Celebrated women’s football icon Tabitha Chawinga has disclosed plans to set up a museum of her massive sports accolades.
The France-based Scorchers captain in an interview said through the museum fans can see her memorabilia and experience her legacy.
“I think it will be a great idea to have a museum so that people can have an opportunity to see my collection.
“I have plans to set up a museum. It will be good to share my legacy with Malawians to inspire the girls that football can be a redemption if taken seriously,” she said.
Asked when the project will start, Chawinga could not give a timeline just saying “soon”.
Among others, the museum will exhibit honours and awards, trophies, football boots, balls, shirt collections and many other items.
“Since I started my professional career I have won a lot of honours and accolades. I have lots of collections, lots of trophies and my display cabinet cannot contain them. It would be a privilege to have a museum and display them and share with the public,” she said.
Among other accolades last year won the 2024 French Professional Football Players Union (UNFP) Women’s Player-of-the-Season accolade, 2024 French Arkema First Division Player of the Season and the league’s golden boot with 19 goals.
This is in addition to 2015 Elitettan top scorer, 2017 Damallsvenskan top scorer, 2017 Sweden Forward-of-the-Year, 2018, 2019, 2021 Chinese Women’s Super League top scorer, 2018, 2019 Chinese Women’s Super League Player-of-the-Year, 2022-23 Serie A Female Footballer of the Year, 2023-24 UNFP Division 1 Féminine Player-of-the-Year, 2023 24 Trophées FFF DI Féminine Best Player and 2024 Division 1 Féminine Player-of the-Month for February and March.
Speaking on the future of women’s football in the country, Chawinga believes Malawi has great talent and that many more girls will be successful at the international stage.
“I always tell the girls, be it in the national team or elsewhere, to be confident. The recent games against Morocco and Ghana though we lost, you could see that are good.
“What cost us was lapse in concentration and confidence. But we are on track with lots of talented girls.
“Malawi has a future and I will do anything to inspire them,” she said.
Meanwhile, Malawi National Sports Council (MNCS) has described Tabitha as a national icon who has done so much to inspire the girl child.
“Because of her exploits on the global stage in football most girls in schools and in communities are now taking football seriously. There has been a surge in the number of girls joining football from the information we have gathered.
“Now people are taking women football as a real career with unlimited financial opportunities,” said Sports Council board chairperson Sunduzwayo Madise in an interview.
Malawi Schools Sports Association (Massa) has also welcomed Tabitha’s plan to establish a museum to display her accolades.
“The story of Tabitha needs to be documented and setting up a museum where her accolades and memorabilia will be on display will go a long way in motivating girls.
“It is a fact that people get motivated by what they see,” said Massa president Blackson Malamula.
Malamulo also concurred with Madise that more girls are into football in schools.
“Perceptions from parents have totally changed as they now are encouraging their daughters to take football seriously.
“Not only are more girls are playing football, but they are also playing good football. That is because of Tabitha’s influence,” he said.
