By Dyson Kamwana
Kasungu, September 18, Mana: A WhatsApp group calling itself Support Agnes Foundation (Well-wishers initiative) has made a donation of financial and material resources to the family of a 10-year-old orphan Agnes Magombo of Gumbo Village, Traditional Authority Mwase in Kasungu.
The young girl has been selling drinking water in plastic tubes around Kasungu town to support basic needs for the family of six, including her granny and siblings.
The development caught interest of members of the group to take a hand and relieve the young girl from the burden.
Founder of the group, Richard Maliwu, who initially met Agnes selling the drinking water, said he was shocked to hear the story about the little girl.
“Looking at her age, we were concerned to hear that she was looking after her granny and siblings. We swiftly formed a WhatsApp group to mobilise funds to help her,” Maliwu said.
He, however, pleaded to well-wishers to join them in supporting the family with long term solutions since the children also need a good house and education.
Agnes’s grandmother, Magret Magombo expressed her gratitude for the gesture and called on others to emulate it.
“We are battling with absolute poverty and Agnes has been our help on daily basis.
“The donation will address some challenges in the short term but I call on others to assist these children with education and clothes,” she said.
The group donated two packets of sugar, 1 kg of salt, 5 tablets of bath soap, 2 packets of laundry soap, petroleum jelly, clothes and K6, 000 cash.
However, the group has already made consultation with Kasungu District Social Welfare Office and Youth Action for Development, which are assessing the family to be considered for social cash transfer and education assistance.
