ZAMBEEF INVESTS IN CHILDREN’S FUTURES

Zambeef hands over newly renovated classroom block to Kyindu Primary School

District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) for Chongwe Duncan Zizikani Banda (left) officially opens the renovated classroom block at Kyindu Primary School, accompanied by Zambeef General Manager for West Africa Ebrahim Israel.

LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – Zambeef Products has officially handed over a renovated classroom block at Kyindu Primary School to the Ministry of Education as part of the group’s continued efforts to support the government in providing quality education to rural communities.

The handover to District Education Board Secretary (DEBS) for Chongwe Duncan Zizikani Banda marked the latest example of the agribusiness giant’s approach to public-private partnership that emphasises the importance it attaches to long-term social investment.

“One of the most important factors in our operations is human resource. We no longer see this as a responsibility but an investment. We take pride in ensuring that we develop education infrastructure as we are doing today because today’s students will be tomorrow’s managers, engineers and the like,” said Zambeef Corporate Affairs Manager Felix Lupindula, commenting on the company’s corporate social investment policy.

The DEBS thanked Zambeef for the initiative in supplementing government’s efforts in the education sector and emphasised education as a necessity for both girls and boys and urged the students to pay particular attention to school. Zambeef was providing the foundation on which the students could build and that they had no excuse for not finishing school, he emphasised.

“The sky is the limit. Zambeef is providing the foundation for you to take root but also wants you to fly. I want you to start dreaming, think to yourself: what will I be when I finish school? To have a desire to excel and to have an ambition,” said Mr Banda.

The school currently has 539 enrolled students and runs classes from grade one to grade nine. It provides an opportunity for children of Zambeef staff in the area and the community at large to get a good education as it is the only government school in the immediate area.

Through its MasterPork division Zambeef has over the years supported the school with supplies, sports kits, food and transport during school field trips.

“With many problems that we have as a school, they have always come to our aid. With all these things they do, we continue to be thankful,” said Mr Evans Musopelo, the Head Teacher at Kyindu Primary School, who implored Zambeef to not relent in furthering education in Kyindu, and continue to work well with government to ensure that the community reaped the benefits.