World Vision Malawi Allocates K31 Million for Mangochi Football Bonanza
This announcement was made during a stakeholder meeting held in Mangochi on Tuesday.
Mangochi, Malawi - In a bid to raise awareness about the crucial indoor residual spray (IRS) program in the fight against Malaria, World Vision Malawi has pledged K30,984,000.00 in support of the upcoming football bonanza in Mangochi district, writes Francis Polinyu Banda.
This announcement was made during a stakeholder meeting held in Mangochi on Tuesday.
The meeting was convened to address challenges encountered during previous IRS campaigns, particularly the resistance from some households when spray operators visited villages to combat the spread of malaria, a disease transmitted by mosquitoes.
The football bonanza, scheduled to run from September 16th to October 13th, 2023, will feature 32 teams representing seven district sporting zones, competing in rounds one and two to determine the best teams.
The top two teams will be awarded K350,000.00 and K250,000.00, respectively.
Additionally, the third-place winner and the best-performing loser will receive K150,000.00 and K100,000.00, respectively.
Medasi Ngosi, World Vision Global Fund project officer for Mangochi, emphasised the significance of using football bonanzas to raise community awareness about IRS campaigns.
She highlighted that most villagers are passionate about football, making it an ideal platform for educating them about the importance of the IRS and the risks associated with rejecting the initiative.
"World Vision uses football bonanzas to reach out to communities with IRS messages because we've noticed that most people in the villages love football. This year, we are committing over K30 million for the bonanza, which will also help nurture grassroots football talent while engaging the youth," Ngosi explained.
Last year, World Vision enlisted national football players and musician Skefa Chimoto as ambassadors to bolster IRS awareness campaigns, inspiring young players with their success stories.
Ngosi revealed that a similar strategy is in place for this year's bonanza.
Mangochi district environmental health officer Atusaye Mbisa emphasised the vital role played by the indoor residential spray campaign in reducing hospital congestion.
Malaria has posed a significant threat to healthcare service delivery, particularly infant mortality rates.
"Since the inception of the IRS campaign in the district, we have witnessed a remarkable decline in the number of malaria patients in our hospitals, a decrease in infant mortality, and reduced demand for malaria treatment.
As the Mangochi district health office, we urge community members to embrace house spraying when the campaign returns to their areas," Mbisa stated.
Notably, Mangochi district faces resistance to IRS campaigns in some areas due to cultural beliefs. Currently, there are seventeen zones in the district where indoor residential spray campaigns are conducted.
World Vision Malawi's commitment to the football bonanza aims to address these challenges while advancing the fight against malaria.