The Malawi Schools Sports Association and the Ministry of Education will again benefit from the FIFA Football for Schools project after the two bodies received 8840 balls to be distributed to 172 schools.
The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) distributed the balls in the second phase of the project to the two bodies on Thursday morning at the Ministry of Education offices in Chichiri.
FAM Technical Director Benjamin Kumwenda said the association is hoping to reach out to many primary schools in order to revive football through the grassroots level.
“This is a project where we combine education and football. It’s now in its second phase, and we hope to reach out to many primary schools so that we can develop the game from the grassroots. Our key aim is to rebuild our relationship with MASSA so that we achieve our goal,” he said.
In his remarks, MASSA President Madalitso Malamula said he is very grateful for the support and promised to work with any association that is interested in developing sports in the country.
“We appreciate what FAM has been doing. We have been receiving balls, and on behalf of MASSA and the Ministry of Education, we appreciate how the association wants to develop the game using education.
“As MASSA, we are ready to work with any association so that we develop sports together because we are here to serve for the interest of every sporting discipline in the country,” he explained.
Speaking on behalf of FAM, First Vice President Madalitso Kuyera said the distribution of the second phase is a milestone in the efforts of developing the game.
“It’s another milestone after a successful piloting stage as we have now added 171 new schools from the already existing 128 schools. This project has unearthed hidden talent, and we hope we will achieve more than what we have already achieved.
“We believe that in order to transform the game, we need to prompte grassroot football. We acknowledge that for us to revive the game, we need to work hand in hand with MASSA so that whatever we have planned can be achieved without facing obstacles,” he said.
He also revealed that FAM will soon introduce coaches for the under 15, 17, and 20 as part of transforming the game.
“We wish to assure you that FAM will be introducing coaches for the under 15, 17, and 20 as proposed by the Technical Committee and was approved by the Executive during the just ended meeting. We are doing this so that we continue unearthing the hidden talent because we need to put more focus on youth development especially in our primary schools because there is no shortcut to success and this has to start through these developing teams.
“Football alongside education is the great pathway to success, and that’s why we will try our level best to build a very strong relationship with MASSA through a Memorandum of Understanding, which is currently being developed,” he concluded.
The first phase saw FAM distributing 7000 balls to 128 schools, 3000 balls to Under 14 and 16 boys and girls, 40 balls each to the Malawi Olympic Commitee, 34 Education Division and extra 40 balls to Six Education Division, with the Ministry of Education getting 120 balls.
The 171 schools will also receive 40 balls.
The project was launched in 2022 by FIFA to reach out to over 700 million students across the globe. 128 Malawian schools were the first beneficiaries.
