Proflight Zambia Launches Youth Day Savings Initiave

12/03/201412/03/2014 TechTrends

APTERS production supervisor Darius Banda works on one of the Proflight piggy banks, watched by director Kenneth Habaalu, Proflight sales supervisor Zamiwe Nyemba (left) and receptionist Louise Bandela

Expect children to be initiated into a savings mindset if they travel with Proflight Zambia Airlines this week. In commemoration of Youth Day, Proflight Zambia has partnered with paper technology charity APTERS (Appropriate Paper Technology) to encourage young people to develop a money saving ethic, and help disabled children in the process.

The Youth Day initiative will involve APTERS creating 60 hand-crafted “piggy banks” in the shape of Proflight-branded aeroplanes that will be given to children on the airline’s flights this week.

Proceeds will be paid by Proflight Zambia and will be used by APTERS to help subsidise the cost of the mobility aids they make for children with cerebral palsy and other disabilities. However, it has not been made clear whether the piggy banks will be given to children for free or for a price in order to generate the proceeds.

A statement by Proflight Director of Government and Industry Affairs, Capt. Philip Lemba, said that, “The idea is to treble our positive impact: giving children with cerebral palsy a new future, giving APTERS the funding they need for job creation, and giving our younger passengers a fun way to save money. Everyone wins.”

Appropriate Paper Technology is based at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and was established in 1990 by three young enterprising and skilled physically challenged people with the aim of producing mobility aids for disabled children using recycled paper as the raw material. The organisation also uses the same technology to make commercial products such as dustbins, file boxes, toys, trays – and now piggy banks – to fund the collection of paper and support its activities. The team use balloons as a framework, on which they paste pieces of paper soaked in flour-and-water glue. Once dry, wings are added, the models are painted, and a slot cut in the top.

Not only will children be taught the value of money by instilling a savings mentality but also are they being taught the value of environmentally conscious practices such as recycling. This is a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) move which definitely aims to impact society in a special way by targeting the mindset of children and hopefully their parents.

Image credit: Proflight Zambia