For long time, youths have always been condemned for being violent , drunkards, chain smoker, criminals and womanisers.
Malawi Agenda 2063 to be achieved relies on youths since are being viewed as productive.
In view of the above background, the Malawi NGO, Stephanos Foundation has stepped up its efforts aimed at rescuing these young people from these bad behaviour and reduce their risks.
Stephanos Foundation , Executive Director Dr Clifford Kuyokwa, says one way of reducing risks for the youths by keeping them busy with various sporting activities.
Kuyokwa said when youths when left idle, engage in unproductive behaviours that jeopardise their future. He further said during the long holidays youths need to be kept busy via various strategies such as engaging them in sporting activities.
He said this is where sports evangelism comes in to bridge this gap.
Speaking at Mazengera Primary school Ground in Traditional Authority Mazengera in Lilongwe during the Foundation’s Sports Evangelism Day, Mazengera commended the youths for coming in their large numbers and attend to the day.
“As you know sporting activities are crowd pullers. Stephanos Foundation as a Christian organisation uses sports to engage the youth physically and spiritually. During the games, we share behavioural change messages as well as scriptures with the youth. The model works because we reach out to a large number of youths at the same time,” said Kuyokwa.
In her remarks, Eckima Chikafa, Lilongwe District Council Sports Officer commended Stephanos Foundation for organising the bonanza that saw many youths participating through their respective teams.
“As a council, we appreciate what Stephanos Foundation is doing in engaging the youth right in their respective areas. We can build a better nation with productive youths. Secondly, these tournaments are key in talent identification. Who knows? These players will end up in Super League teams and the national team someday?” Observed Chikafa.
Headmaster for Mazengera Primary School, McDonald Chabwera, said the Foundation’s youth strategy is helping to control bad behaviours among youths in the area.
“As teachers, we keep the youth when schools are in session. However during the holidays, we need partners like Stephanos Foundation to keep them busy,” said Chabwera.
During the games, Mazengera Girls Netball Team beat Tsabango Netball Team with 12 goals to 7. In football, Bango Football Team walloped Nyama Football Team by 3 goals to 1.
What Dr Kuyokwa is doing is in line with Government effort of recognizing the key role that the youth play in development, the Malawi 2063 Vision, which outlines the development aspirations for the nation, puts the youth in the forefront as key implementors to help achieve an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant nation.
