Dr Chilima said this when he officially opened Rotary Club International's four-day regional annual conference at Mkopola Resort in Mangochi on Thursday.
Dr Chilima, whose association with the club dates back to the time he was still in the private sector, said Malawi government appreciates the role the club has played in the development of the country.
“I am aware that through Rotary, a micro-financing institution, known as FINCA was established to assist poor people in rural areas access funds for setting up small scale businesses. Over the years, FINCA has played a crucial role in empowering families through business loans.
"Rotary was also instrumental in eradicating Polio 20 years ago through the efforts of Rotarians when you teamed up with government to set up the Malawi Against Polio (MAP) project. We now say Malawi is Polio free, thanks to the efforts that Rotary contributed”said Chilima.
He also said the club involvement in various vocational programmes among others where doctors from India have performed many specialized operations at Kamuzu Central Hospital in Lilongwe and the establishment of the Beit Cure Hospital in Blantyre are some of the tangible examples of Rotary’s involvement in the Health sector.
The second citizen who was invited to be a honorary member in 2014 reminded the delegates that the club has largely impacted on the lives of many women through a micro finance institution which is today a bank called FINCA through business loans.
On leadership the Vice President commended the Club for teaming up with the Reserve Bank of Malawi (RBM) and the Anti corruption Bureau (ACB ) to come up with a project on ethics aiming at advancing ethical standards in the country.
“The issue of ethical standards and mindset change is of paramount importance to the government of Malawi because as His Excellency Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika, President of the Republic of Malawi, has repeatedly said, we need to bring back ethical standards in the public service and the country at large and change our mindset at the same time if we are to successfully develop as a country. Mindset change is a vital ingredient in our journey to reforming the civil service.
He added the Mindset change and the three pillars of national development namely Patriotism, Hard work, and Integrity are a vital ingredient in the journey to reform the civil service.
On his part Michael Webb who is the Rotary International Director and Personal Representative to the Rotary International President said his club will continue to help young people because amongst others a polio free world is the gift they promised to generations that are to come.
“We will still fundraise until our dream is met and lives of people have been improved.”said Webb.
He however advised his fellow Rotarians to be agents and not spectators of development by working hard in fundraising for the Club5.
Rotary International is an international service organization whose purpose is to bring together business and professional leaders to provide humanitarian services, advance goodwill and peace around the world.
The conference has been organised under the district 9210 which is made up of Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi.
Delegates from the three countries including Britain and United States of America are attending the 4 daylong conference which being held under the theme “Be a Gift to the World” from the 11th to 14th May 2016 at Mkopola lodge.
