Funded by the Loreen JM Banda Foundation
Meet the Lions Football Club. A group of young people from the less developed areas of Lilongwe like Biwi, Kaliyeka, Chipasula, Area 36 and many more who are very passionate about football. They meet on a weekly basis to train and once a very month they have a competitive match against another team.
Each competitive match costs the team roughly 12.5 Euros (10,000MK) as a minimum contribution fee. This adds up to around 150 euros in a year without the other extra costs that might come up.
With each competitive game they play, if they win they go home with 25 euros, if they draw they go home with 12.5 euros and if they lose they go home with nothing. They use this money for other running costs like buying water during matches, soap for washing their borrowed football jerseys, etc. They are playing football with borrowed jerseys, no boots, no socks, no football… They do not have a trainer/coach. And yet they are making it work. They are still united though now and then they lose players or unable to find a playground but somehow they do manage to have games. This is going to be the main challenge of this project in the coming months to ensure the cohesiveness of the team and attract more young people to join.
These young people do not earn anything from playing football apart from the satisfaction of doing something that they love with the little they have without burdening anyone.
That mentality is what moved me to support them. I saw in them a fighting spirit against all odds. Knowing exactly what they want, doing all they can in a moral way to achieve their goal without stepping on someone´s toes. I consider it one of the rarest traits in human beings.
And these are exactly the kind of projects/people I would like to support. Each of us has problems but it all comes down to our definition of the word problem. How did the problem come about? What are we doing to solve the so called problems? Are we just waiting for others to take care of our problems and we enjoy life? Are we more interested in living above our earnings? Do we want to show off to the world at the expense of others?
Most of us we try as much as we can to squeeze each and every penny from others even though we are in a position of taking care of ourselves. And our Malawian culture doesn´t help at all on this front. It is acceptable to live with your relatives and contribute nothing to the running cost of the house when you are working. It is acceptable to go out and expect the other person to foot the whole bill. As a result you see people claiming not to have money but they are buying expensive phones, eating in restaurant every day and yet can´t take care of their basic needs and expect someone to do it for them. I just want to highlight that when I say people in need for the LJMB Foundation, I am excluding this category.
The Loreen JM Banda Foundation is all about making very small steps that means a lot to those in need in various ways. This foundation is for the marginalised people who do not have anywhere to go or anyone to lean on. We are here for them and together we will make this world a better place for all.
Aim of the project…
To support in keeping the nation physically active at a minimal cost (something that is being eroded as most people are no longer walking or doing much physical labour as they used to before) by providing space and supporting material for young people to work out and show case their talent.
Consequently this will keep the youth off the streets and from their smart phones. It will also help in having a healthy nation that takes care of its wellbeing and hence reduce the rise in obesity and other non-communicable diseases that are increasing with each passing day in the third world as lifestyles have changed.
Similar projects and or with modifications will be implemented in the coming period in other areas of the country.
How to support…
We are looking for donations to cover the monthly football matches. Our target is to have a 12 months buffer of funds. Most individuals prefer their donations to be anonymous so feel free to contact me for further information on how you can make a donation. However for transparency purposes we will be assigning codes to those that want to remain anonymous when indicating who has covered which match.
We also need someone to coach the team on a voluntary basis. Those that are not from Malawi my family will host you. Link up with me for further information.
The team needs jerseys, socks, water bottles and other sporting gear needed for a football match. If someone is in a position to donate this, most welcome.
Each month we will be posting clips and pictures from the games played and we will be introducing one player from the club. The donor for each competitive game will be mentioned too as per agreement with the donor (code or real name). Check The Lions FC video and photo section coming up shortly…
Gratitude…
The support that I have received from my loved ones, family, friends and colleagues has been amazing. When I embarked on this journey I was uncertain on how it will turn out, if it will work or not, however, with each passing day am more and more convinced that it has been a right decision. As am posting this article, I have already secured funds for the coming 5 games from different people (a childhood friend of mine now living in Nkhotakota, 2 Malawians whom I have just met in Bangladesh, 2 Ethiopian colleagues of mine) and received pledges from others like my lovely Mumu. Let´s keep those funds and ideas coming.
Special thanks to my amazing boys who are so excited and actively involved in this project. They keep on pushing me to make sure that I stick to my commitment to the club. They are willing to forgo some of their treats to make sure that the club has funds for their game. After seeing a clip of the team playing football, my little one told me that it´s ok if I don´t buy him his game as long as I provide funds for the team. This was a big push for me to continue with this project. So thank you boys… And my family (plus the new addition to the family Mthuzi), you are just great. Always having my back no matter how crazy my ideas may sound. You keep on having the same selfless spirit like Dad and Mum. I am certain that with you on my side, this will work and we will be able to replicate it in other districts/communities in Malawi.
We do not need much to make a difference. Definitely each small step contributes to a better world for all…