The family of a popular businessman in Migori County has donated over Sh18 million to help set up a school in the semi-arid Nyatike sub-county.
Bansi Kathrotiya and his family who runs Bansi Wholesalers which is a chain of supermarkets, water bottling, and wholesale businesses in Migori and Nyanza region said the donation was a way of giving back to the society.
The family has helped built Bansi Bugni Primary School in Macalder Kanyarwanda ward also from scratch after locals donated the first piece of land in 1987.
The school which also has a Junior Secondary Section has 739 students, a number which has grown because of a boost in infrastructure by the family.
“We started the school in 1987 as a nursery section to offer God Kwach and Owich Primary Schools children because the two were far for young children to go,” Felix Okwanyo, area MCA said.
He said in 2009 plans to start the primary school were mooted by the community where four classrooms were built but the family came around and expanded the land from initially a quarter an acre and boosted infrastructure.
“We constructed the first four classrooms and renovated four others we got, we also managed to purchase land, fenced it, and get title deeds for the school,” Kathrotiya said.
The family also sponsored several students to high school and colleges, and build over 200 desks in the schools.
“We have been received warmly by the members of the community and we feel at home in Migori, that is why we decided to give back,” he said.
The two were speaking in the school during the launch of 11 modern classrooms, an administration block, and an ablution block built by the family and was being handed over to the school and the community.
Migori governor Ochillo Ayacko, Woman Representative Fatuma Mohammed, Senator Eddy Oketch, and Nyatike MP Tom Odege also attended the function.
The leaders thanked the family for the gesture by giving back to the family and said private and public institutions partnering is the safest way to boost the socio-economic development of a community.
“We thank the Board of Directors, the Management, and the staff of Bansi Wholesalers for such a kind and helpful initiative to give young people a conducive environment to shape their future through education,” Ayacko said.