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| Kachama (left) Majamanda (right) |
A local bank, FDH Bank has donated K2 million to the wife's of Policemen in the Malawi Police Service.
Through the donation, FDH wants to support the policemen spouses engage in some small scale businesses that can support them and their families.
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| Majamanda |
Head of Corporate Business Banking for FDH Bank, Sitabene Majamanda when making the donation at the Police Head Quarters in Lilongwe, said this year, FDH decided to empower police officers wives so that they can support their families through small scale businesses while as their spouses are providing noble safety and security service to the country.
"When we came in to Malawi Police Service on a business trip, we actually come across this idea that what if we come up with the sustainability what we call Ethics and Sustainability within our corporate social responsibility to create a fund for the spouses of the police men.
We know the great job that the police men do. They are so many of them but we thought about their wives that are sitting at home supporting the men that are out to do the job. So our management was pleased to support this initialize because it is part of women empowerment." Explains Majamanda
"When our police officers are sure that their spouses are generating extra money, they can have peace of mind while carrying out their duties" added Majamanda who thanked the dedicated men in Uniform who are playing a critical role in the development of the country day and night of providing safety and security services that is important for many of Malawian business to be able to do their business in peace.
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| Kachama |
After receiving the money, the wife of Inspector General of Police, Ruth Kachama, chairperson for the Police Officers Wives, said the donation will boost their Welfare Fund established a year ago when State President Peter Mutharika made a donation worth K5 million.
"This is good gesture and will assist us very much and empower the wives of police officers." Said Mrs Kachama
Kachama said some of the businesses that Police wives do include poultry, groceries and other small scale businesses.
The K2 million revolving fund will be fully administered by the Malawi Police Service without the FDH Bank involvement. However, the bank will continue supporting the women by providing some training through business clinics to help them gain basic skills for running small businesses. The first lot of women have already undergone this training.
The police women will be able to borrow small amounts that they need to do some small scale business. When they borrow the money, it will have a 6 months grace period after which they are expected to repay it without interest. The repaid amounts will allow the other women to also borrow from the revolving fund and also repay interest free after the six months period.
According to the Bank, there is free interest because the donation is coming as cooperate social responsibility and women empowerment. The Bank further maintains that the help was necessary to empower women spouses who in most cases take care of the children so that they contribute to the economic well-being of their husbands by engaging in some activities that can generate some extra revenue for the family while as their husbands are providing safety and security to the nation.
FDH Bank is a Malawian Bank which started operations in 2009 and is part of the FDH Financial Holding Group which has subsidiaries in stockbroking, discount house operations, Money Bureau and recently acquired 80 percent stake in Malawi Savings Bank
