Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Fleetwood Haiya has urged its member associations to take part in environment conservation by planting trees in this country.
Haiya was speaking on Tuesday in Blantyre when he led the Malawi National Women’s Football Team in a tree-planting exercise along a bypass road from Chinyonga Township and Masauko Chipembere Highway.
He said for taking his part, he has led the way for the country’s football governing body’s affiliates and football fraternity to embrace the spirit of conserving the environment.
Said Haiya: “Football is played by players who leave in communities where we need this nature of which being trees. We thought that while the Scorchers are camping for the two games against Zambia, we should come and plant these trees.
“This is not the first time, last year we also planted trees when we had the Four-Nations Tournament as FIFA do encourage us to look after the environment.”
Blantyre City Mayor Joseph Makwinja applauded for the gesture, saying it will significantly contribute to restoring the environment within the city.
“We are very glad for this noble cause demonstrated by FAM president as you are aware that trees are important in our daily lives. Let me thank him for taking the leading role,” he said.
Makwinja urged people to take care of the 40 seedlings planted during the exercise.
Scorchers Vice-Captain Temwa Chawinga commended Haiya for the initiative and urged her fellow players and teams to embrace the spirit.
