Botswana: Lactalis Boosts BFA
By Thato Modiakgotla
Gaborone — Botswana Football Association (BFA) received a shot in the arm when Lactalis Botswana injected P800 000 in the youth football tournament dubbed Bonnita Cup.
Speaking during the launch in Gaborone on November 10, BFA President Maclean Letshwiti highlighted that the youth were the future.
"If a country does not invest in the future it means that particular country has no future," he added.
He said Lactalis did not sponsor BFA, but invested in the Youth of Botswana and applauded them for that. He said sponsorship was not a gift, but an investment, assuring Lactalis return on their investment.
Lactalis sponsorship through Bonnita brand will run for two years.
The BFA President said the sponsorship would assist the country to be in a position to produce quality exportable players.
He added that in order to successfully compete internationally, there should be players in different world leagues.
The president further said for a strong national team as well as premier league, robust youth development programme was necessary.
Letshwiti noted that COVID-19 had devastating effects on all social aspects of life and that football was not spared, however indicating that the nation had to learn to live with the pandemic and find ways for football to start.
He believed Lactalis's support would ensure that football activities resumed.
The BFA head pointed out that youth development was BFA's flagship programme, noting that it determined the success of football in any country, adding that FIFA sponsored it to the tune of P5.5 million per year.
Letshwiti urged other organisations to follow Lactalis example in sponsoring youth development. Youth development, he said, had all the values that promote an all rounded human development, adding that it kept them fit, gave them hope, discipline and made them responsible.
"It also assists in regards to government budgets, if the nation is healthy then there would be lower health expenses," he added.
For her part, Lactalis Botswana country manager, Primie Moipolai said following the saying that charity begins at home, they found it fit to reignite their household brand, Bonnita, in the hearts and minds of people across the nation and decided to use the most loved sport, football.
She indicated that the future belonged to the youth, adding that Lactalis would like to invest ahead of the curve by becoming a big driver in the growth of future stars.
Moipolai said BFA's efforts in pioneering tournaments such as Bonnita Cup aided in improving child development, learning skills, goal setting and achievements as well as finding ways of promoting safe lifestyle for the children that is free of mischief.
She highlighted that Lactalis was also a big champion on the field, a true believer in driving the life lessons, teaching young people about fair play, tolerance, inclusion and respect.
The sponsorship, she said, would cover everything required during the prescribed stages of the tournament from semifinals to finals.
She said the sponsorship would focus on under 12, 15 and 17 for both boys and girls.
She indicated that Lactalis Botswana was playing its part in society by building and moulding future leaders through sports.
Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) president, Colonel Botsang Tshenyego indicated that 'sponsorship to sport is what oxygen is to life'.
He applauded Lactalis Botswana for finding no excuse not to invest in partnership with football during the most trying times.
Tshenyego said there could never be a better choice to invest in sustainable development in sport other than in youth development, adding that youth and coach development were vital in football success.
He indicated that because of the partnership, the youth would have the opportunity to showcase their talent and hopefully attracted talent scouts for both local and international scenes.
A game of football, he said, provided a rare platform for participating youth to learn and practice team work and leadership, character and discipline, adding that the life skills would benefit players beyond the playing career.
He implored the BFA to guarantee that they retained and nurtured the relationship.
Tshenyego assured Lactalis Botswana that the sponsorship would go a long way in ensuring the success of football in Botswana.
This article originally appeared on. Botswana Daily News
Photo: Botswana Daily News