CHILDREN'S WARD RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM CRDB BANK IN TARIME

TARIME DC Mr John Henjewele (second right) receives mattresses and bed sheets donated by CRBD Bank on Monday. Right is Chairman of Tarime Town Council Mr Daudi Wangwe and centre is Town Council Social Services Chairperson Ms Salima Abubakar. Looking on is CRDB Tarime Branch Manager Mr Joseph Manyanya (second left) and the branch's Business Banking Manager Mr Mathias Kingali (left).

THE CRDB Bank has made a change in Tarime District for all to see. The leaders, medical personnel and locals have received wholeheartedly and thanked the bank for donating 20 mattresses and 75 bed sheets to Tarime District Hospital.

On Monday this week, a dozen residents joined the district's leadership led by the District Commissioner (DC) Mr John Henjewele to receive the mattresses and bed sheets.

The bank's support was meant for the children's ward at the district largest hospital.

The Tarime DC thanked CRDB Bank for the support expressing sincere hope that it would help improve service for children being admitted to the district hospital.

"This is a huge assistance to our hospital and I would like to thank CRDB Bank for the timely donation", DC Henjewele said as part of his brief remarks during the handing over ceremony.

The DC was the guest of honour at the event. Dr Mariko Nega, the District Medical Officer (DMO) at the hospital said the mattresses and bed sheets were a significant assistance not only to the sick children but also the doctors and nurses.

"On behalf of our health department and residents of Tarime District, I take this opportunity to thank CRDB bank for the support. It is important to us as hospital workers as well as the children", Dr Nega said.

The hospital children ward has a capacity to serve 40 children plus those accompanying them, be it parents or guardians. "We admit an average of 25 children per day and the bank's support will greatly help to keep them comfortable and improve our services ", the DMO said.

CRDB Bank Tarime Branch Manager Mr Joseph Manyanya said the donation was aimed at supplementing on-going efforts made by the government to improve health services at the public hospital. He underscored the importance of providing better health services to sick children.

"We recognize that children are the future nation and as a bank today we are happy to give the hospital 20 mattresses and 75 bed sheets ", Mr Manyanya said. The CRDB Bank Branch Manager was accompanied by some of his close subordinates. The value of the donation stood at 3.6 million shillings, according to Mr Manyanya.

Speaking to the guests, the Chairman of Tarime Town Council Mr Daudi Wangwe said the CRDB Bank has set a good example that should be emulated by other institutions operating in the area.

"We have received this assistance with a lot of happiness and we wish CRDB Bank success. We would also like to see other institutions emulate the CRDB Bank", Mr Wangwe said when he was given an opportunity to give a vote of thanks at the end of the event.

The town council chairman also used the chance to thank the bank for issuing loans to all councillors in Tarime. Parents who were at the hospital said the mattresses and bed sheets had brought big changes at the paediatric ward.

"This ward is now decent with comfortable beds compared to the past", Moris Peter who was at the district's children ward hospital with a sick child said.

The children ward is seen as the most modern building at the hospital, thanks to the government for injecting millions of shillings for its major rehabilitation in the recent months. The DC was impressed with the rehabilitation work at the children ward completed recently.

The top district leaders said they would ensure that the CRDB aid is used well to achieve the intended purpose. "It would be a respect thing if we make good use of the assistance and this will encourage CRDB and other stakeholders to help us", Mr Henjewele said.

The Tarime DC also congratulated CRDB Bank for its outstanding performance which he said has won international status. "This is a bank that was initiated in Tanzania and now it has workers with international standards", Mr Henjewele pointed out. He urged Tarime residents to turn up and utilize CRDB bank services including loans.

"Lives of people who are making good use of bank services by borrowing to run business have greatly changed", he said. The bank also seized the opportunity to open 12 Junior Jumbo (JJ) accounts for 12 children free of charge as part of its on-going initiative to promote saving culture at an early age.

"We have also decided to open JJ accounts for 12 children and we are asking parents to sustain the accounts of their children", the CRDB Bank Tarime Branch Manager Mr Manyanya said.

The opening of JJ accounts was further witnessed by the Tarime DC who was accompanied by other several senior officials of Tarime District Council led by the Council Director Mr Venance Mwamengo. The District Commissioner urged parents of the beneficiary children keep the account active.