For good cause

By The Daily Times Last updated Mar 21, 2023

Proceeds of the 2023 NBS Bank Fam Charity Shield match involving FCB Nyasa Bullets and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers will go towards the survivors of Cyclone Freddy, Football Association of Malawi has announced. The country’ s football governing body also announced that part of proceeds from the 2024 Total- Energies Africa Cup of Nations qualifier between Malawi…

According to a statement Sunday, Fam and NBS Bank arrived at the decision after appreciating the extent of damage and urgent need to support the thousands of people who are in pain and suffering following floods brought about by the cyclone.

“Fam has been compelled to forgo those plans and help the Cyclone Freddy survivors,” reads part of a press release that Fam issued Sunday.

The country’s football governing body also announced that part of proceeds from the 2024 Total-Energies Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier between Malawi and Egypt on March 28 will go towards the same cause.

“In addition, Fam will mobilise donations, financial and in kind, from fans who will come to watch these matches at BNS [Bingu National Stadium],’’ the press release further states.

The country’s soccer fraternity has not been spared from effects of Cyclone Freddy as it claimed the life of 15-year-old Mahala Mpholiwa who was trying to rescue his ailing grandmother.

The standard eight Mlambalala Primary School pupil, who was a Cobra United goalkeeper loaned from Blantyre’s Genesis Academy, is reported to have survived a mudslide from Soche Mountain but met his fate when he returned to the family house to rescue his grandmother.

Former Malawi National Football Team defender and Chitipa United coach MacDonald Mtetemera and FCB Nyasa Bullets Reserve Coach Enos Chatama, who is also Malawi Under-17 National Football Team assistant coach, also lost their houses and other property as a result of the cyclone.

Bullets Chief Administration Officer Albert Chigoga welcomed the initiative.

’’This is a good idea because Cyclone Freddy has caused untold suffering among us,’’ Chigoga said.

Mighty Mukuru Wanderers Commercialisation drive chairperson Clement Stambuli said they are looking forward to contributing to a good cause through the match.

’’The challenge is huge and the losses incurred by people are high, ranging from houses, household property, food and crops in the field. We are now at a stage where Parliament and the Executive arm of government are supposed to revisit this year’s budget and come up with changes to accommodate packages for survivors of the cyclone to restart their lives,” Stambuli said.

Bullets won the right to play in the first official match of the season after successfully defending the TNM Super League title while Wanderers qualified after winning the Airtel Top 8 Cup.

Last year, the Charity Shield match between Bullets and Silver Strikers raised about K10.3 million at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre but, this time, the match will be played at Lilongwe’s Bingu National Stadium on April 9.

Bullets have been winning the Shield since 2016.

According to the Department of Disaster Management Affairs, the cyclone has claimed 438 lives with 918 sustaining various degrees of injuries while 282 are still missing.