CoM courts US Ambassador on girls’ hostel project

Concerned with harsh conditions female students accommodated off campus face, a group of female lecturers at College of Medicine (CoM) have embarked on an initiative to raise funds for the construction of a girls’ hostel.

The University of Malawi (Unima) constituent college has 28 percent of its students living off campus due to an increased student intake which has led to  accommodation shortage.

The lecturers took advantage of United States Ambassador Virginia Palmer’s visit to the college campus in Blantyre last Friday to ask her if she could support their initiative.

CoM principal Mwapatsa Mipando said the aim of the initiative is to accommodate all female students on campus.

He said: “We have given them the land to build the hostel and we helped in identifying an architect for the hostel plan and also engaging the ambassador to take part in the project.

“We want all our students to be accommodated on campus. Most of our programmes require students to go to hospitals even at night. At the moment, our priority is to have all female students accommodated here.”

Thandie Mwalukomo, senior lecturer and champion of the initiative, said during her time as a student at the college, she did not worry about security and accommodation.

“Our students are facing pathetic conditions to access the library, classes and night visits at hospital. Their focus should be to study hard and pass examinations, not worrying about accommodation,” she said.

Mwalukomo also asked Malawians of good will to assist in the project. n