Manager said the value of the desks and construction materials donated to the three public schools is 15 million shillings.

"The cost of all these things we are donating today is 15 million shillings and it is part of our (NMB) participation on social development", Mr Mubusi said on part of his handing over remarks. NMB says it set aside over one billion shillings this year (2019) to support social development in the country through its CSR unit.

The bank's support prioritizes improvement of education and health sectors, according to frequent media reports emerging from various parts of the country. Mr Mubusi said already, the bank has spent over 800 million shilling to support social development in various parts of the country.

The bank provides the support in terms of building materials, desks, computers, tables, chairs and computers. The Rorya DC said the bank is doing a commendable job in supporting development of education and health sectors in the country.

"NMB's support on education and health areas is not only done in Rorya area but also in other parts of our country. We are indeed grateful for the bank's continued support ", Mr Chacha said. NMB has three branches in the neighbouring district of Tarime namely Tarime town (old branch), Nyamongo and Sirari, the Tanzania border with the neighbouring Kenya.

The bank has also branches in all other districts of the region. Thus, besides giving back part of its profit to the community, NMB has significant contribution on regional development and the nation as a whole.