Listed commercial bank, NBS Bank plc has announced the K15 million sponsorship of the Football Association of Malawi (FAM) Charity Shield scheduled for this weekend.
The proceeds of the Charity Shield match which will be played on Saturday at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre and will involve Nyasa Big Bullets and Silver Strikers, will go towards helping victims of Tropical Ana storm in Chikwawa and Nsanje districts.
Announcing the sponsorship in Blantyre Wednesday, NBM Bank plc Chief Executive Officer Kwanele Ngwenya said the Bank has always supported the community in which it operates and it is extending its support to not only fulfil its social responsibility, but to also support FAM in bringing the Malawian people to their most beloved game of football through this Charity Shield.
“We believe that sports in this country contribute a lot to the society in terms of entertainment, employment as well as national unity and development. This important element, when leverages on to support the needy, fits in perfectly with NBS Bank’s slogan and practice of being a caring bank which has been changing a lot of lives through various initiatives and promotions like rewarding our customers with houses, cars and cash prizes.”
“When a country’s people are in need, it must become the agenda for every corporate and citizen to be a part of providing a solution. Many have been affected by the natural disasters that have happened most recently and NBS Bank feels that these heart-breaking scenes of people having their homes destroyed and their belongings washed away are an opportunity to use our resources to offer hope to others,” said Ngwenya.
He hailed FAM for putting together the Charity Shield to help in something that is of National importance.
“This is indeed taking football beyond being just a game and one of relevance to Malawi. You have lived up to ‘Raising the bar’,” said Ngwenya.
FAM president Walter Nyamilandu thanked NBS Bank for bankrolling the Charity Shield.
“Let me welcome NBS Bank back to the world of football. We have been waiting for this opportunity for a very long time. When we heard the news that NBS Bank will sponsor the Charity Shield we were very excited.”
“We have foot print in the country everywhere as football is played in every district where NBS Bank is also visible. We are looking forward to this opportunity of working together to promote your brand and to also let you play a role in developing football.”
“This window of opportunity is huge coming at a time Malawi national team did very well at the recent Africa Cup of Nations we needed some form of appreciation from the corporate world and the bank is the first institution to come forward and partner football because of the fruits that the people of Malawi were able to see at Africa Cup of Nations,” explained Nyamilandu.
The Charity Shield was introduced in 2016 and for the first two years it was a one-day event, involving the national league champions and national cup winners.
In 2018 and 2019 it involved four teams: national league champions, national cup champions, national league runners up.
The competition did not take place in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
This year the competition has reverted to the original format of a one-day event involving two teams.
