Boteti Region Launches P700k Sponsorship
Koketso Kgoboge | Monday October 21, 2019 12:07
The historic event in local football was the second one after the region was recently blessed by Lucara Diamond Mine with a half a million sponsorship for Division One league.
Orapa, Letlhakane and Damtshaa Mines (OLDM) contributed P600, 000 as the main sponsor while Kanu Equipment contributed P135, 000. The sponsorship will last three seasons.
OLDM’s benevolent gesture comes at a time when Boteti women football had plunged into an abyss, as is the case with other regions. The five women teams that have existed in the region since 2009 have over the years struggled to compete in the league due to financial challenges.
Last year they played the first-round games of the league and owing to financial constraints failed to honour the second round. Two new teams have joined the league this season.
The sponsorship allocation is such that each club receives two sets of kits, 15 trainers and tracksuits for officials. The money will also cover travelling expenses for the teams and the referees as well as cover referees payments.
The first season will not have prize money, but a trophy and medals. Champions in the second two seasons will walk out with P25, 000 respectively.
The region has set aside P30, 000 for a northern Bloc cup. “Our teams felt they wish to compete with other teams from different regions, so we have planned a tournament of select teams from our Bloc.
It will also improve competition for our girls,” Boteti Region chairperson, Phillimon Bunu said during the sponsorship launch.
OLDM General Manager, Bokani Motlhabani said they found a great opportunity for sports development when the region approached the mine for assistance.
One of the pillars of the mine, he noted, was to promote health and wellness, uplif women and girls and sports development all of which the opportunity spoke to.
“We wish to create an environment where everyone regardless of their status or gender will have an equal opportunity,” he said. “We appreciate the persistence of Boteti Region and their chairman who continued to engage us over the years.
We saw that as Debswana, we needed to come in and come big.” The mine boss warned the region and the clubs to remain awake of reputational issues and grow football.
“It is not a far-fetched dream to have our girls and women dominate the national team. It happened with Orapa United, and that is what we want in return,” he said.
Meanwhile Botswana Football Association President McLean Letshwiti gave the mine boss assurance that the sponsorship shall be well taken care of. He cautioned the region to be transparent and accountable.
Letshwiti said the gesture resonated well with the FIFA initiative of mass participation of women footballers. He said it was such initiatives that spoke to changing perceptions.
“It is not only the boy child that can benefit through football. Girls can also become professional players and represent our country is bigger platforms.
We wish to have a product of this region in the world market. That would be the return on this investment,” the BFA President said.
He promised that the association would provide free training for coaches, referees and medics across all the 17 regions as a way of setting up for proper player development and a drive towards professionalism.