Airtel boosts safe motherhood initiative with K15 million

Airtel Malawi on Wednesday donated K15 million (about $50 000) to the Presidential Initiative on Safe Motherhood as part of the company’s corporate social responsibility.

The money will be used to help 15 Malawian midwifery nurses to undergo training in India.

The donation comes barely a month after Airtel Malawi officials met President Joyce Banda and pledged to support the training of nurses, according to Airtel Malawi deputy managing director Maurice Newa. 

“Our support to safe motherhood and reproductive health dates back to some few years ago when Her Excellency the President [Joyce Banda], then as Vice-President of the Republic of Malawi, received an ambulance and some reproductive health equipment as goodwill ambassador for safe motherhood in Malawi at a function held at Katsekera in Ntcheu,” said Newa.

He said the donation recognises work government is doing in promoting safe motherhood in the country.

Newa said although Airtel Group’s headline corporate social responsibility is in the education sector in Malawi, the company realises that the health sector lags behind in terms of getting support from the corporate world.

Deputy Minister of Health Halima Daudi hailed Airtel Malawi for the support which she said has come amid economic hardships.