Football Association of Malawi (FAM) and NBS Bank have on Thursday morning donated K30.5 million realised from the 2023 NBS Bank Charity Shield match and the 2023 African Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifier involving the Malawi and Egypt to Tropical Cyclone Freddy victims and Flames Legends.

Speaking during the Cheque presentation ceremony at Mpira Village in Chiwembe, FAM General Secretary Alfred Gunda said the association divided the beneficiaries into four categories: football legends, football coaches whose houses were damaged, football players and some affected families from Mtauchira Village, Traditional Authority Likoswe in Chiradzulu.

“We embark on a Corporate Social Responsibility cause at the beginning of every football season through the Charity Shield. This year, with the help of our partner NBS Bank , we thought of reaching out to those affected by Cyclone Freddy as well as our football legends.

“This presentation underscores our strong belief that football is a force for good and NBS Bank’s continued support significantly helps the cause,” Gunda said.

Former Flames goalkeepers Clement ‘Chimbalame’ Mkwalula and the late Boniface Maganga, through his family, became the first beneficiaries of the legends programmes got  K1.5 million and K1 million respectively.

The second category of beneficiaries  targeted coaches and players who were affected by the tragedy. FCB Nyasa Bullets Reserves and Malawi U17 National Team Assistant Coach Enos Chatama, Chitipa United mentor McDonald Mtetemera and the Malawi National Beach Soccer team captain Sandram Saddi, whose houses were affected by Cyclone Freddy also received 1K1 Million each.

Lastly, over K23 million has been sent to Malawi Red Cross Society, who will lead the construction of low-cost houses for four families that lost their houses to the Cyclone in Mtauchira Village, TA Likoswe, Chiradzulu, and the family of under U-16 football player Mahara Mpholiwa, who lost his life in Chilobwe Township, Blantyre.

The remaining K1.9million will be used to buy groceries at the time the families will be officially getting their new houses.

NBS Bank chief executive officer Kwanele Ngwenya said as a caring bank, his firm is committed to getting involved in charity work and they are happy with the positive marks that are left behind through such initiatives.

Malawi Red Cross president Innocent Majiya hailde FAM and NBS for the gesture saying the donation has come at a right time as the response to the Cyclone Freddy has advanced to recovery phase and providing permanent shelter to the victims is one of the responses.

Majiya added that the Society will make sure that the construction of the houses will be completed in 30 days.

Speaking on behalf of benefificaries, Mkwalula said they were happy to have benefitted from the FAM and NBS Bank charity initiative.

“We are happy that FAM and NBS have realised the need to support us through this initiative. We hope this will continue because our problems are many,” he said.