My Take On It: Scorchers receive a scorching heroines’ welcome after 2026 WAFCON wins

¹⁰“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” Romans 12:10 

²“Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.” Proverbs 3:27 

⁷Give everyone what you owe them. If you owe them any kind of tax, then pay it. Show respect to those you should respect. And show honor to those you should honor. – Romans 13:7

This past week has been a glorious celebration of Team Malawi, also known as Scorchers Women’s Football team. A new-comer in the field of professional women’s football, the Scorchers has done a brilliant job of scorching their names in the annals of football history – MALE OR FEMALE – in Africa and Malawi.

The team (one donning blue hair) defeated Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, and Algeria effortlessly, winning the hearts of Malawians and non-Malawians alike.

First Lady Madame Gertrude Mutharika’s Facebook page carried tributes for the girls. Scorchers’ sponsor NBS promised to give each player monetary handshake. One ingenuous man had his tailor sew for him a two-piece Malawi flag suit.

Social media everywhere Malawians and friends live were in a frenzie of Proudly Malawian fever! One Maravi Post contributor exposed – much to our surprise and enjoyment – his poetic flair: he had a poem a day outburst.

Our editor one day this tumultuous week during all this Scorchers love fest, he asked our newsroom contributors: “Can we please have other stories apart from football?” My response was simple: “Sir, sorry to inform you, we are all still in Morocco.”

To be frank, the Scorchers’ win, that takes them to Brazil in 2027, has led to an eruption of artistic flavor, not witnessed at this intensity for a long time.

Malawi songwriters are creating tributary songs in the team’s honor. I have once before proposed, and make the proposals again for national consideration.

These are as follows:

1. The First Couple please invite the team to Sanjika or Kamuzu Palace for feasting and presidential congratulations.
2. Malawi design and planning teams should etch “Congratulations Malawi Scorchers” or “We are Proud of Scorchers” and be painted on a hill; in the fashion of “Long Live Kamuzu” on Soche Mount in Blantyre.

• Cities of Malawi please host Freedom of the City parades in Blantyre, Lilongwe, and Mzuzu to honor of the Scorchers team.
• Again, in the styles of former leader, late Dr. Kamuzu Banda, cloth designers, please design a commemorative cloth, that we can all wear come 2027 games in Brazil.
• Along with point 3, cups, drinking bottles and other commemorative items (with due homage to the team through loyalties) be designed.
• Again, Football Association of Malawi consider giving the team a good and proper raise.
• Other Malawi companies, please join in celebrating the team, it has done us PROUD!

Welcome home our girls of Malawi! Welcome home Scorchers!

For now, may all Malawians that are able, start saving for the Brazil Games in 2027!

Janet Karim

Author, high school Learning Disabilities Teacher, candidate Master of Education Special Education, Mason University; highly organized, charismatic and persuasive Communications Specialist and accomplished Journalist, Editor with 41 years in the communications field, offering expertise in all phases of print, broadcast, telecast, and social media productions. Enthusiastic story teller. Highly-motivated and trained media professional possessing exceptional writing and editing skills with ability to draft engaging and effective content; Opinion column contributor for leading national dailies (Maravi Post – 2015-PRESENT; Nation Malawi – 2015-PRESENT; Times Malawi (2004-2007). Other areas of expertise include grant writing and NGO project management. Highly trained in international, regional and local lobbying and election skills. Collaborates with international companies to initiate development policy change and foster public awareness, with deep commitment to social justice and health care equity; especially in work towards women’s political, economic, and social empowerment; ending child, early and forced marriage; and promoting the human rights of the elderly. Advocate for highlighting climate change its effects on the planet. International development work experience with the United Nations headquarters (10 years, and two years UNDP field work); field experience (Malawi) – Oxfam, UNDP, UNICEF and UNESCO. Superb public speaker who communicates effectively with target audiences through strategic one-to-one or large audiences, expert in event planning and PR campaigns. Conscientious, diplomatic, and tactful in all communicationsg.