By Chilungamo Missi
Blantyre, March 27, Mana: Step Kids Awareness (STEKA) an organisation that looks into the welfare of street children, has embarked on a project of stadium construction in Blantyre as one way of promoting sports development.
In an interview on Monday, STEKA Executive Director, Godknows Maseko said while the stadium which is being constructed in Lirangwe will be promoting sports development, it will also be an income-generating facility for the organisation.
“We need to look into work of self-sustainability, as an organisation, we have a lot of projects and we have children who need school fees, food, and other necessities so we can not only rely on donors.
“We thought it wise to come up with income generating activities like construction of the stadium and when it is done, through hiring it out, we will be able to keep children in school. A child can also not grow well if you exclude sporting activities from his or her life,” he said.
Maseko added that Blantyre does not have enough recreation centres and STEKA keeps many children some of them have passion for sports but due to lack of sporting facilities, they fail to realise their goal hence the need to construct the stadium to ensure that there is sound physical, mental and economic development.
He added that the construction of the 15,000-seater stadium project is expected to end in two years’ time and is budgeted to the tune of K100 million.
The work is being funded by the organisation’s partners in Germany but Maseko was quick to say that well-wishers are welcome to help.
Blantyre district Director of Education, Youth, and Sports, Paul Chiphanda hailed the move saying it will contribute towards sports development in Blantyre and the country at large.
Chiphanda urged STEKA to work with all relevant authorities in the development.
