President Lazarus Chakwera has described Malawi National Women’s Football Team captain Tabitha Chawinga as an inspiration to young girls.

The President said this in a statement congratulating the Scorchers captain for winning the Serie A Femminile League Golden Boot with 23 goals to become the first African to achieve the feat.

The statement reads: “The First Lady and I are delighted to extend our warmest congratulations to Tabitha Chawinga for her remarkable achievement in becoming the first African player to win the Italian Serie A Women Golden Boot Award.

“We are incredibly proud of Tabitha’s outstanding performance and her unwavering commitment to the sport. Tabitha’s historic accomplishment is testament to her hard work, dedication, and talent.

Doing what she knows best: Tabitha

“She has not only made history, but also inspired countless young girls and women in Malawi and across Africa.

“As a nation, we must continue to support and invest in our athletes, particular women, who have potential to excel on the global stage, creating an enabling environment that promotes gender equality in sports and provide equal opportunities for all.”

In an earlier interview,  Football Association of Malawi (FAM) president Walter Nyamilandu said the country has plenty of talented young girls like Tabitha.

He said: “This is an emerging sport that is growing in popularity around the world. It is producing a lot of household names and clubs. However, our challenge is sponsorship.

 “We have come this far by single-handedly sponsoring women’s football competitions and development programmes with the support of Fifa funding. We can achieve more if we secure partners to invest in the game of women’s football.”

FAM last week withdrew the Scorchers from Olympic Games Women’s Football qualifiers due to lack of funds.

Tabitha, who has dedicated the accolade to the African girl-child, said she would have loved if the Scorchers participated in the qualifying tournament. 

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