SA-based marathoner distributes COVID-19 relief food hampers to underprivileged Malawian children

By Duncan Mlanjira

South Africa-based athlete Gloria Chitedze finally sent a consignment of COVID-19 relief food hampers which she procured from funds she realised in a charity marathon challenge she did on June 14 together with her South African colleague, Ntabaleng Tsusane.

The two completed 45.5kms each in a time of 4.59hrs in the Virtual Race of Legends challenge to raise funds to procure foodstuffs for children, whose parents have been affected by the COVID-9 lockdown due to job losses.

Each hamper of 13ltr pail had 5kgs of maize flour, two packets of Soya pieces, 1kg sugar, 500g of salt, 1kg beans, two bars of soap and to face masks and the first distribution was done by her sister to 5 orphans at her church and 35 Zomba kids received theirs on Sunday at Zomba Development Center.

Stewart ‘The Cyclist’ Kambewa has been tasked to distribute to 15 more kids in Blantyre, an assignment he pledged to commit on Saturday to make a total of 50 beneficiaries.

Athletics Association of Malawi and Southern Region Athletics board officials, Benadicto Makumba and Francis Munthali, who coaches for the Zomba kids, represented Chitedze.

Chitedze could not be present to deliver herself because of the foreign travel restrictions in her host country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The beneficiary kids are mixed — some are orphans and others are needy from poor backgrounds from the villages around Zomba,” Chitedze said.

“Benedicto started coaching them to give them something to fall on and nurture talent in them and from this group we have 12 good athletes he has groomed.

“They are talented and hard working and are at the level where they can compete nationally. I came to know these kids when I started the running gear donation campaign.

“I help them with training gear and now with COVID-19 I found there was need to assist with food and the protective gear like masks.

Zomba Development Center is a nonprofit institution helping to build sport talent in needy children. It branched off from Nyakamba Running Club owned by coach Francis Munthali, who is also working hand in hand with Benedicto in coaching these kids.

Thirty five-year-old Chitedze from T/A Mkanda in Mchinji District, has been based in South Africa and for the past six years she has been running under the banner of Atlantic Athletic Club (AAC) in Cape Town, with which she has participated in over 10 full marathons and many half marathons.

This year she had intended to take a mile further by participating in the taxing 90kms Comrades Marathon having felt she now has matured enough as a runner to give it a shot — only for COVID-19 to creep in and force the annual event to be cancelled.

Instead she channeled her energy to assist the underprivileged and orphaned children of ages up to 13, based in the rural areas of Malawi.

In her post on www.backabuddy.co.za advertising her charity challenge, Chitedze had said “a smiling child brings light to every home. Smiling children can shine the whole world. It’s in the eyes of a child where hope is often restored.

“To have a better world tomorrow, we have to teach the children, and no better lessons begins without love and care. To care for each other even in the midst of the hardest times.

“COVID-19 has stolen so much at the moment — dreams, hopes and smiles have been lost due to the impact of lockdown on most employees and small businesses.

“To teach a child love and care, you have to show them how it’s done,be the example you want to see. You cannot teach a hungry child and no child should go to bed hungry,” she had said.