FELIX Mutati this morning donated food and sanitary supplies to a centre looking after 13 vulnerable children under the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA).
The donated items included mealie-meal, rice, cooking oil, macaroni, sugar, chicken and juices among other items all costing K15, 000.
Also included in the donation were face masks, gloves and tissue and bathing and washing soap.
Mutati also handed over a K5, 000 cheque to the YWCA towards the upkeep of the Child in Crisis Centre (CIC) located in Lusaka.
The former finance minister’s donation comes a day after he donated K18, 000 towards the Zambian Jesuit COVID-19 Response team which has embarked on feeding project for COVID-19 caregivers and patients.
Receiving the donation, YWCA branch president Mary Mulenga commended Mutati for responding to her organisation’s request for help.
She expressed happiness that a fellow Zambian was donating towards the plight of vulnerable children.
She said the donated items would last three months but wondered where other supplies will come from afterwards.
Mulenga thanked Mutati and urged him to consider making more donations to ease the challenges of the children under the care of YWCA while calling for more from other well-wishers.
She said the YWCA was a non-political institution and therefore sought help from whoever could help.
Mulenga said currently, the children had many needs ranging from blankets, beds and renovations to their shelter.
Mutati said the country had many problems and “the primary responsibility to solve the problems remains ours.”
He said it was only through collective efforts that positive change could be achieved.
Mutati praised YWCA for its efforts in eliminating physical and sexual abuse of female children.
He said while his donation would make a difference to the children, the YWCA caregivers were better placed to make better and more positive change because they spent time with the children.
Mutati pledged to make contributing to the house his “permanent project” saying he would inform his colleagues on the need to help.
©Kalemba May 15, 2020
