23 Nov 2023

In a bid to develop sports in rural communities, Wilderness Safari Company through their partner, Chitabe Safari Camp, has donated soccer kit and balls worth over P20 000 to Shorobe-based Wild Dogs Football Club.

The club is currently playing in the second division league and it sits at the top of the log.

Speaking during the handover of the donation, Chitabe CEO Helene Hamnan said the love for sport had compelled the company to invest in sport development.

She said sport promoted unity as it brought people from different backgrounds together to cheer for a common cause.

“Education and sports are close to my heart and I promise to continue supporting the team going forward. Sports helps to keep young people busy and away from the streets and social ills that can ruin their future,” she added.

Hamnan further revealed that sport was not limited to the practice of physical activities but it was a recreational space where a healthy lifestyle was promoted through physical and mental development.

Wilderness Safari Company managing director, Joe Matome said the company, together with its partners, were rooted through three pillars being empowerment, education and protection.

He noted that they were focusing on building conservation economies and protecting ecosystems that empowered local communities so that they could venture into income generating projects to improve their livelihoods.

In addition, he said they used education to increase economic opportunity, family resilience and support for conservation adding that people were also taught life skills.

Matome said through their partner, Chitabe Safari Camp, they saw it fit to empower the team to grow it from strength to strength.

He said it was their wish to see the club getting promoted to elite league.

He also said the company was committed to work more closely with the community as they believed they had a responsibility to ensure their business had an impact on both the local and national economy.

Members of the community were informed that the company was ready to assist in projects aimed at improving their livelihoods.

“We believe that the community and other stakeholders are our partners in sustainable development hence we are willing to extend a helping hand where possible,” he added.

The team manager, Mmoloki Sarefo thanked the company for the good gesture saying the team had been struggling.

He said the donation would motivate the players to perform better.

He urged the management of the two companies to also rally behind the team during their match games saying that would also boost the players’ morale.

However, he cited transport as a serious challenge saying at times they struggled to honour away games, as most of the players were unemployed to assist.

Sarefo said the team is struggling to secure a sponsor. ENDS