FDH Bank has offered K4.2 million to Malawi national netball team players to cushion them from negative financial impact of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
The package will see 30 national netball team players receiving K35 000 monthly stipend each for four months from June, meaning each netballer will get a total of K140 000 in her purse.
FDH Bank marketing manager Ronald Chimchere yesterday confirmed the news, saying the package is part of its K360 million three-year netball sponsorship signed last year to cater for the Queens needs, facilitate a national netball tournament and Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) administrative costs.
“This money will be directly deposited in bank accounts of 30 Queens’ players as a relief package to cater for their essential needs during this period where players are forced to stay at home because of Covid-19,” he said.
“FDH Bank, as a netball partner in the country, understands the needs of the Queens’ players. The pandemic has brought unprecedented challenges to the netball fraternity and we feel duty bound to support through intervention.”
Queens captain Caroline Mtukule-Ngwira said the bail-out package will go a long way in alleviating the financial struggles the national team players are going through.
She said it was painful to see their football counterparts getting Football Association of Malawi relief.
Mtukule-Ngwira said: “On behalf of my fellow Queens’ players, I would like to thank the FDH Bank management for the support during this difficult time. We do not take this for granted”
NAM president Khungekile Matiya thanked the bank for considering the plight of Queens players, whose income has been affected by the suspension of sporting activities around the globe.
She said: “NAM realises that its players have been out of action for some months now due to Covid-19. This has affected our girls, who earn a living through netball.
“This relief package is the best solution to reducing the financial stress that our players are going through during this period.”
Former Queens’ captain Emmie Waya-Chongwe yesterday appealed for companies and the government to borrow a leaf from the banks’ gesture.
The International Netball Federation (INF) has not yet come out on (Covid-19) relief package for its affiliates, including NAM.
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