MBTS Partners with FAM

By: Andrew Cane Chilapondwa

For the first time in history, Football Association of Malawi (FAM) and Malawi blood Transfusion services (MBTS) have entered into a partnership which will see the two parties working together during the 2016 Chifundo Shield Cup organized by the country’s FA.

The official signing ceremony took place at Mpira Village in Chiwembe on Monday afternoon.

Speaking during the ceremony, FAM’s Commercial Director Limbani Matola said the Shield Cup will see football mobilizing football lovers to donate blood as part of the partnership.

In his remarks, the association’s President Walter Nyamilandu said he was happy to see football joining the noble work of saving lives through donating blood to the needy.

“Time has come for FAM to mobilize all football lovers in the country to donate blood to the needy. It will be easy for Malawi Blood Transfusion Services to collect more than 20 thousand units on the match day because football lovers will be at the Stadium watching their teams.

“It’s not good just to collect from the general public without giving them back. Through this partnership, we will give back to the public considering the fact that football is hugely followed by millions in Malawi. We will not just stop there, we will keep on mobilizing people to donate blood,” he said.

MBTS Chief Executive Officer Natasha Nsamala hailed FAM for the partnership.

“We all know that football is followed by millions of people in the country as such, we thought it wise to partner FAM with the aim of encouraging Malawians to donate blood to the needy.

Annually, we need 80 thousand units of blood to reach out to the needy but as of today, we have just managed to collect 30 thousand units and with this partnership, we can collect more blood from well-wishers.”

“We are very grateful to the FA for this partnership. This shows commitment from them as it will give opportunity to people who are in-need of blood to get the much needed support from Malawians who patronizes football matches,” she said.

This will be the first Shield Cup in Malawi’s history organized by the FA.

Super League winner Big Bullets will play host to Carlsberg Cup champions Mighty Wanderers at Civo Stadium in Lilongwe on 9^th April, 2016.