FATSANI FC TAKES PEACE MESSAGE BEYOND THE PITCH WITH ELDERLY CARE INITIATIVE
By Noel Chatepa
On Saturday, 20 September 2025, Fatsani Football Club, one of the teams competing for the 20 Million Kwacha Bishops Peace Trophy, took a significant step beyond the football pitch in promoting the trophy’s theme: “Addressing violent conflicts through football.” The team visited the home of 86-year-old Liliana Nkhwazi in Malema 1, Karonga town showing their commitment to support for the elderly.
During the visit, players from the under-20 team donated various essential items that they had collectively contributed. These included blankets, maize flour, soap, sugar, and cooking oil among others. Team manager Fatsani Mkakama emphasized that this initiative aligns with their ongoing efforts to give back to the community. “We started doing these charity works in 2022 as a way of giving back to the community,” Mkakama stated. “This year’s trophy has motivated us to do even more. We believe that this act instills a culture of helping the elderly in our young players hence we will have fewer cases of violence against them within our community.”
The impact of this initiative was also reiterated by Linda Kayira, daughter of Liliana Nkhwazi. In an interview with her, she expressed gratitude for the gifts received and highlighted how such acts reflect positively on the development of good character in the young footballers. “They are being raised with good character as they are able to remember the elderly with their limited resources,” she said. She encouraged them to continue these charitable efforts and also do the same for others in need.
In a separate interview, Mr. Vincent Bwinga, Project Officer for the Karonga Diocese Justice and Peace Desk (CCJP) expressed satisfaction with the efforts being made by local football teams to promote peace through the ongoing Bishop’s Peace Trophy.
“As a desk, we are impressed with the initiatives that the teams are taking,” Bwinga said. “We have witnessed such initiatives among the 16 teams that are remaining in the trophy. What Fatsani FC has done is a very good initiative and a very good call to others. It is one of the areas that we are focusing on in the Bishop’s Peace Trophy so that the elderly are well protected from violence across the district, and it is a call to the youth that they should continue learning how to support the elderly.”
Bwinga further highlighted that teams have not only competed in football but have also taken up the responsibility of promoting peace messages among their supporters, with traditional leaders playing a key role in spreading those messages.
“We have seen the chiefs taking a leading role to ensure that there is peace in the community by civic educating the youth in their community,” he said. “As a Diocese, we will continue mentoring the youth and chiefs on the importance of having peaceful communities in Karonga.”
The Bishops Peace Trophy was established as an initiative aimed at combating belief-inspired violence within Karonga communities. It is being played across various communities and is funded by the Diocese of Karonga.