Report by Lackson Mussa, edited by Devine Matare
The Green and Inclusive Energy (GIE) bonanza roared into action on Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th of October 2019 in Chileka and Lunzu respectively. The first round of games had a good turnout which the facilitators of the bonanza, Renew’N’Able Malawi (RENAMA), described as satisfactory. People from communities surrounding the venues came to watch the selected secondary schools play football and netball matches and at the same time they had the opportunity to obtain information around Green and Inclusive Energy in Malawi.
In Chileka, the event went on well as all teams put much effort in order to win and progress into the semi-finals stage that will payed on the 2nd of November 2019. At the end of the day, Chigumukire CDSS Netball team managed to progress to the next round as Chikuli CDSS did not show up for the game, whilst in the other Netball game, St Georges Private Secondary School overcame Chilangoma CDSS girls by 15 baskets against 13 in a closely contested match. The Football games saw Chigumukire knocking out Chikuli with a decisive 4 goals to 1 win, whereas St George boys were ecstatic as they managed to beat Chilangoma boys with 2 goals to nil.
In Lunzu, Trinity Private Secondary School boys failed to make it into the semi-finals after losing 6-2 to Lunzu Secondary School boys. However, Netballers from Trinity Private Secondary School managed to progress into the semi-finals after beating Lunzu Secondary School with 16-12 baskets in an exciting match. On the other hand, Ngumbe Secondary School Football team proceeded into the semi-finals after they hammered Amazing Grace Private Secondary School boys 2 to nil. Amazing Grace Private Secondary School netballers managed to walk past Ngumbe Secondary School with an easy 25 to 14 baskets win at Lunzu Primary School ground. At the end of both the football and netball matches, the best players from the winning teams received trendy branded GIE T-shirts and Caps.
According to RENAMA’s advocacy and communications officer, Kenneth Mtago:
“This is just the beginning and after this we’ll have a series of more exciting activities in the weeks ahead, this was just a quarter final, we are just getting started“
The bonanza which was developed as one way of educating and raising awareness in rural areas of renewable energy technologies and sustainable energy solutions has had a good start that the RENAMA team hopes to build on as the bonanza continues to climax. In an interview with the Group Village Headman Kudekera of Kuntemwende in Chileka who patronized the event and addressed those in attendance said that he was happy that the message about green and inclusive energy had reached his community.
“As a chief I will continue to encourage people in my community to engage themselves in these new technologies as a way of conserving forests and the environment in which most of them are already destroyed due to rampant charcoal burning and firewood for cooking”.
Catherine Kamchiputu of Nkhumba Village in Chileka who attended the event and can now appreciate the value of renewable energy technologies. She said:
“With these technologies, nature will be conserved as trees won’t be destroyed carelessly; this could also result in more rainfall“.
The bonanza is expected to proceed and reach its climax on the 9th November of 2019 at Lunzu Primary School ground. The final is expected to be a bigger event that will have different organisations showcasing their work around green and inclusive energy.
In the semi-finals which will take place this coming weekend, St George boys will meet Chigumukire boys while girls from St George will fight against Chigumukire girls in Chileka at Chikuli Community ground. Lunzu Secondary School boys will face boys from Ngumbe Secondary School while girls from Trinity Private Secondary School will battle it out with Amazing Grace Secondary School netballers at Lunzu Primary School ground.
The GIE initiative is a strategic partnership of five organizations in Malawi and RENAMA, the facilitator of the bonanza, is running its project called ‘Driving top of the mind awareness on green and inclusive energy’ aiming at sensitizing rural communities in adopting renewable technologies.
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