The country’s tertiary institutions have responded to the government’s call for the education sector to help mobilise humanitarian assistance for Malawi after the devastation by Cyclone Freddy as the Education 5.0 model bears fruit.

Besides turning around the country’s fortunes through industrialisation, tertiary institutions are building capacity to produce more than can be exported or help other countries during natural calamities.

This Saturday, the ZBC News crew visited the Department of Civil Protection warehouse in Harare where a consignment of detergents donated by various tertiary institutions is ready to be dispatched to Malawi to assist survivors of the Cyclone Freddy disaster.

Department of Civil Protection Acting Director Mr Nathan Nkomo commended the government, saying the donation is testimony to the success of the heritage-based Education 5.0 Model.

“We can see that Education 5.0 is paying dividends because here we have detergents donated by various tertiary institutions that is NUST, UZ, HIT, GZU and BUSE. Donated items are trickling and they go a long way in cushioning the livelihoods of people in Malawi who were affected by Cyclone Freddy. We hope that more people and companies will come on board so that we work together. Our expectations when the private sector, faith-based organisations and individuals will respond overwhelmingly,” he said.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, tertiary institutions played a critical role in manufacturing personal protective equipment (PPEs) saving millions of dollars for the government.

The mobilisation of the detergents by tertiary institutions comes after the government this Saturday dispatched 300 metric tonnes of mealie meal to Malawi, as part of a comprehensive assistance package for the neighbouring country after the Cyclone Freddy disaster.- ZBC News