Malawi had been in a lockdown situation since April 2020 like everywhere else in the world. Through this time I was in contact with Wachisa and Rowland getting information about what was happening in reality. Schools were closed and sports activities banned. They both knew the kit was ready to send but they had to hold important planning meetings and organise training courses ahead of the kit being sent in December 2020. By September things began to get back to some normality. Wachisa had a few failed attempts at meeting the senior coaches. One was cancelled because of a community fertiliser registration event and the next due to Wachisa having to attend a meeting in Nkhata Bay about the starting up again of local football. Rowland was playing it by the book and said only after schools are back can he meet the schools. An old friend Steve Fuller had made a £500 donation and we decided to make football goals. We asked Tony the welder to make us a football goal as an example. It was good so we ordered seven more to make four new sets for the Under 12 project. The goals that Wachisa has at the ground we can send to the clusters. I sent the money to Rowland via Western Union and we should get the goals by December. Tony the welder bought the materials he needed and they arrived in Chitipa by bus. When he had agreed to 100,000 MK per set a few months ago he had not anticipated a price rise due to Covid-19. He asked for a little extra and I agreed.  By January 2021 Tony had finished the 4 sets and the painting started. Heavy rains had delayed the painting but a great picture of Tony arrived with him wearing a red hard hat! 

I also spent some money on cones and football pumps. I know that  football life goes on without these things but thought why not. It is all a real encouragement. I bought six more netball hoops and nets. Tony is a great welder but just struggles with netball hoops. We just need some decent 3.25 metre poles and we can make 10 x 2.75 metre U12 height netball posts.  Rowland can put a set in each cluster along with the old football goals that Wachisa is currently using at CCAP.  

Throughout 2020 Wachisa was doing what he loves most, holding training and games at the CCAP. He often sent me pictures that inspired me to keep working hard to raise funds. The restrictions were harsh at times and schools closed and sports gatherings banned. 

In December 2020 Wachisa held the meeting with all the senior coaches of the 11 Chitipa football clubs. They all know about me and we have met before on previous trips. Wachisa outlined the ongoing development of U12 football. Each club was asked to select two potential Young Coaches to attend a training course to be delivered by Wachisa. The clubs in return would receive material support in terms of kit, boots and balls. The planned course due before Chrsitmas as requested by me was postponed a few times due to heavy rains, school exams and Rowland being inefficient. Eventually some great pictures and videos arrived that made me smile. 

The donated kit was having a really positive impact in Chitipa. It seemed to inspire Wachisa and Rowland to another level. Wachisa held a 2nd three day Young Coaches training course. There were 30 participants from 9 new football clubs keen to get involved in the initiative. We now had 21 clubs involved and a total of 56 Young Coaches trained.   

Rowland Harawa had invited the Malawi Netball Association to Chitipa to hold a coaching and umpires course. It led to a new contact for Community Sports Leaders Africa. Four young coaches from The William Stewart Foundation were attending. The Foundation is based in a village called Ibuluma near Chisenga. We were able to support the four with training tops, trainers, netballs, t shirts and caps.  

In August as government Covid-19 restrictions are eased, football started to return to Chitipa. The Chitipa U17 league got under way. It had 10 teams involved. all of which had attended the Community Sports Leaders Africa sponsored 'Young Coaches Training' Courses. Each of the teams had been given a new kit, balls and training equipment. Very soon U14 and U12 would start. 

At the end of August, Wachisa Munkhondijah and two of his Young Coaches travelled to Ibuluma near Chisenga to hold a 2 day football training course at the William Stewart Foundation. It was a great success with over 30 senior and young football coaches from 4 local clubs in Chisenga zone attending.  Hopefully this will be the first of many collaborations as Community Sports Leaders Africa begins to support other zones in Chitipa. 

I finally lost patience with Rowland in his attempts to get a school cricket festival organised. I ask him to distribute the cricket equipment in the hope that schools would start playing. He held an event and the 14 schools were given the equipment. Schools had been reluctant to start sports because of government regulations over Covid-19.  

Through September to November, Wachisa and his committee ran the Chitipa U17 and U14 leagues. The kits that were sent were proudly worn and encouraged the teams. When the leagues were successfully completed, all focus was on an U12 8 a side festival. Nine teams took part in the festival at Jomba Jomba ground. The new mini goals and nets that Tony had built were used.