The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has announced that the NBS Bank Charity Shield match between Nyasa Big Bullets and Silver Strikers held on Saturday raised K10.3 million net revenue.
According to FAM General Secretary Alfred Gunda, the funds will be used to procure various items in form of food stuffs and survival kits which will be donated to flood victims of cyclone Ana in the lower Shire districts of Nsanje and Chikwawa, mainly targeting vulnerable children and women who are currently displaced by the floods and are living in makeshift tents.
Gunda said: “The Malawi Red Cross Society, who are FAM’s technical implementing partners for this year’s Charity Shield, are now working on necessary logistics and processes for the procurement of the required items. They will in due course advise specific targeted areas to benefit from the donation.
“Apart from the revenue raised, football, through NBS Bank Charity Shield, has helped to raise awareness of the devastating effects of Cyclone Ana and that more needs to be done to ensure that the flood victims are adequately supported.
“FAM believes that the NBS Bank Charity Shield donation will go a long way to mitigate the sufferings of the flood victims,” said Gunda.
According to Malawi Red Cross Society, the floods have directly affected over 1,083,522 people. Over 161,381 people are displaced from their homes and currently living in makeshift tents. Sadly 46 people died and 18 are still missing. These people are in desperate need of basic survival needs and many will need support even after the waters have subsided as they will have to restart life from the scratch having lost everything including homes, livestock, crops, and necessities to the floods.
“Malawi Red cross will ensure that the Charity Shield donation is channeled to the intended beneficiaries in a more coordinated and efficient manner,” Gunda said.
Gunda has since thanked NBS Bank for sponsoring this year’s Charity Shield and Malawi Red Cross Society for accepting to collaborate with FAM as a technical implementing partner.
He has also thaked the football fans who contributed to the cause by buying the match day tickets, the two participating teams, Nyasa Big Bullets and Silver Strikers and all service providers who gave in their all to ensure a very successful and memorable event.
He has further thanked Minister of Youth and Sports, Honourable Richard Chimwendo for the ministry’s presence and support during the NBS Bank Charity Shield event.
The Shield was introduced in 2016 as FAM’s flagship Corporate Social Responsibility program. It aims at engaging, mobilising and inspiring football fans, stakeholders, and the public towards a charitable cause of national significance. The Charity Shield is scheduled as the first major football event signifying the kick – off Malawi football season.
Since its inauguration, the Charity Shield has touched and impacted many lives as follows:
2016 – Malawi Blood Transfusion Services
2017 – Various medical equipment donated Kamuzu Central Hospital
2018 – Braille embosser donated to Ekwendeni School for the Blind and various physiotherapy and medical equipment donated to Kachere Rehabilitation Centre
2019 – People with albinism. Under the theme One Love – Stop the Killings, the Ecobank FAM Charity Shield played an advocacy role against all manner of barbaric acts targeting people with albinism which reached crisis levels. The proceeds of the Charity Shield were used to procure a rescue vehicle which was donated to Association of People with Albinism in Malawi. We are glad that football helped to bring awareness to end such barbaric acts.
Source: FAM
