Salima Secondary School has benefited from the US$225,000 (about K450 million) prize money that the football team won in the 2022 Cosafa and CAF Schools tournaments.
Out of the money, US$40,000 (about K80 million) was used to buy electric cooking pots.
The school will also use US$160,000 (about K320 million), for construction of the fence, US$17,000 (about K34 million) will cater for the school’s football pitch maintenance, US$6,000 (about K12 million) will go to sports equipment and US$2,000 (about K4 million) will be used for maize mill maintenance.
This was disclosed when Football Association of Malawi President Fleetwood Haiya presided over the commission of the use of the electric pots.
In his remarks, the FAM President Fleetwood Haiya said he was happy that the implementation of the projects drawn from the US$225 million prize money has started.
He said: “I had the honour of commissioning the new electric cooking pots at Salima Secondary School. This is an investment funded through the school’s prize money from the 2022 CAF Schools Championship where Salima Secondary School’s Boys Football Team achieved an impressive runners-up finish. The team, therefore, earned a US$75,000 prize.
Their exploits did not stop there as they went on to claim third place at the Continental Championship adding another US$150,000. Cumulatively, the team secured a total of US$ 225,000. This is the money that is being directed towards impactful school development projects.
“The project is a demonstration on how football can touch livelihoods, making a positive impact on communities.”
He said FAM is committed to seeing these projects come to completion and marking significant steps in supporting youth development, education and football growth in Malawi.
In his remarks, Salima Secondary School Headteacher Sarger Mdalamba said the pots would ease the burden they were facing when cooking meals for the students.
“This is a huge relief for us because we were facing serious challenges in preparing meals for the students because the pots we had were worn out. For two years, we were using pots that use firewood,” he said.
The Central East Education Division also said the electric pots would help conserve the environment.
Malawi Schools Sports Association President Blackson Malamula appealed to the organisers to consider setting aside prize money for the players.
