Sozobal, Basmal applaud CDHIB for K15m package towards invitation tournament next month

CDHIB’s Sungani Mkandawire presenting the cheque to Sozobal’s Raymond Chioko 

* As part part of its corporate social responsibility to promote sportsmanship, health and teamwork

* Basketball as a sport is developing well and would like it to be played at all levels from primary school to college

* Which will result into a strong national team

By Duncan Mlanjira

Having been impressed with the professional manner that Southern Zone Basketball League (Sozobal) organised its ‘Money-in-the-Bank’ tournament that FDH Investment Bank (CDHIB) supported at K3 million in 2022, its sponsorship has been increased for this year’s competition to K15 million.

At the presentation of the sponsorship package at CDHBH head office in Blantyre, Chief Credit Officer, Sungani Mkandawire reaffirmed the bank’s commitment towards supporting the league in managing its season as part of its corporate social responsibility “to promote sportsmanship, health and teamwork”.

“As a Bank, we felt compelled to create value through the sponsorship,” he said. “Basketball as a sport is developing well and it is our hope that the sponsorship will result into further development for basketball in Malawi.  

“We would like to see basketball as a sport being played at all levels from primary school to college which will result into a strong national team.”

The CDHIB Sozobal play-off series, to start in May, is the conclusion of the 2022/2023 end of season. The Sozobal playoffs are currently underway and CDHIB basketball team is in the finals and will play Crazy Warriors.

Both teams have automatically qualified for the Basketball Association of Malawi (Basmal) national finals.

In his vote of thanks, Sozobal chairperson, Raymond Chioko was very upbeat of the increase, saying CDHIB the investment is a great encouragement to the league to perform better.

He added that by increasing the package five times more is an acknowledgement that together they are indeed reigniting the razzmatazz that basketball is associated with.

He said having tested the waters — by even including sponsoring men’s and women’s teams for the tournament which other corporates are no longer supporting — last year’s response by teams was overwhelming as the coming in of CDHIB ignited the passion of the game’s enthusiast.

“In the past, we were organising the playoffs without any sponsorship support but still teams honoured their participation,” he said. “And when CDHIB engaged us with K3 million, the passion and competitiveness increased.

“The package of K3 million was huge to us last year and the increase to K15 million has shown that CDHIB has loved us five more times and we don’t take this for granted. This will most definitely stimulate the teams and the competition amongst teams is going to be very high.”

He added that they are working towards concentrating of uplifting the sport at junior level having been impressed with the performance of Team Malawi during the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Region 5 Junior Games which the country hosted last year in which Malawi were third.

“Team Malawi was inexperienced compared to basketball powerhouses Angola or Mozambique but our juniors’ performance did not disappoint us and if we can empower them, they are bound to match their counterparts.”

Basmal vice-chairperson, Banthari Banda made special recognition of  CDHIB for fielding its own teams, while appealing to other stakeholders to join basketball since they “won’t be disappointed with the hype that is associated with it.”

“The investment will go a long way in supporting the play-offs that had previously been played without any sponsorship and the national leagues which in turn will help to develop basketball in Malawi,” he said.

He thus applauded CDHIB for fielding their own team in both men’s and women’s categories while appealing to other corporates to emulate the example by sponsoring teams and or tournaments to revive the game to its former glory.

This is not the first time for CDHIB to support sports as in December, it sponsored Darts Association of Malawi to host its end of year national championship — the DAM Cup in recognition of positive strides that Malawi darts has achieved over the years at international regional level.

CDHIB injected K2 million as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) in which they assist towards recreation such as sports, health, education, the environment and other social needs.

Just last month,  CDHIB sponsored the Malawi Aquatic Union (MAU) with K2.4 million towards the hosting of national swimming championship which were held at African Bible College (ABC) in Lilongwe.