National Football Coaches Association (NFCA) has instituted a committee to lead fundraising efforts for victims of Cyclone Freddy.
The body’s chairperson Aubrey Nankhuni said they feel duty-bound to help out after one of the members was directly affected.
“We are in mourning just like every other Malawian. The loss of life and property is shocking. You may wish to know that one of our members, Mr. MacDonald Mtetemera, lost his house and is being housed by a well-wisher in a guest wing. He is now homeless.
“We are therefore appealing to the general public to help us with anything they can, through our secretariat. We want to reach out to as many victims as possible. We are aware that government and other non-governmental organizations are currently working on the same but that might not be enough to reach out to all the affected people,” Nankhuni said.
Mtetemera, who is coaching TNM Super League side Chitipa United, said he had lost his three-bedroomed house and all his belongings.
“My wife called to tell me about what had happened. She was in tears as she narrated the incident to me. We have lost our self-contained house and whatever we had in it. The brick fence and the steel were the first to be washed away, followed by the whole house.
“The steel gate was also washed away and we have nothing remaining. I don’t even know where to start my life from. But we thank God because my wife and the kids are all alive after abandoning the house and running for safety,” he said.
The intensity of the cyclone compelled President Lazarus Chakwera to declare a state of disaster and 14 days of national mourning.
As of Thursday, the cyclone had claimed 326 lives with many others hospitalised due to various degrees of injuries.
Peter Fote is a Sports Journalist with huge experience in radio and Television reporting, production and presentation. He once worked with Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) and is currently working for Times Media Group.