Mary Waya Honoured in Nigeria

Mary Waya, one of the coaches for the Malawi National Netball Team, “The Queens,” has been honoured in Nigeria for her remarkable contributions to the development of netball in the country.

The Community Sport and Educational Development (CSED) Initiative has established the Mary Waya Award in recognition of her selfless efforts in 2020, when she trained and certified 24 Nigerians as qualified netball coaches despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This year, the award was presented to deserving children and youths from Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps in Uhogua, Benin City, as a tribute to organisations and individuals who use the power of sports to overcome adversity.

“As of 2025, Mary Waya’s legacy has inspired our organisation to train over 370 Physical Education teachers and community youths in netball, free of charge,” said the CSED Initiative Trustees.

They further highlighted that Waya’s influence has led to the pilot launch of the Sporting Coders Project, an innovative programme integrating netball with coding and computer skills development in selected Nigerian secondary schools.

Speaking to Nyasa Times, Waya expressed gratitude for the recognition, saying it was an honour she shares with Malawi as a whole.

“It’s a great privilege to be recognised by a country like Nigeria for making an impact on the African child. My hope is always to inspire young girls to network, learn new skills, and build sustainable livelihoods through netball,” she said, reflecting on her 2020 visit to inspire girls rescued from Boko Haram in Benin City, Delta State.

The CSED Initiative is dedicated to using sports as a tool for social inclusion and development, particularly among marginalised communities, through educational and sporting activities.

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