RVG donates K100m items to flood victims
Out-of-contract Flames coach Ronny van Geneugden (RVG) and his wife Veerle on Wednesday assisted flood victims in Chikwawa with clothes and football equipment worth K100 million.
The coach, who was accompanied by Flames team manager James Sangala when making a donation at Mwalija Camp in the area of Traditional Authority Kasisi, said the items were initially meant for distribution to the poor around the country, but he decided to direct it to Chikwawa due to dire need of support among flood victims.
RVG also clarified that the donations are not meant to influence FAM to consider renewing his contract as national football team coach, saying he started gathering the items from relatives and friends in Genk in Belgium in December 2017.
“There are wrong perceptions that I am doing this to gain favours for contract renewal, but that is not the case. I started soliciting these items in 2017 after I saw the need to help the poor and it is only now that most of the items are arriving in the country,” he said.
“Is it my fault that the containers are arriving in the country now? Is there a wrong time for one to assist the poor? Whether my contract is renewed or not does not matter.”
His wife said their focus was on making the flood victims happy in these distressful moments because: “when one has something new, it brings a good feeling and is a psychological boost in this difficult times”.
One of the beneficiaries Mary Kunyado said she is grateful to the coach for the support.
“I lost most of my good clothes during the floods and I am happy to have received some new clothes,” she said.
Chikwawa district commissioner Lusizi Nhlane said 68 000 people from 15 000 families were affected by the floods. There are 37 camps for flood victims in the district.
Department of Disaster Management Affairs (Dodma) director (disaster response and recovery) Harris Kachale said although government is trying it’s best to help the victims, they still require more support from well-wishers as the need is overwhelming.
