15 Jun 2023

 The newly established Sehitwa-based women football club, Wolfsburg Sporting, in collaboration with Ngami District Health Management Team (DHMT) will host a soccer tournament next month in an effort to empower girls.

The club, which is affiliated to Nhabe Regional Women Football League, was formed last October to nurture and develop talent among young women, many of whom are out of school youth.  

The one-day tournament will see four women’s teams; the hosts as well as invited sides from Gaborone, Gumare and Maun battle it out at Sehitwa Grounds on July 15.

The club’s head coach, Monty Masalela, noted that the tournament, which will be held under the theme: Women, Information, Support, Advocacy, aimed to address social issues including violence against women and girls. 

He said the event came against the background of the alarming incidents of gender-based violence-related killings, which mostly affected young girls in Sehitwa and surrounding villages.

 “Week in and out we hear of incidents of killings and suicides. Through this tournament we want to kick out gender-based violence (GBV) and engage young men in the prevention of and response to GBV, ” he said.

Masalela revealed that the event would bring together stakeholders from different institutions such as the Ministry of Health, Women Against Rape, Botswana National Sports Commission (BNSC) and Department of Youth.

Meanwhile, the team captain, Telo Mokgwathi, said football had given them an opportunity to develop valuable social skills and become better integrated into their communities, adding that previously, some among them had become despondent after dropping out of school.  

Mokgwathi, who hails from Toteng, said through her participation in the team, the community had since warmed up to the idea of girls playing football, and now appreciates that the sport is not for males only.

“Women’s football is growing as many young women are developing interest in the sport and joining clubs because they have realised that sport can change societal attitudes and behaviours, and impart valuable life skills.” she said. ENDS