Save the Children, DRTSS donate safety equipment to Mlodza Secondary School

Save the Children International (SCI) in collaboration with the Directorate of Road Traffic and Safety Services (DRTSS) have donated road safety equipment to Mlodza Primary School in an effort to reduce road accidents among school learners.

Speaking during the presentation ceremony on Thursday in Lilongwe, SCI Director of Operation, Frank Mwafuliwa, said they noted that the proximity of the school to the road poses a serious risk to the children’s safety.

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Mwafulirwa stated that his organization strives to ensure that every child must survive for the first five years, every child must be able to learn and every child must be protected.

“So, these children, who learn in this school, need to be protected as part of protection, we are working with DRTSS to train the learners here and this week. We are celebrating the United Nations 2023 global road safety week and that’s why we decided to come back to Mlodza Primary School to refresh with those children which we have been working with so that they get new skills and new equipment we have donated today,” he said.

On his part, DRTSS Road Transport Officer Gomezgani Gondwe said school-going children are being affected by road accidents, especially those ranging from age five upwards.

On her part, Mlodza Primary School head teacher, Loncy Masonda Banda, thanked the two institutions for the donation, saying it will help reduce cases of accidents at the school.

“With the help of the school committee, Parents Teacher Association (PTA) and the chief as well as the entire community, maybe they can conduct a civic awareness campaign concerning how children should cross the road through the department of road safety service. These learners will be safe when they are crossing the road to and from their homes,” said Banda.

Banda urged SCI and DRTSS to extend the support to other schools in Lilongwe Urban to help to reduce road accidents among learners.

In his remarks, a standard six learner, Peace Misomali, said the coming of road safety equipment will help them a lot because many learners were getting into road accidents of cars, motor bikes and bicycles.

The road safety equipment, which the two institutions have donated were corns, signposts, whistle and reflectors.

According to DRTSS, the 2022 fatal road accidents report shows that Lilongwe recorded 86, Kasungu recorded 68 followed by Mangochi, Chileka and Mchinji with 41, 40 and 37, respectively.