All set for FDH Bank’s Intercity Mayor’s Trophy in February

* Academic studies and sports complement each other and are both crucial for the growth of students

* Students who participate in sports have lesser chances of participating in risky and unhealthy behaviors like alcohol and drug abuse

By Duncan Mlanjira

The grand finale of the FDH Bank Mayor’s Trophy is set to be played in February involving six primary school teams, three in netball — Kawuwa (Mzuzu); Bwaila (Zomba) and Chidzingwe (Lilongwe) and another three in football; Kaviwale (Mzuzu), Matiya (Zomba) and Mvama (Lilongwe).

FDH Bank Plc is the official sponsor of the regional competitions to a tune of K75 million annually — translating to K225 million in 3 years — which covers Lilongwe, Zomba, Mzuzu and the forthcoming Intercity grand finale.

The funding covers football and netball equipment including match kits, boots, trainers for netball, administration, and logistics as well as prize money for winners.

Senior Manager-Marketing & Communication, Ronald Chimchere said FDH Bank Plc believes that “academic studies and sports complement each other and are both crucial for the growth of students.

“Studies have also shown that students who participate in sports have lesser chances of participating in risky and unhealthy behaviors like alcohol and drug abuse.

“It is also known that students who engage in some sports get stronger physically as well as mentally. In Malawi, there are a lot of youthful individuals in primary schools who are talented in both netball and football, but they lack a platform to showcase their talent and the necessary resources to perfect the talent.

“The idea is to nurture young talent in order for this talent to contribute in the top clubs in the near future and strengthen our national teams,” he said.

The tournaments are administered in collaboration with Ministry of Education, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) and Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) to ensure smooth progress and Chimchere thanks the Malawi Government as well as FAM AND for their support in implementing the project.

FDH Bank also supports FAM through the FDH Bank Cup, whose 2023 champions are team of the moment, Nyasa Big Bullets.

The Bank is also the official sponsor of the Flames currently at the tune of K1 billion — increased towards the end of last year from K360 million made in September 2021.

The K1 billion sponsorship will be spread out in the next four years — which translate to K250 million per calendar year. The partnership with FAM to sponsor the Flames dates back to August 2016 at K60 million before being increased to K120 million in 2018 and to K360 million in 2021.

The fruits of this investment was the national team’s excellent performance at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2022 in Cameroun and the Confederation of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) tournament in South Africa last year where they qualified for the semi-finals for the first time in 20 years.

The Bank also supports NAM through sponsoring the Queens’ preparations and participation of international tournaments — thus its decision to support talented youths at grassroots level as a feeder to elite clubs who in turn are drafted into the national teams.

Meanwhile, NAM has reconstituted its technical panel by appointing former players, Joanna Kachilika as Queens’ head coach to be deputised by Eleanor Mapulanga while Beatrice Mpinganjira is the physical trainer.

The U21 head coach is Christina Mkwanda; assistant coach is Cecilia Bondwe and physical trainer is Vincent Shombe while Rose Chinyama is head coach for U20, Tereza Chipolopolo (assistant coach and Elnes Kachama (physical trainer)

A statement from NAM general secretary, Isaac Chimwala says Samuel Kanyenda — who was in charge of the Queens at the Netball World Cup South Africa 2023 — remains the technical director.

“The new technical panel’s appointment will run in congruency to the current executive committee’s tenure of office,” said the statement. “The technical panel has since been challenged to identify and develop youthful talent for inclusion in the senior national team as part of transition and netball regeneration process.”