Educationist, sports commentator hail Chakwera over charity golf tourney

Malawi: Benedicto Kondowe, an educationist, has praised President Lazarus Chakwera for establishing the Annual Presidential Charity Golf Tournament, saying it will go a long way toward addressing the barriers that underprivileged students face in obtaining tertiary education, writes Watipaso Mzungu.

Chakwera unveiled the tournament this morning at a brief ceremony at Lilongwe's Kamuzu Palace.

The charity tournament, among other things, aims to raise funds for the payment of tuition fees for underprivileged students and the support of the poor.

In response to the development, Kondowe, who is also the Executive Director of the Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC), described the intended assistance to poor and underprivileged students as timely and insufficient.

He stated that the assistance will allow underprivileged students to gain access to education, remain in school, and complete their education.

"The support gap has been growing year after year, exposing such children to greater risks, such as street children, alcohol and substance abuse, early marriages, and other social behaviours. As a result, the assistance could potentially improve their livelihood and future prospects or opportunities," he explained.

Kondowe urged Malawians to support the initiative, emphasizing that education has the potential to lift underprivileged students out of poverty and transform them into self-sufficient, responsible citizens.

He claims that focusing on poor and underprivileged students will transform golf, which has traditionally been elitist, by reconnecting it with those in need.

He said: "In this sense, golf has the potential to improve its ability to use the sport as a tool to reach out to the underprivileged. In my opinion, all capable Malawians should support the initiative by making in-kind donations in addition to the sport itself. It is critical to promote the initiative's transparency and accountability. It must also be depoliticized in terms of how donations are used so that the very poor are reached regardless of political divides or personal interests.”

Sports commentator George Chiusiwa, on the other hand, believes President Chakwera's initiative will help to improve the well-being of Malawi's poor and underprivileged citizens.

Chiusiwa went on to say that the Annual Presidential Charity Golf Tournament is a worthy cause in and of itself, as it promotes equal educational access and advocates for a more inclusive education system in the country.

"Inclusive education has long been a rhetorical song, as this educational approach has not received adequate policy support," he said.

"What is particularly significant about the presidential initiative is that golf as a sport is patronized by a certain class of people who are financially well off, and it is also adequately supported by the corporate sector.”

"Essentially, this means a meaningful corporate social responsibility toward improving the welfare of poor people," Chiusiwa added.

“As a result, the golf sport stands to gain prominence and popularity among ordinary Malawians, attracting more patrons and players. Furthermore, the presidential call has the potential to attract more corporate sponsors to the sport."

Chiusiwa advocated for proper government policy direction on how sectors such as sports can help alleviate the plight of the poor.

He stated that initiatives like the one proposed by the President should be included in the national sports development policy agenda.

"It is past time for the country to recognize the interconnected benefits of various aspects of socioeconomic development through the use of progressive policy tools," he advised.