This September, MATCH Foundation marked a major milestone, five years of empowering youth through sports and education. To celebrate this journey, our team gathered at the lake in Salima for a reflective retreat filled with gratitude, laughter, and renewed purpose. The retreat was not just a moment to rest, but a reminder of how far we’ve come and the incredible community that continues to make this mission possible.
From our humble beginnings in 2020–2021, a period defined by the challenges of COVID-19 and the establishment of our legal foundation, to 2022, when support from the U.S. Embassy enabled us to reach over 1,600 youth through a transformative mindset change program — our story has been one of resilience and growth. That same year, we also launched our school construction fundraising campaign in partnership with our beloved friends in Aschaffenburg, Germany, setting the stage for lasting educational impact.
In 2023, our collaboration with Rotary International and the Rotary Club of Aschaffenburg brought this dream to life through the construction and opening of Tadala ABC School in Mzungu Village, now serving 335 students across nine surrounding villages. That year also marked our official partnership with the Segal Family Foundation, becoming our first institutional funder and strengthening our organizational capacity to reach more communities.
By 2024, multiple funders had joined our mission including the Australian Government’s Direct
Aid Program, allowing us to expand our reach to over 5,000 youth through programs in sports for development, early childhood education, gender empowerment, and youth leadership.
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Our 5 year milestone landed us with program expansion to Blantyre, Mchinji, Dedza, and Dowa. We are diving into the future with assurance that we will accomplish what we envision as we welcome new partnerships from Partners for Equity and Roberts Pike Foundation.
As we celebrated this five-year journey by the lake, the retreat reminded us that our greatest strength lies in the people behind the work. Our dedicated team, volunteers, and partners who continue to shape the vision of a generation of young Malawians ready to lead, serve, and inspire
