Castel Malawi has donated protective materials to members of Ndirande community police to aid their work in guarding and looking after trees at Mudi Catchment area in Blantyre.
Earlier this year, Castel Malawi planted 10, 000 trees at Mudi catchment area and other areas in the country, with the promise to take care of them for the next five years.
Speaking after handing over the working materials at Ndirande Police Station on Friday, Castel Malawi Human Resource and Corporate Affairs Director, Gloria Zimba said they noticed that the trees planted during the forestry season lack care and end up wilting.
“Some of the trees get stolen and others die because there is no weeding, and no care. So, this time when we were responding to the call by the Government and Blantyre Water Board to help them plant trees to sustain the Mudi catchment area, we thought we should extend that Corporate Social Responsibility beyond just planting the trees. We have finished weeding together with communities and they asked us for assistance on the equipment they can use in protecting the trees,” she said.
Chairperson of Ndirande community police forum, Wilson Goliati hailed Castel Malawi saying patrolling the area was a challenge without proper materials.
“They care for our safety as we execute our duty as members of the community. We realize the importance of working hand in hand with Castel Malawi to conserve our trees which will benefit us in return. We commit that we will make sure the trees are safe from thieves, weeds and wildfires,” he said.
Blantyre Water Board Senior Water Quality and Environmental Officer, Joe Chimeta also commended Castel Malawi for the initiative saying the effort to restore the Mudi catchment area has not been yielding fruits due to lack of care for the trees.
“This will go a long way in ensuring that trees are protected from people who destroy them for their personal use. In the end it will help us as BWB to conserve the water in the catchment area especially now that we are undertaking the rehabilitation process with assistance from various stakeholders including Castel Malawi,” he said.
Some of the items given include 150 gumboots, 150 hardhats, 150 reflective vests, 150 whistles, and 150 panga knives.
