Emmanuel Mulele presents the dummy cheque to Chikondi on behalf of MSA Women of Substance
* MSA Women of Substance’s objective is to assist underprivileged women and girls in Malawi
* Being so young in her 20’s, we decided to assist her so that she can have long life to assist others in future
* “Words fail me. I thank these women with all my heart and I know I will go into Easter very happy”
* Amkango Fitness has organised a special aerobics session on Easter Monday, March 5 at Kamuzu Stadium
* All proceeds from the entrance fee of K2,000 will go towards Chikondi’s fundraiser
By Duncan Mlanjira
Malawian women living in Seattle, USA have managed to raise $1,840 (K1.453 million) towards the fundraising campaign to send 28-year-old breast cancer-stricken, Chikondi Kazembe to travel to India for specialized treatment.
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Some Malawian concerned citizens and relations initiated the ‘Chikondi Kazembe Fundraise’ committee through social media Facebook, appealing assistance to cover costs for the travel to and treatment in India — quoted at US$15,000 (K11 million).
When the initiative was further publicized on mainstream media, Malawi Seattle Association (MSA) Women of Substance — a group of compatriots living in Seattle, Washington in the US — mobilized themselves with a target of US$1,300 but managed to exceed to $1,840.
The MSA Women of Substance’s objective is to assist underprivileged women and girls in Malawi and its chairperson Faith Simango said she was deeply touched when she read of Chikondi’s plight that “such a young and energetic girl has breast cancer and needs assistance for her further treatment”.
Members of MSA Women of Substance
“I approached my fellow women in our group and immediately initiated a fundraiser [because] as women and also mothers, we felt it necessary to help Chikondi get further medical treatment.
“Her illness falls under our cause and Chikondi being a young lady in her 20’s, we thought, prayed and came together to assist her so that she can have long life to assist others in future.
“As our African proverb says; ‘If we educate a boy, we educate one person. If we educate a girl, we educate a family — and a whole nation’ — thus our intervention.”
Chikondi, the braveheart
She paid tribute to the concerned citizens in Malawi who initiated Chikondi’s cancer plight awareness and rolling out the fundraiser, saying they have done a noble cause to save her life.
Chikondi was diagnosed with left breast cancer stage IIIC on October 5, 2020 and she received chemotherapy at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital on October 7 that finished on January 21.
She then underwent Mastectomy on February 10 and according to doctors’ recommendation, she requires immediate medical attention to be treated by Dr. S.C. Pande, Chief Radiation Oncology and co-Chief Cyberknife, at Atermis Hospital, Gurgaon in India within 8 weeks from March 10, 2021 (on April 20).
Interacting with the fundraising committee
Since Malawian doctors’ recommendation to go for the treatment in India the committee has so far raised over K10,141 million from some fundraising social events.
In her response after the Malawi fundraising committee presented the dummy cheque from MSA Women of Substance on Thursday, Chikondi was at loss of words.
“Words fail me. I thank these women with all my heart and I know I will go into Easter very happy knowing fully well that all is well now.
“I thank everyone all of you for the continued support. I thank the Chikondi Kazembe Fundraising Committee for connecting me with you. I thank all other initiatives that are doing greatly to pull funds together.
“Above all, I thank God. Bless you all,” she said.
Amkango Fitness club in conjunction with Service Touch, has organised a special aerobics session on Easter Monday, March 5 at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre from which all proceeds from the entrance fee of K2,000 will go towards Chikondi’s fundraiser.
Others wishing to contribute can do so through National Bank of Malawi account number 1007327548 under the name Chikondi Kazembe Fundraise at Chichiri Service Centre and through GoFundMe.
Contact persons are chairperson Emmanuel Mulele (ServiceTouch’s Chief Consulting Officer) on +265 888 797 626; secretary Noria Nchingula on +265 999 568 080 and treasurer Peter Khanganya on +265 888 191 845.
Meanwhile, Simango said this is their first project since the formation of the association on February 28, 2020 — the day USA announced that there was coronavirus in Washington State and also recorded the first COVID-19 related death.
“Since then we have been on lockdown until now as things have started opening up slowly and we are expecting to have a meeting soon to map our way forward.
Appeal from Sandra Sharon Kamanga