Barbra Banda: CAF Women’s African Footballer of the Year, Thanks Zambian President for Support

Barbra Banda, who won the CAF Women’s African Footballer of the Year award, thanked Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema for always supporting football and helping sports grow in the country. At a special dinner for the U17 boys and girls' teams and other CAF award winners, Banda said she appreciated the President’s effort to help women and young people through sports.

Banda, who leads Zambia’s Copper Queens, said, "Your support shows how much you care about helping women and young people through sports, and we are very thankful for that." She also thanked the U17 Boys’ and Girls’ Teams for their hard work and teamwork, which made the country proud.

"As the CAF Women’s Footballer of the Year, I am deeply humbled to share this moment with you all. This honor belongs not just to me but to every Zambian who believes in the power of football to unite, uplift and transform lives."

Diana Chikotesha, the CAF Women’s Assistant Referee of the Year, also commended Hichilema's extraordinary support, urging young athletes to balance education with sports. "In case of injury, I will still fall back on my education. It’s not only injuries but also age because your skill will reduce with time," she advised.

FAZ President Andrew Kamanga took the opportunity to thank Hichilema for the government's continuous support of the Zambia Football Association (FAZ) and its national teams, the Chipolopolo and Copper Queens. Kamanga also urged the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding that defines this support, hoping for its swift approval.