Special-seat councillors in Mbeya City have partnered with CRDB Bank to provide maize to primary schools in Uyole and Mbeya Urban constituencies, seeking to ease food shortages affecting pupils.
The initiative brings together local leaders and private-sector employees to support school feeding efforts, as stakeholders call for broader participation in ensuring pupils have access to meals during school hours.
Speaking during the handover, chairperson of special-seat councillors in Mbeya City Atu Msai said the donation was part of efforts to address food needs in schools and encourage other stakeholders to contribute to the initiative.
She said tackling food shortages required collective action, with more partners needed to extend assistance to schools and reach a greater number of pupils.
Special-seat councillor Farida Ngoi said demand for food support remained high in schools, making collaboration among leaders, businesses and other stakeholders important.
She called on more organisations and individuals to join the efforts, noting that expanding contributions would help reach more pupils in need.
CRDB Bank Mbeya Branch Manager Jeremiah Msemo said employees at the branch had contributed 21 sacks of maize through personal donations to support the initiative.
The contribution, he said, reflected the employees’ willingness to take part in addressing community needs.
CRDB Public Institutions Relations Officer Paskalina Diu said the bank continued to work with public institutions as part of its community engagement efforts, adding that the donation was intended to respond to needs within the communities it serves.
Ilemi Ward councillor Baraka Zambi and pupils who received the food thanked the councillors and CRDB Bank for the support, while urging other stakeholders to assist schools experiencing food shortages.
The initiative highlights the role that partnerships between local leaders, businesses and communities can play in supporting school feeding programmes. However, the scale of the food needs and the number of schools and pupils reached were not specified.