FAM delivers football equipment from CAF as prizes that Salima and Malindi secondary schools won at CAF Schools Championship 2022

* CAF Schools Championship programme provides a platform to ensure that students have dedicated coaches and the right leadership to keep them engaged in both football and academics

* It is on record that most students quit school to play football in communities as there are no structured football programmes in most schools—FAM president Haiya

Maravi Express

Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president, Fleetwood Haiya says organised football programs in schools is a powerful tool to promote education by reducing school dropouts and absenteeism.

Haiya made the remarks when he presented assorted football equipment to Salima and Malindi secondary schools as part of their prizes attained from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Schools Championship 2022.

Among the equipment received are footballs, uniforms, tracksuits, football boots, training bibs and equipment bags.

Salima finished second in the Zonal competition and received US$225,000 while Malindi Girls Secondary placed third in the international competition and received US$50,000.

As per the rules and regulations of the competition the schools do not receive the prizes in cash but must apply for specific projects which CAF funds directly.

Salima applied for four projects — installation of electrical cooking pots at its school, which was implemented in 2024, football equipment as well as the rehabilitation of the school’s football pitch and installation of a maize mill which will be initiated this year.

On the other hand, Malindi Girls applied for four projects — football equipment, purchase of desks, construction of change rooms and rehabilitation of the football pitch.

Haiya thus said the CAF schools championship programme provides a platform to ensure that the students have dedicated coaches, and the right leadership to keep them engaged in both football and academics.

”It is on record that most students quit school to play football in communities,” he is quouted as saying by Fam.Mw. This is because there are no structured football programmes in most schools.

“The CAF Championship programme and the FAM ‘Transforming the Game’ drive is championing the setting up of these structures that will ensure that students are playing competitive in schools and at the same time concentrating on education.

“The coming in of the prizes is a testament that whatever CAF promises will be delivered. This equipment will play an important role in developing the game in the two schools.

“There are other infrastructure projects that will also be fulfilled at the two schools as part of the same programme,” Haiya said.

Malindi Girls headteacher, John Tepani thanked CAF and FAM for the equipment, which he said will boost the performance of their teams, saying: “The students will be happy to use this high-end equipment which we have been waiting for some time.

In November last year, Salima, FAM and CAF collaborated to purchase the schools electric cooking pots worth US$40,000; maize mill maintainance (US$2,000); football pitch maintenance (US$17,000); fence construction (US$160,000) and the sports equipment (US$6,000).

Haiya officially commissioned the cooking pots at the school’s rehabilitated kitchen from the same prize money.—Content by Fa.mw; edited by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express