CIPE’s own Sousena Tefera, Senior Program Manager with the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation, hosts a discussion from Blantyre, Malawi, with key industry professionals McWilliams Mhone, Griffin Kamanga, and Mavuto Zabula. They explore the transformative impact of a new training program for clearing agents, which aims to professionalize the industry and enhance compliance with trade regulations. The guests share their personal journeys into the logistics and freight forwarding sector, the challenges they faced, and the significant benefits they’ve gained from the training. This episode highlights the importance of education and professional development in improving trade facilitation and economic growth in Malawi.
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Transcript
Announcer (00:00):
Democracy That Delivers is brought to you by the Center for International Private Enterprise. Now to your host.
Sousena Tefera (00:08):
Hi, this is Sousena Tefera, senior program manager with the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation. I am currently in Blantyre, Malawi at the Malawi University of Business and Applied Science. I’m also joined by four different colleagues joining me for this podcast recording. I will quickly turn it over to them to introduce themselves, and then we will get into the meat of our discussion. I’ll give you the chance first.
McWilliams Mhone (00:41):
All right. This is McWilliams Mhone for Universal Freight Solutions.
Sousena Tefera (00:45):
All right.
Griffin Kamanga (00:47):
This is Griffin Kamanga from Quantum Shipping Services.
Mavuto Zabula (00:52):
This is Mavuto Zabula from Evergreen Logistics.
Sousena Tefera (00:56):
Okay. Alex, do you want to join us for this conversation?
Alex Sisonga (01:00):
Yeah. Yes. My name is Alex Sisonga, project coordinator.
Sousena Tefera (01:10):
All right.
Alex Sisonga (01:11):
For [inaudible 00:01:11]. Thank you.
Sousena Tefera (01:12):
Thank you, Alex. All right. The purpose of this conversation really is we have started training for clearing agents since December of 2023. We are about to graduate the first cohort and it’s super exciting. As exciting as it is, it’s also a huge milestone for the industry, and these three gentlemen are part of that first cohort. They’re going to be the first eye-opener in terms of actually professionalizing the industry. Right. So I’m joined by my three colleagues here. We will give them the floor to tell us a little bit about their history or journey into cleaning agent. When did you get started?
McWilliams Mhone (02:05):
All right. As I say, it’s, I’m McWilliams Mahone from Universal Freight Solutions. On the first place, I started opening up the Universal Freight. That is in 2018. By then, of course, I had to work from different companies where I got some experiences. Also, I did that part of shipping and forwarding as a course. Then later on, it’s when I invented to do our own film. However, on the first place, some of the things that we had a problem that we never knew about in terms of to answer the queries. When they have got a query from the MRA, we are able to respond in a very positive or impact way to defend ourselves with. Sometimes we just accept the credit, say, no, it’s fine. Let’s go ahead and move. But when we joined this training, now we are able to understand in terms of the trade terms, in terms of the tax issues.
Sousena Tefera (03:20):
Before we get into the training component, let’s discuss your background first. Then I’ll go around the table here. How old were you when you joined this profession?
McWilliams Mhone (03:33):
That time I recall I would say 29.
Sousena Tefera (03:36):
Okay.
McWilliams Mhone (03:36):
Yes.
Sousena Tefera (03:37):
Were you in another industry or?
McWilliams Mhone (03:39):
No, I was in the same industry.
Sousena Tefera (03:41):
Okay.
McWilliams Mhone (03:41):
Yes.
Sousena Tefera (03:41):
You said you received a course on logistics?
McWilliams Mhone (03:45):
Yes, I did shipping and logistics.
Sousena Tefera (03:47):
Shipping and logistics where?
McWilliams Mhone (03:49):
I did one for the shipping. I did with the wrong technical college. Then I did the SEWT Charter of Institute of Transport Logistics with the Malay College of Accountancy.
Sousena Tefera (04:00):
Okay.
McWilliams Mhone (04:00):
Yes.
Sousena Tefera (04:00):
Is that a diploma level training?
McWilliams Mhone (04:02):
That was an advanced diploma class.
Sousena Tefera (04:02):
Advanced diploma, yeah.
McWilliams Mhone (04:02):
Sure.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
Okay. Yes, correct. Very good. All right, thank you. Over to you.
Griffin Kamanga (04:12):
Well, like I said, my name is Griffin Kamanga from Quantum Seat Services Limited. We initially opened the company in 2013, but then I was working with the bank in the International Trade Department. So I used just to delegate to my guys. My background is in accounting, but after working with the International Trade Department, then I got a glimpse of what import and export or creating is. But since I was just relying on some other guys, then they messed up in 2015. So initially I had to resign from the bank in 2017, and then that’s when I joined the profession full time. But then I wasn’t so familiar with the terms of the career, but then I was trying-
Sousena Tefera (05:04):
Can you walk us a little bit about that story? They messed up. You said they messed up.
Griffin Kamanga (05:09):
Yeah. What was it? Now the thing is, initially the guys got too ambitious and then they opened their own company, and then my company initially was closed and we had to re-apply to Malaw Levenyi authority. So they reopened it in 2021. Yeah. So that’s where I took over full time. Well, when I’m saying that they messed up, what I mean is they didn’t perform the duties as was expected of them. They left us in a lot of mess, such that we are not able to renew to have funds to renew the addresses at Malaw Levenyi authority.
Sousena Tefera (05:56):
Do you remember the penalty that you got?
Griffin Kamanga (05:59):
Yeah, it was-
Sousena Tefera (05:59):
Was there ever even a penalty?
Griffin Kamanga (06:02):
Initially? I mean the funds, the penalty, which was supposed to give to Malawi Avenue, thought it was around 300 south and Malawi. Then that was around 2015. So we failed to raise that, and then they left a lot of our liars and renters where we were renting. We ended up losing our office furniture and equipment
Sousena Tefera (06:22):
And all this is because of non-compliance by a few colleagues.
Griffin Kamanga (06:25):
Yes. All then we thought of giving up, but then initially I saw how recreative this business is. Then I decided to reopen it, and then I reapplied at Malawi Avenue authority and they reopened it in 2021. So with that past experience that I said, why don’t I just go there four times? So that’s when I joined it full time. But then I was so familiar with it, and then by I was learning with this training, which I just attended. Now it has reopened my eyes. I think I’ll expand that further as we go.
Sousena Tefera (07:12):
Yes.
Griffin Kamanga (07:12):
Sure. Thanks.
Sousena Tefera (07:13):
So when you reopened your business in 2021, was it hard because of the track record that you had?
Griffin Kamanga (07:20):
Yeah, it was hard. There was COVID then and then the track record. So it was kind of difficult to find trusted employees.
Sousena Tefera (07:31):
All right. Over to our next colleague.
Mavuto Zabula (07:39):
As I said earlier on, my name is Mavuto, the director for Evergreen Logistics. I started my career in 2004. That time I think I was just like a learner, right. So I learned, I think for eight year.
Sousena Tefera (07:54):
How old were you then by then, if you don’t mind me asking?
Mavuto Zabula (07:54):
I was 22.
Sousena Tefera (07:54):
Okay.
Mavuto Zabula (08:03):
Right. And since I was a learner then it was difficult sometime to raise money for transport, to raise money for food. But now then I decided to dropping some writers and companies. So one of the reliable companies picked me, I think it was Stansfield Motors, and I started my work on eight September 2 0 0 5. By then I started as a clearing Craig. But after some time they offered me a position, which they said, okay, I have to redo the interviews.
(08:46):
Ten I passed. Then they put me as a logistics supervisor by then. But now my tax was free logistics and some sort of buying and selling as well, whereby I was used to apply for the form east to the bank, buying the vehicles like the motorcycles, the outboards engines, and once they’re in, I have to put all the transaction into their system. I have to go to customs doing all the customs procedures there, getting the goods created. But now in 2012 is when now stands with guys. They’re saying, okay, now we are learning out of our clients. Then we need to also mesh with another company, which is called Imperial Motors now. And by then they sell some shares to, they sold some shares to Imperial Motors, and then I made a choice to say, okay, if you sell the shares to these guys, then I have to join them. Then I went there also as a logistics supervisor.
Sousena Tefera (10:07):
So now you’re jumping from one company to the next. What was your educational background?
Mavuto Zabula (10:14):
My education background was like in two zeros or four. I started my certificate locally by, we called Isaac and those guys, they were based in the Makata industrial site with a company called JSJ, and I was there-
Sousena Tefera (10:35):
What’s the training they offer?
Mavuto Zabula (10:37):
They’re offering the training of shipping and forwarding custom procedures, warehousing, and at the same communication and customer care on top of that. So after I got my certificate and joined this company called Stan’s Food, while at a, also did my diploma with the Blanta Business College by the board of ABMA from uk, which I obtained my advanced diploma there as well. And from there, after I joined this new company, Imperial, it’s when now I started also trying to look at my back to say, okay, I can’t be like this forever. I have to make my own business. So in 2015, I start applying for my business registration certificate, whereby I got that one and I got my tax taxpayer identification number. Then gathering my information, my certificates, everything. I applied for the custom care agency company, which I name it as Evergreen Logistics. And as I’m talking, I’m all alone. I don’t have much of employees and most of the employees, they’re at the borders. But as head office, I’m all alone.
Sousena Tefera (12:08):
Okay. So you are a sole entrepreneur.
Mavuto Zabula (12:11):
I’m so into it right now, but now I’ve got guys at the Borders Data Maza and Change Somewhere International Airport.
Sousena Tefera (12:21):
So it’s expanding.
Mavuto Zabula (12:22):
It’s expanding. But now, but with the coming of this training, the first cohort, I think with the experience I got from it, I can say a vision to say I’ll have more customers because of the professionalism of the training, which I just attended. Thank you.
Sousena Tefera (12:43):
Okay. So we have one managing director here, right? Another managing director. Yes. And you’re managing director as well? Yes. So we have three managing directors. Yes. Owners of the companies as well. Okay, very good. I want to know as part of this, going into some people’s background really impressed me for a reason, because when you join a certain profession, there is something that inspires you or that you have learned from somebody or saw somebody growing up. What was your story? Mhone?
McWilliams Mhone (13:23):
Actually, when I was at secondary school, that is in Deta, we normally, usually when it’s like a weekend, we usually go to the border.
Sousena Tefera (13:36):
Okay.
McWilliams Mhone (13:37):
So where were the border there?
Sousena Tefera (13:40):
What’s the name of the border?
McWilliams Mhone (13:41):
That’s the border-
Sousena Tefera (13:41):
Data?
McWilliams Mhone (13:41):
There’s a border.
Sousena Tefera (13:41):
Okay.
McWilliams Mhone (13:45):
Yes. When we’re going there, we see people are doing learning with papers, doing this and that. So we used to, I remember that was informed too. We had to ask, what are these guys do? So they said, no, these guys, they do, they’re called custom clearing agents. Oh, what do they do? So I started now gathering information.
Sousena Tefera (14:06):
How old were you?
McWilliams Mhone (14:07):
That time? I was, that was about 18.
Sousena Tefera (14:10):
Okay.
McWilliams Mhone (14:11):
Yes.
Sousena Tefera (14:11):
Okay.
McWilliams Mhone (14:11):
So that’s the first story. So from there, I started gathering, when I finished up my secondary school, I started looking what are the courses that are attached to this field? So that’s where the ambitious or having an idea of how to do with the customers.
Sousena Tefera (14:31):
Okay.
McWilliams Mhone (14:31):
Sure.
Sousena Tefera (14:31):
How about Mr. Kamanga?
Griffin Kamanga (14:36):
Well, it’s funny because he used to be one of our first customers then.
Sousena Tefera (14:39):
Okay.
Griffin Kamanga (14:42):
Yeah. Ben used to work for a billion mothers, like he put it. But now the thing is, while I was still working with the bank I to process these, what we call imports and import payments, and then the export processes are the one who was handling all that. So there were a lot of customs screening agents who used to come.
Sousena Tefera (15:04):
For what purpose?
Griffin Kamanga (15:05):
Well, they wanted to make payments. That is import payments as in telegraphic transfers. So I was 100 it, and then maybe they want to export, they have what we call extent control regulations. They had to apply for what we call a CEDAWAN form. So I was the one who was doing all those. Then I started growing some interest. I started asking them questions, and there was this other guy from Kenya, his name was Peter Tikiwa. He used to own a company called Regional Logistics. So we became very close, and then I started asking him, how does it go? What’s the process? Then he was not mean with information. He gave me all the information. One dad just decided to go to the registrar’s office and then registered that company. But then we had no grants. We had no way to start. Then Peter left, I think it was the very same year Peter left, but one of his trusted guys, he was just left behind. He had nowhere to go. So I approached him. Then he started assisting me in the office,
(16:13):
And then he was like the one who was handling, oh, what was supposed to happen there, and same guy who betrayed me and yeah, sure. So basically that’s how it started.
Sousena Tefera (16:26):
Okay. So you were working at the bank, but also have your own company on the site?
Griffin Kamanga (16:30):
Yeah. Yeah. I just decided to open a company as I was working.
Sousena Tefera (16:33):
Okay.
Griffin Kamanga (16:33):
Yeah, sure.
Sousena Tefera (16:33):
Okay. How about you?
Mavuto Zabula (16:39):
Okay. As for me, I think my dad had a very good friends and one of the creating analogies company, and after I finished my secondary school level, he decided for me to go and start that particular course, which is the name of the school was ISAC, and the directors was the late Marivas for JST International. So the story was like my father was a tailor, he was the tailor. He’s a retired tailor. So these directors there used to go to his shop and making some repairs for the suits, making the brand new suits and the like. So my father was really, really interested for me to join this industry to be one of the big customers for him.
Sousena Tefera (17:50):
Okay. Okay. That’s very interesting. That’s very interesting. Okay, switching gears, what’s the name of the association you belong to?
Mavuto Zabula (17:58):
I belong to IKAFA.
Sousena Tefera (18:02):
And you?
McWilliams Mhone (18:02):
Yeah, the same, IKAFA.
Sousena Tefera (18:02):
Okay.
Griffin Kamanga (18:02):
IKAFA as well.
Sousena Tefera (18:09):
Okay. So we have been engaging and the other association as well, CAFAM as part of this project, and obviously MRA as well, to develop the regulatory framework to develop the curriculum, and finally to implement the training and the examination. Remind me of the first time that you have heard about the coming of this program or the coming into effect of this program, and what was your reaction? Mr. Mhone first.
McWilliams Mhone (18:45):
Thank you. On the first places for me, I’m part of the IKAFA executive. So normally when the issue came in, the whole executive was very happy in the sense that some of the problems that we have been clinging before to have the training, such a training as to the field prayer, it was welcome my day, and I recall that everyone was eager to say no, when are we starting? So it was a good news to everyone who was in attendance. Yes.
Sousena Tefera (19:24):
Okay. Was that the same impression with you as well?
Griffin Kamanga (19:28):
Yes.
Sousena Tefera (19:28):
Mr. Kamanga?
Griffin Kamanga (19:30):
Yes. We have a WhatsApp group, and then the executives had posted whatever they’re discussing with Narao, is this upcoming training. So you just have to be ready for it. So yeah, I was so anxious to attend that training.
Sousena Tefera (19:46):
Okay.
Mavuto Zabula (19:53):
Yes. As for me, it’s also the same thing. I got this information from one of our WhatsApp group for IKAFA. So after I lead the advert is when now we start being in load by our secretariat so that we can attend. So luckily we are the first cohort.
Sousena Tefera (20:19):
Okay, very good. All three of you are managing directors?
McWilliams Mhone (20:26):
Yes.
Sousena Tefera (20:27):
Some of you have employees, some of you are still a sole entrepreneur. Would you be willing, down the road, when you hire more people or with the existing ones to train your employees under this program or to undergo this program, would you be willing to pay for them?
McWilliams Mhone (20:50):
Yeah, we will do that. Because education is too, as we said on the first place, they know that we have got from here. If we also get our employees to come through, I believe that’s the way to go. Because if the company has to grow, it means they have to have a knowledge in all the circles of business in this.
Sousena Tefera (21:23):
Yes.
McWilliams Mhone (21:24):
So we are waiting to do that.
Sousena Tefera (21:30):
Okay, sure. Mr. Kamanga.
Griffin Kamanga (21:31):
Yeah, sure. We have to do that. Apart from collecting revenue on behalf of Malawi revenue authority, we also look at qualitative data. We need to collect data, which has to be used by the country. We are the guys who initiate those transactions in the system. So if we don’t give guys a chance, it means they’ll correct-
Sousena Tefera (21:52):
Inaccurate data.
Griffin Kamanga (21:53):
Yes. So obviously that has to happen. I can just be the only one who have that information. Everybody has to have a chance to do it. Since Malawi always depend on the tax collection, it’s very much good for us to give more educative to the other guys, which can be also enrolled, or maybe do the same course in the future if you need a be. So that as Malawi should have those students who are have a very good eye opening in terms of task collecting, not just like someone who can just come and say, okay, let’s do this and that. That will not be good, but should be those people who knows where are these goods coming from? How can we classify these things? What are the tax measures on these particular items? So by them to know all these particular things, they have to be trained and the very, very good place to come is this one Mobus.
Sousena Tefera (23:13):
Very good. I have a quick question around the training in general and in particular. What was the one thing that you have captured from this training where you said, oh, I used to do this wrong. Is there one single thing that you remember or-
Griffin Kamanga (23:41):
Yeah, there are a lot, but okay, we just mentioned two. I’ll give you an example to do with the classification. I’ll give an example, like a chair. Normally, if you have not seen the chair as what’s the nature or what are the materials that have been used, you can classify as a plastic chair, white. It’s a wooden chair. So now with the training, we are able to classify it to say, no, no, but this is a wooden chair. It’s not a plastic chair. So that’s one thing. The second thing is about with the customer care, sometimes we would just handle the customers the way we want, but now we’re able to know, okay, fine with this. I think we are doing not lied on this. Or maybe sometimes we argue with the client, with the thing made. We’ve done it long in our side. So with that, now we’re able to know it.
Sousena Tefera (24:43):
Very good.
McWilliams Mhone (24:45):
Well, as for me, basically I look at the rules of origin. Just last week had a training with a commiser, and then there were people from Ministry of Trade and Industries, Malawi, Avenue Authority. Now, initially people used to look at clearing agencies, maybe crooks, maybe people who don’t know what they’re doing. But now last week when we were engaging with these guys from commiser and another from Ministry of Trade and Malawi Avenue authority, at least we could discuss on some equal level just because now we understand what it was supposed to do, what origin means, and how we’re supposed to act, who could not necessarily argue, but discuss on equal level. So yeah, it was an eye-opener. That train was an eye-opener because I already know what I’m supposed to do, what is supposed to be done. Yeah, sure.
Sousena Tefera (25:45):
Okay, very good. Mr. Zabula.
Mavuto Zabula (25:48):
As for me, one of the thing, which I’ve seen it right now, to say, okay, the training was just so wow. Because when you have a query with customs, you just answer it as if you are just answering someone who doesn’t know anything. But now with this training, we can answer the query with some facts whereby when these guys just seen the answer from the particular query they have given for them, we say yes, because we know the direction of whatever they have taken from, and we know the direction of whatever we know about whatever they’re taking from. So for us now, it’s like head to head. It’s like a head on. So whatever they’re taking or whatever we’re inputting to them, we end up having a very good conversation. And at the end of the day, our transactions, once we lodged the entries, which the client has paid, they’re not taking much time other than the time we not attended this training.
Sousena Tefera (26:57):
Okay. That’s excellent. One more thing around the training, you are the owners of the companies?
Mavuto Zabula (27:04):
Yes.
Sousena Tefera (27:05):
And this training took long. Right? How did you manage to do that? Were you all based in Blantyre or in Lilongwe?
Mavuto Zabula (27:15):
Yes, we’re in Blantyre.
Sousena Tefera (27:16):
Okay. All three of you. Okay.
Mavuto Zabula (27:21):
In terms of that, it’s okay. I’ll give you an example because we’ve got some staff at our offices. So it is not like all the times sometimes.
Sousena Tefera (27:34):
Okay.
Mavuto Zabula (27:34):
Regardless of that, still assuming we are finish up at four, we are starting at eight or half eight. It means the first one hour hours, I’ll still go and see the office and do some small things and come back to the training. Either lunch hour, maybe two to three minutes, we still drive on and come back. Sure. But otherwise, most of the other thing it means during the training, we have to say, “No, guys.”
Sousena Tefera (27:59):
It was put on hold.
Mavuto Zabula (28:00):
Yeah, sure. I have to do this training because we didn’t want to light this up anyway. We didn’t want to fail. We had directors, as we have said, and somebody say, directors failed. That doesn’t make sense.
McWilliams Mhone (28:16):
Yeah. I’ve told you my background, even though I reopened the company, still more, I still had to delegate. I still had to trust some other guys. So yeah, I have guys who are still running as I was attending the training. So basically I could go in the evening after we knock off here, but then most of it was being done by my fellow, my colleagues at the office. Yeah, sure.
Sousena Tefera (28:43):
Okay. Okay.
Griffin Kamanga (28:45):
As for me, since I started this cleaning industry, I think 2005, 2004, somewhere there, I’ve jumped about three versions. One was Ascuda, we are using Ascuda, and we jumped to Ascuda plus plus. Then now we are in Ascuda world. So after this training with Ascuda World, and for me it was not that much difficult because every time maybe we have break time or we have lunchtime, I can easily log in my computer, my laptop, using my phone.
Sousena Tefera (29:27):
And monitor activities?
Griffin Kamanga (29:28):
And monitor everything. I want to monitor that particular time, other than those time with Ascuda 2.7, whereby it was typically manual and with the Ascuda plus plus, it partly yes first, but now it was a need of someone to go to customs regularly. But with this as good a world and the introduction of this training with the school, the world is like a bomb to me to say, okay, I can do this while I’m going to school.
Sousena Tefera (30:06):
Very good. Very good. I know you guys are graduating on Friday. Congratulations.
McWilliams Mhone (30:14):
Thank you.
Sousena Tefera (30:15):
Congratulations. It’s amazing. It’s one of the reasons why I’m here. I’m really happy, proud of all the effort that you’ve guys have put in. It’s amazing. It gives me so much joy. So congratulations again. Thank great work.
Mavuto Zabula (30:32):
Thank you.
Sousena Tefera (30:33):
So I’m assuming all three of you passed the exam. All that’s another layer of congratulations. Thank you. One round or do you have to do a second round?
McWilliams Mhone (30:44):
No, that was one round.
Sousena Tefera (30:46):
One and passed?
McWilliams Mhone (30:47):
Yes.
Sousena Tefera (30:47):
Okay. Excellent. That’s wonderful. All right. Anything you want to ask me at this point? I’ve been grilling you for the past 30 minutes.
McWilliams Mhone (30:59):
No. Maybe what I wanted to say is first maybe to thank your organization or in short particular yourself, because you Initiated that project and you’ve been monitoring it. I could see we are also part of our group. We could be able to see the conversation. I know sometimes people use our local language, but still sometimes people, there might be small arguments.
Sousena Tefera (31:27):
There were instances where I had to check with Alex to say, what are they saying on this?
Alex Sisonga (31:33):
You sent me that message for her.
Sousena Tefera (31:41):
Particularly when it gets heated. So just for our listeners, we’re talking about our WhatsApp group where all our cohorts, our conversing on this, what’s up? So that’s what we’re making reference to. Okay. Yeah. All right. Mr.Kamanga, any questions, comments, your experience?
Griffin Kamanga (32:03):
Yeah. Things like he’s right to put it and we need to thank you for this project. To me, that was a gap in my line of work coming from my previous background, what I’m doing right now. So yeah, I was trying to get a glimpse of what really is so bad, but then this package, it just gave me one. I mean, it opened my eyes right there. So yeah, the thing is, what I would want to is maybe it should go beyond this other cohort too, so that other people benefit as well. Because I’ve seen today in the newspapers, Malawi, Revenue, Authority has advertised for short courses. These trainings now people have to pay, but we didn’t pay. It was a-
Sousena Tefera (33:01):
Scholarship.
Griffin Kamanga (33:02):
Yeah, sure. So a lot of us cannot afford what was advertised, but now we had a chance to get the scholarship. I really urge you to extend it to some others as well. You never know what you do bring in future. It’s not just about Malawi Revenue Authority. Maybe to some guys this might be the certificate which opened some other avenues in the next course of their life.
Sousena Tefera (33:27):
Okay.
Griffin Kamanga (33:27):
Yeah, sure. Thanks.
Sousena Tefera (33:28):
All right. Thank you. Zabula?
Mavuto Zabula (33:32):
Yeah, as for me, it’s just a smile everywhere because I was not expecting to say in my career, I can have a scholarship like this. That’s number one. Number two, I would like to thank the MOBA team for their presence every time we have problems. Therefore, us, if we have maybe materials which we need, they would’ve easily go and take the materials on time so that we should not that have time to say, okay, we are failing this and that because of some of the materials are not there. But also I would like to thank you also for the team which you chose for them to learn on this particular program because they’re the same guys, which always tell you every time at customs, they’re the same guys, which always give us some queries at some point to another. They’re the same guys, which we always work as a team. So by facing them face-to-face with this particular-
Sousena Tefera (34:46):
In a classroom environment.
Mavuto Zabula (34:47):
Yes, in this particular training, it was very great.
Sousena Tefera (34:54):
Wonderful.
McWilliams Mhone (34:55):
Yeah. But before we close, I also have this to say. In as much as it was a very good training, but it had a bit of challenges. The time was just so it’s like we had a lot of stuff to be covered within a very limited time. So maybe in future, should you consider still sponsor it, please consider it on the aspect of time. Yeah, sure.
Sousena Tefera (35:18):
Very good. Thank you all so much. Do you want to add anything, Alex? You’ve been quiet for quite some time.
Alex Sisonga (35:25):
All right, thank you so much. Let me also thank the sponsor, Katifi for this sponsorship. Otherwise, many Rukas, they wouldn’t manage to pay the fees They have already rightly seen here that the MRA has a diversity for another cohort of which the fees that are being mentioned there few individuals can manage. Now this time around, we have trained almost 200 plus, which means at least we have laid the pet. So if your opportunity are there, don’t forget that we have so many of them that are playing this time around. We are talking that we have over and the demand is still there. Yeah. So let also thank you for your presence now and then checking us to see if the things are working on the ground. So it wasn’t easy for you to live with the family ministry and come here to check. It takes a sacrifice for you to live everything there and come here and experience the environment here, which is different from there. Just to see that the project is running in time and within what we agreed. So this is just very, very important.
(36:38):
So thank you. Take this word to the sponsor that MRA is very, very thankful for the scholarship and they’re looking forward for next opportunity.
Sousena Tefera (36:49):
Very good.
Alex Sisonga (36:51):
Thank you.
Sousena Tefera (36:52):
Thank you all so much. I truly appreciate your time. I look forward to seeing you on Friday for the party. All right, thank you.
Announcer (37:02):
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Published Date: November 06, 2024