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The Ministry of Youth, Sports and Culture and the Malawi Schools Sports Association, (Massa) have hailed Population Services International, (PSI) for sponsoring the Youth Alert Girls football competition, which has exposed some hidden talent in women soccer.
Speaking during the presentation of prizes and medals to winners of the Youth Alert Girls Football competition, both Sports Minister Henderson Mabeti and Massa President Enock Ali noted that the Youth Alert competition had exposed some rare talent in women football, which they said could be of great benefit to the national women football team.
“I have been greatly impressed by the performance of girls in football. If what I have seen at Silver Stadium is anything to go by, we can obviously be assured of a strong national girls football team. Sports can only develop in the country if youth development is taken at heart.
“Let me thank PSI (through its Youth Alert project) for sponsoring this tournament. Without your support, our young girls in secondary schools would not have reached this peak. I urge you to continue sponsoring these girls through Massa,” said Mabeti.
The minister also pledged to pay next term’s school fees for Central West’s Tifa Malunjika, who was named player of the tournament. He also paid K4, 000 (about $44) to South West’s Veronika Makunganya, the only player who played without football boots during the Sunday final.
The girl was also carried off the pitch bleeding after colliding with an opponent.
On his part, Ali hailed PSI for their ‘enthusiasm and willingness to sponsor the competition for second year running.
“Apart from their academic work, girls and the youth in general should be kept busy by doing or watching sports and other such activities, which are not detrimental to their health.
“And in the wake of the HIV/Aids pandemic, the youth should be given accurate awareness messages and information, which will in effect bring about behavioural change in their lives,” said Ali.
PSI’s Resident Director Desmond Chavasse concurred with Mabeti and Ali, saying Youth Alert competition was not just about football.
“It was not just about football but equipping the girls with life skills to prevent them from getting the HIV/Aids virus,” said Chavasse.
Chavasse expressed gratitude to Mabeti and Malawi’s evicted representative at the South Africa’s reality show Big Brother Show, Zein Dhuda for gracing the occasion.
During the function girls from the winning team Central West Division got K2000 each, miniatures and a trophy. South West players got K1000 each plus medals with girls from the third placed side South East receiving K500 each and medals.
Shire Highland’s Patricia Nyaka pocketed K1000, a football and trophy after being voted best goalkeeper. Malunjika went home with a total of K2, 000, two balls, two trophies and a football kit for being the top goal scorer as well as man of the match.
The sponsors also presented a football to each of the participating teams and a T-shirt to each participating player.
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