Malawi Telecommunications Limited (MTL) on Thursday renewed its romance with MTL Queens by extending for another year sponsorship worth K8 million (about $20 000).
It is now over 10 years MTL has been sponsoring the Blantyre team, effectively becoming the only company to support a top-tier netball club. The amount of sponsorship has been maintained.
MTL players and officials sang and ululated as MTL acting chief commercial officer Zaine Bwanali unveiled the sponsorship at Protea Ryalls Hotel’s Kabula Room.
“If you support a woman, then you have supported the whole nation. We would like to complement government efforts in empowering women. We are proud to be among few companies empowering women,” said Bwanali.
Bwanali, accompanied by MTL corporate affairs manager Tina Das and communications officer Olive Kawelama, said the MTL brand was happy to associate with a netball club that contributes many players to the Malawi Queens.
MTL Queens have always supplied talent to the senior national team such as Mary Waya, Emily Machinjiri, Slyvia Mtetemela Malenga, Anne Kapatuka and Joana Kachilika.
Receiveing the symbolic sponsorship cheque, MTL Queens team manager Kapatuka said: “I would like to express my profound gratitude for the continued sponsorship despite the harsh economic environment. We do not take this for granted.”
In an interview, Kapatuka said they had a long-term survival strategy for the club.
“We have agreed with MTL that we should open a shop and be selling some of their products, earn some money and save as plan B. All along, we have been doing this, but on a small scale. Now we want to go big to ensure our financial stability,” she said.
