Football Association of Malawi president, Walter Nyamilandu Manda has assured the football fraternity that the newly launched FIFA Football for Schools will continue even after the pilot phase.
Nyamilandu said this during the launch of the programme at Mpira Village in Blantyre on Friday.
He said: “We are prepared to set aside money from our FIFA project funding because we value the importance of this programme. We need to invest in the youth if we want to be assured of capturing a wider population of Malawi.
The FA leader expressed hope that the programme will be used as part of Physical Education (PE) subject which died a natural death in schools across the country.
FIFA’s Football for Schools manager, Antonio Buenano Sanchez, indicated that the local FA qualified after they successfully applied for the same from the world football governing body.
He however emphasized that the project is not dwelling much on performance but rather giving the children a chance to be in contact with the ball.
“This is a mass participation project where we are trying to give every child the chance to play football and have a chance to have first contact with the game,” said the FIFA instructor.
On his part, Deputy Mayor for Blantyre City, Funny Balaba Kanojerera, described this as a very good initiative which will help not only in football but child upbringing as well.
By being eligible to implement the FIFA Football for Schools programme as a 20th nation in the World, Malawi has been given USD50, 000 as well as 32, 000 match balls for the initiative.
FAM is working together with the Malawi Schools Sports Association (MASSA) and the Ministry of Education for the successful implementation of the project which will be implemented in 12p Primary Schools across the country.
