Vortnet representative in Malawi, Austin Mkandawire presenting the kit to Blantyre Girls and Namiwawa players
* By giving primary school children, including the marginalised, a platform to showcase their football skills
* Using football to combat child labour, drug & substance abuse, teen-age marriages, HIV/Aids & STI, school-dropout, violence and exploitation
By Duncan Mlanjira
Malawi Grassroots Soccer Development Foundation (MGSDF) is taking a pass less trodden through a robust and all-inclusive programme that leaves no one behind — targeting primary school girls and boys, including the marginalised to showcase their football skills.
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Founded by Canada-based Malawian football administrator, Willy Yabanya Phiri, alongside a team of seasoned football development enthusiasts — drawn from diverse backgrounds but united at the umbilical cord of passion for the game — MGSDF is a non-profit making organisation duly registered in Malawi and Canada.
Its objectives include giving primary school children, including the marginalised, a platform to showcase their football skills and using football to combat child labour, drug & substance abuse, teen-age marriages, HIV/Aids & STI, school-dropout, violence and exploitation.
It also aims at developing technical and entrepreneurial skills and capacity-building as well as creating stakeholder partnerships and collaborations.
One of the partners is UK-based Vortnet which got involved in School Football Festival on December 8, 2024 at Kamuzu Stadium that attracted four primary school girls teams — Namatapa, Chisawani, Namiwawa and Blantyre Girls.
Vortnet invested into the football bonanza with football kits but due to logistical challenges, only two sets arrived ahead of the tournament, which were given to eventual champions, Namatapa and their runners-up Chisawani.
The other two sets were finally delivered and were officially presented to the two teams at a ceremony held today, Friday at Blantyre Girls Primary School in Ndirande, Blantyre by Vortnet representative in Malawi, Austin Mkandawire.
“Mkandawire said Vortnet believes in “the power of football that brings together diverse minds, inculcates the spirit of discipline as well as deal with issues of health well being, including mental health”.
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“Our support to Malawi Grassroots Soccer Development Foundation of honouring the pledge to dress all four teams, is an enhancement of a partnership in order to nurture the young talent,” he said.
Blantyre Girls Primary School Headteacher, Juliet Khembo was all grateful, saying the uniform will motivate the girls team, which played the December tournament without proper sports attire.
The PEA also asked MGSDF to reach out to other of the 64 primary schools in Blantyre City the football kits in order for them to be organising regular matches against each other to enhance skills and talent development.
The event was also graced by representative of Malawi Schools Sports Association (MASSA), which is in partnership with MGSDF in football development programme, as well as Primary School Advisor (PEA) for Ndirande Zone Ireen Chamwala.
In his statement Yabanya Phiri — who is former sponsor for TNM Super League side, Karonga United — indicated that Malawi’s football focus has always been on established structures of junior football, second tier leagues and the elite Super League, leaving out the grassroots primary school level.
Thus he and his fellow founders decided to take the path less trodden and to include the marginalised children such as the physically challenged and mentally challenged children.
Willy Yabanya Phiri
“MGSDF is here to complement football development efforts of the Ministry of Sports, Malawi National Council of Sports, Football Association of Malawi (FAM), MASSA, National Coaches Association, National Referees Association, regional leagues and the Super League of Malawi (SULOM).
“The Foundation will fill gaps; forge strategic partnerships with local and international stakeholders; impart football knowledge and life skills on the boy and girl child — thereby ensuring the development of the entire human being through life and survival skills using education and sports as the vehicle.”
MGSDF’s mission is to equip soccer talent among vulnerable and non-vulnerable boys and girls with necessary life skills so that they realise their in-born talent, and exploit their potential to the fullest.
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It also aims to help the boys and girls in becoming self-reliant with different social skills — hence fighting poverty and unemployment which is rampant among the youth in Malawi.
In its vision, the Foundation shall strive to develop a significant crop of boys and girls by imparting to them high-level football and life skills in order to rescue them from poverty, early marriages, drug& substance abuse and unemployment through education and sports.
In calling for more partnership MGSDF says: “Come and be part of this exciting journey as we watch the next generation of football stars take their first baby steps, getting acquainted with the ball, juggling in a typical vernacular way we call Da-da-da.”
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