The thought of finishing studies overseas and returning home brings a huge sigh of relief as a foreign student. Reunion with family members and hope for a new lease of life with the newly gained knowledge decorated by higher academic qualifications revives the old fading hopes one had before leaving for studies. These are the same feelings and expectations that I had when I left Incheon International Airport on 21st December 2022 for Malawi at the end of my 16 months stay in the Republic of Korea courtesy of Dream Together Master Program at the prestigious Seoul National University.
The first few weeks were for family as they coincided with the festive season holidays. I reported at the office, Ministry of Youth and Sports headquarters where I work as Sports Development Officer on 17th January where I was immediately asked to be on an interviewing panel as the Ministry was recruiting some new staff. The assignment came as a surprise considering that it was my first day in office and that I have been away for some time. It was a good experience as it aligned directly with one of the courses I had just done, Human Resource in Sport where issues of recruitment were also tackled.
The following day I had a meeting with the Director of Sports in the Ministry who is my immediate supervisor. It was an interactive meeting where he briefed me what the department has done in my absence high on the agenda was the successful hosting of African Union Region 5 Youth Games that brought together 10 countries. These countries were Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Botswana, Eswatini, Angola, Namibia and South Africa. During the meeting I realized that the office had a lot of expectations that the new ideas and technical knowhow will help to change the face of sports, the Ministry and the country at large. The Ministry as a sports policy holder is strategically positioned to bring changes in sports. Later in the day I got welcomed by the Secretary of Youth and Sports who is the controlling officer of the whole Ministry who edged me to contribute where I can manage.
Future Plans
The warm welcome I have received at the Ministry of Youth and Sports has given me more confidence to implement some projects that I planned after undergoing some modules within the DTM program. Firstly, the Sport for Development module broadened my horizons on how sports can be used to make an impact in non-sport related fields like child labor, early marriages and drug and alcohol abuse among teenagers which is a common problem in Malawi. I have shared my ideas with the senior Ministry officials and I have also contacted one of the largest local non-governmental youth organization called Youth Net and Counselling (YONECO). Both have thrown their weight behind the proposed projects that will go a long way in making a difference in the lives of the youth.
Secondly, there is need to follow up on the legacy that was set after hosting the African Union Region 5 Youth games. With the knowledge I gained in Sport Legacy module there is plenty to compile as this event is the largest sport event the country has hosted since attaining independence from the British in 1964. Areas to consider will be infrastructure development, social and economic changes all courtesy of DTM program.
Upon successfully implementing these projects in the next four months there will be a review and potentially embark on sports infrastructure and sport event management trainings that will target District Sports Officers across the country. Currently the Ministry of Youth and Sports is reviewing the country’s sport policy where I can confidently contribute to considering that I went through a sport policy module that gave insights of the governance document.
DTM program prepares sports managers profession holistically as the 10 themes namely sport humanities, sport event management, sport organization and governance, sport marketing and sponsorship, sport science and technology, sport finance and economics, sport media and communication, sport law and arbitration, sport development and international sport management touches daily life of a manager. Am looking forward to work with different partners in an effort to make positive changes in the sector and DTM Program fully prepared me for this challenge. As the first Malawian to be admitted into the program the dream has turned into reality and it is time to make a difference.
Written by Macmillan Mwale (Malawi, 9th batch)
