Ma Stars reign in Baby Terry fundraising tourney
Ma Stars reigned in the Baby Terry Fundraising Social Football Tournament at Country Club Limbe (CCL) in Blantyre on Saturday after beating SR Socials 1-0 in the finals.
Thoko Chilimampunga’s strike in the dying minutes of the match was enough for Ma Stars to win the tournament.
Twenty-four teams from within the Blantyre and Districts Social Football League (BDSFL) fold took part in the day-long event aimed at raising funds for seven-month-old Terry Nyirenda to go to India for a liver transplant.
other officials look on
“It feels great to be the champions. However, what is more important is that we have contributed to the fundrasing campaign that aims at saving the life of baby Terry,” said Ma Stars captain Tiwonge Kaira.
The baby was diagnosed with Biliary Atresia; a rare life-long and life-threatening liver disease in babies, wherein the bile ducts are blocked or absent. She, therefore, needs about K30 million for the transplant which cannot be done in Malawi.
The tournament’s organising committee was yet to disclose the total sum raised through the event but according to her uncle Jibu Nyirenda, their countrywide fundraising drive has so far raised K27.3 million and K1.9 million is needed to meet their target.
“We appreciate the support we have so far acquired from the general public so far. We have planned to take baby Terry to India on February 17 and this could not be possible without this support,” Nyirenda said during prize presentation.
BDSFL chairperson Dida Zingwangwa, who was accompanied by guest of honour Malawi Supreme Court of Appeal Judge Frank Kapanda, said they felt obliged to help the baby get proper treatment in India.
