* It’s main objective is to celebrate hardworking, kind, development-conscious, innovative and generous Malawians
* To honour great sons and daughters of the soil while they are still alive
* Unlike showering them a veritable avalanche of accolades when they are gone
By Victor Singano Jnr
Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president, Walter Nyamilandu Manda and celebrated local musician, Skeffa Chimoto are among 15 Malawians on the list to be recognized and decorated at the annual Achievers Awards for Excellence scheduled for tomorrow, July 29 at Crossroads Hotel in Blantyre.
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The awards are managed by non-governmental youth organization, Young Achievers for Development (YAD) and in a press statement, YAD Executive Director, Jefferson Milanzie said the initiative — whose main objective is to celebrate “hardworking, kind, development-conscious, innovative and generous Malawians, whose selfless existence continues transforming lives” — will this year honour a total of 15 great sons and daughters of the soil “while they are still alive unlike showering them a veritable avalanche of accolades when they are gone”.
Milanzie said preparations ahead of the event have been finalized and that the awards ceremony will start with a ‘Turning Point Youth Conference’ — which has attracted over 500 youths from public & private universities, private sector, government departments and non-governmental organizations.
Jefferson Milanzie
“We started our preparations some months ago and everything has gone well as we planned and so far we are just waiting for for the big day,” Milanzie. “Let me confirm that the nomination process was one of the toughest task as we all aware that we have a big number of people, who are really making great contributions to the development of the country.
“But had to settle for 15 Malawians whom we believe they have also done well in their societies and the country as a whole,” said Milanzie, adding that Nyamilandu and Chimoto are alongside other nominees that include O.G Issa; Jacaranda Foundation’s Marie da Silva, Deborah Mbale (Mai Mbambande) and Dr Dorothy Chapeyama (founder and chief executive officer of Reunion Insurance, among others
The Achievers Awards for Excellence initiative was introduced in 2021 and it falls in the month of July every year, and last year YAD awarded 12 individuals in the event held at Golden Peacock in Blantyre.
Othakarhaka founder, Ida Puliwa Mwango
Mulanje-based Othakarhaka Charity Foundation, which won the grand prize of K5.5 million of the Old Mutual Malawi’s best short video documentary in the #Sisonke competition last year, was amongst the the recipients of last year’s event Award of Excellence presented in July.
Othakarhaka Charity Foundation came to prominence through winning Old Mutual’s #Sisonke competition — a Zulu word for ‘we are in it together’ (‘tili limodzi’ in Chichewa) — which invited the public to submit simple videos that highlight how everyday heroes and heroines are making a positive impact in their communities in the fight against the pandemic.
The #Sisonke was a Pan-African campaign in four of the countries that Old Mutual international operates in — Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe and Malawi.
Courageous Msasa (right) Courageous Kids Foundation in Chilobwe
The Foundation won the award alongside 12 other awardees that included social media influencer, Pemphero Mphande Schizzo Thomson, Kondwani Kachamba Ngwira, Felie Malola, Tusaiwe Munkhondya, Kondwani Sibale, Vasco Hamid, Brenda Mhlanga and Courageous Mussa — founder of Courageous Kids Foundation in Chilobwe.
Courageous Kids Foundation looks after orphans at the youth-led residential home and academic institution that takes care of 70 street-rescued vulnerable kids, situated deep inside Chilobwe Township at hard-to-reach area of Naotcha.
YAD is a duly registered humanitarian humanitarian national Development-focused, not for profit and non-political organisation that envisions a productive, responsible and purpose driven youths to actively participate in national development.—Additional reporting by Duncan Mlanjira, Maravi Express
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