Sponsor Christopher Chikopa, Manchester Motor Spares Director, presents the donation
By Victor Singano Jnr.
Ahead of the festive season, Blantyre-based First Capital Bank (FCB) Under-20 league side, Manchester Motor Spares FC, on Sunday, November 28 donated various assorted items to the needy youths at Mpemba Reformatory Centre situated along Chikwawa Road.
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The items were 10kgs bags of maize flour, 10 litres of cooking oils, chickens, sugar, bread, biscuits, cases of ThumbsUp juice, soya pieces as well as body lotions, bathing soaps, toothpaste and toothbrushes.
Accompanying the team was their sponsor, Christopher Chikopa — Manchester Motor Spares Director — who said he decided to organize the trip in order to celebrate the brilliant performance showcased by his U-20 team in 2021 Blantyre District First Capital Bank league in their debut season.
Chikopa added that he wanted the team to appreciate and play their corporate social responsibility (CSR) by reaching out to the needy people and support them.
He said they opted for Mpemba Reformatory Centre with the aim of giving an opportunity to the U-20 players to interact with their fellow youths at the centre and give them a word of encouragement as well as give them a little something in celebrating the festive season.
“We are just a newly-established team but what the boys did in the just-ended FCB league gave us some courage and sense of pride.
“Playing in a such competitive league for the first time and to finish on position 6 was a great achievement to us and as part of celebration we thought of sharing this moment with the youths of Mpemba Reformatory Centre.
The bus trip to Mpemba
“The Centre is keeping children who have been in conflict with the law but when we reach out to them they get encouraged to lead a positive life once they are released back into society.”
He added that some of the kids at Mpemba Reformatory Centre are of the same ages as those of his players and some of their objectives are just similar with theirs.
“As we aim to unearth hidden talent among young people and make sure we help them to fulfill their dreams of becoming future football stars and also encourage them to take education seriously, we believe that these childrens will one day come out and join different teams including ours so it is give them counseling and support them,” Chikopa said.
Chikopa
Mpemba Reformatory Centre’s senior duty officer, Osborne Kananji was very overwhelmed with joy, saying the donation has come at a right time when the centre was in need of all the donated items.
Kananji, therefore, expressed that during this period where the country’s economy has been affect negatively by the global CoVID-19 pandemic, well-wishers are not coming forward to support the children like it was in the past.
He said this development has seriously affected them because they lack support, such as food, clothes and other items that help to improve their hygiene.
“We want to recommend Manchester Motor Spares for this wonderful donation,” he said. “The whole management is happy for this support because these items will really bring a positive impact to the lives of the Childrens.
After a tour of the centre
“We expected receiving this type of support. Honestly, this is a timely donation because we had no means of getting them,” he said.
Also accompanying the delegation was National Youth Football Association (NYFA) executive member, Gomezgani Mkandawire who said he was very impressed with the brilliant initiative by management of Manchester Motor Spares, it is a clear indication that the owner of the team is a real football passionate person who wants to bring a change to the local football.
Mkandawire said Manchester Motor Spares has taken a right direction and that it has become a role model of other youth teams in as far as running youths clubs is concerned in the country.
“If we are to develop talent and have great football stars, we just need to follow what Manchester Motor Spares is doing. In just under two years since it’s establishment, it has managed to set a good example by doing wonderful things which is the first of its kind in the history of youth football.
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“Let me urge other teams to emulate this spirit because this is the right way of building good future players who will even play in abroad,” Mkandawire said.
The team’s vice-captain, Anointed Zabron was very thankful to the team’s management for allowing them to visit Mpemba Reformatory Centre, saying the trip has been fruitful as they had time to share stories with their fellow youths at the centre as well as encouraging them to focus much on their education and avoid other immoral behaviours.
Opened in 1959, Mpemba Reformatory Centre, which is under Ministry of Gender, currently has got 21 childrens of 10-15 years and before presentation of the donation, Manchester Motor Spares players were taken to a familiarization tour around the premises to appreciate services offered there such as hostels, kitchen, ICT room
Manchester Motor Spares FC also manages an Under-17 side which plays in NYFA Blantrye District M’mera Mpoyamba League.
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