'Sport Can Change Malawi'

Posted on 12/09/2009

On one side of the world in Malawi, Patricio Kulemeka was training and building an Educational Football League. Meanwhile, Neil Grant in Scotland was busy participating on a leadership development course. Who knew that fate would lead them to build up a Malawi Team to send to the Homeless World Cup with them as Team Managers?

Neil is one of those over achievers who started his own business when he was 16 to help 16-24 year olds find jobs. He then became School Captain of his high school in 2007 whilst simultaneously participating in a selective and intensive leadership course on top of studying for his exams. The Tom Hunter Leadership Course was in its pilot year and saw the 8 candidates go to NY to learn from the Clinton Global Initiative, trek with a paraplegic in the Swiss Alps and then volunteer in Malawi. With the love for Malawi still fresh in his heart, it was when Neil had an opportunity to volunteer in Scotland with Mel Young at the Homeless World Cup office that he envisaged a possibility for Malawi to attend the games the following year.

Neil was then put in contact with Patricio who had already started an organisation called Play Soccer Malawi 4 years earlier. This League was designed for people from disadvantaged backgrounds - non educated or living on the streets due to poverty. Patricio's vision was to use sport as a method to address social issues by providing education along with football to make an impact on the player's mental development, and enable them to belong to a society. "We are creating a platform as way for the government to address homelessness." Patricio's background in sports science, a swimming and gymnastics coach and manager of the Under 17's National squad enabled him to effectively operate this League. So when Patricio and Neil were put in contact - Patricio with the squad and Neil with the proposal and money, Malawi went to Melbourne for the 2008 Homeless World Cup.

Neil met the 2009 Malawi Team for the first time in Milan. Despite being a foreigner amongst the Malawi team, they have gradually begun to relax around him and are very grateful towards him for making this happen. Neil humbly acknowledges that he is just offering assistance, and it's the Malawi's that are the prime movers and shakers. "There is a misconception that we need to help them, but in reality they can help themselves. We can just offer them support."

The Malawi team is comprised of a mixture of characters. Some are street vendors, some live in slums or shanty towns and some of them are orphans. However these graduates all have an obligation upon returning to Malawi to 'Pass It Forward.' The concept is that they have to help in their communities and contribute to the growth of the League by inspiring others. The League currently has 3000 registered youth and plan to grow even bigger in the coming years. The plan for this League is to set up proper infrastructure with a board of trustees, an office and to make is a sustainable organisation. In the words of Patricio, "Sport can change Malawi."

Keren Tuch