The Rotary Club of Lilongwe has successfully raised MK37 million through a fundraising Bed Race competition held in the capital on Saturday morning, exceeding their initial target by MK7 million.
The event, which took place along the Memorial Tower stretch in Area 18 from 8:30 to 11:00 AM, attracted seven competing teams and support from major corporate sponsors.
Speaking after the event, Rotary Club President George Naphambo expressed gratitude for the overwhelming support. “Our target was to raise about MK30 million and we have managed to get MK37 million. We are grateful for the financial support from the sponsors,” he said.
The National Bank of Malawi emerged as the leading sponsor, contributing MK16 million in direct sponsorship and an additional MK3 million through participation fees for three teams. FDH Bank also made a substantial contribution of MK10 million to the cause. The remaining funds came from participation fees, with teams paying MK1 million each to compete in the race.
Out of ten registered teams, seven participated in the competition. MDF Team Two won the race, with MDF Team One finishing second and QuickTlak taking third place.
Other participating teams included National Bank of Malawi, Malawi Revenue Authority, and Umodzi Park.
According to Naphambo, the funds will support several community initiatives, with a primary focus on the Area 25 Women Waste Management Group. “The project that we have is waste management which is aimed at empowering women in Area 25. These women process waste into manure and sell it,” he explained.
The funds will also support a dental camp offering treatment services to members of the public, among other community projects.
Major William Namboya, Staff Officer 32 from the Joint Headquarters at the Malawi Defence Force, explained their motivation for participating.
“When Rotary invited us to participate in the tournament and explained the main agenda of the competition, we thought it wise to respond positively by sending two teams to raise funds for charitable causes,” he said.
The event was held under Rotary International’s global theme “Unite for Good” and demonstrated strong corporate and institutional support for community development initiatives in Lilongwe
