By Innocent Chamtulo
Mulanje District Sports Officer, Shalif Malunga, has emphasized the importance of leveraging sports as a tool to raise awareness among the youth about the dangers of deforestation.
Speaking during a recent Bonanza organized by Self-Help Africa at Nsuwazi ground in Traditional Authority (TA) Njema, Malunga highlighted that engaging young people in sporting activities presents an effective platform for educating them on environmental conservation and the need to protect the district’s rich natural resources.
“We are calling on government and other stakeholders to support initiatives that combine sports and environmental advocacy to help combat deforestation in Mulanje,” he said.
Self-Help Africa Endev Project Officer, Issah Bakili, said the bonanza was organized to raise awareness about the negative impacts of using traditional stoves on the environment and community livelihoods.
“The chitetezo mbaula we are promoting is both economical and environmentally friendly. It requires less firewood compared to other traditional cooking methods.
“We decided to organize the bonanza to enhance awareness, as football events tend to attract large crowds,” he said.
General Secretary for Mulanje District Football League Association, Jimmy Maloya, commended Self-Help Africa for bringing the bonanza to the district, noting that it has helped scout talented players who can potentially form teams capable of competing at the national level.
“We were fortunate to have a total of eight teams participating in the tournament. In the end, Mkando Warriors and Lujeri Fesh FC made it to the finals, where Fesh FC emerged victorious with a 2–1 win. Lujeri Fesh FC claimed the top position and received a K500,000 prize while Mkando Warriors walked away with K300,000 as runners-up,” he said.
