On 21st October 2011, CURE Malawi held a soccer match in which every single player on the pitch was a child who been cured of clubfoot, thanks to the Malawi National Clubfoot Programme (MNCP). The match was held at the Blantyre College of Medicine Sports Complex.

The 40 children present, ages 3 to 7 and all united in their freedom from this debilitating disability, first underwent a training course organized by coaches from the Malawi National Football Team. The two teams of players then played a match in front of an audience of hospital staff, supporters of the MNCP and CURE International, representatives from the Malawi National Football Team, and the national press. Following the match there was a presentation of certificates and prizes to the players.

This soccer match was an international first of its kind. It was primarily a celebration of the work the MNCP has done in conjunction with CURE International and the Ministry of Health. Since its foundation in 2007, almost 4,000 children have been cured and can now lead normal lives, free from the struggles of such a disability and its associated social exclusion. The small act of kicking a soccer ball, one that is enjoyed but taken for granted by children all over the world, is a miracle and a reason to be thankful for these children.

Executive Director of the hospital, Stuart Palmer, said “This children’s football match epitomizes the work of CURE in Malawi. It demonstrates the complete transformation of young lives, previously blighted by an easily curable physical disability and very painful social stigma. And who knows, some of these children may go on to be international football players – after all, Steven Gerrard was born with the same condition.”

Technical Director of the Malawi National Football Team, Jack Chamangwane, said “It really was a day for the children – they are now on their way to becoming Malawi’s next generation of top athletes. It was a real testament to the great work being done here in Malawi by the National Clubfoot Programme.”

The aim of the match was to celebrate the invaluable work carried out by the MNCP, CURE International, and the Ministry of Health in changing these children’s lives, and ultimately to raise awareness and funds.