Botswana Football Association (BFA)’s fledgling development programme has received an early boost, courtesy of Joy Foundation who are rolling out a programme to donate football boots to kids across the country as part of their contribution to grassroots football development.
The Joy Foundation initiative was welcomed by the BFA President Maclean Letshwiti.
“As an association, our primary mandate is grassroots football development. Occasions like these, where we see people come to our aid, are very pleasing,” the BFA boss said.
“Grassroots development is a very expensive exercise and it cannot be the responsibility of the association alone. For it to work, all the partners must participate. I am grateful to Joy Foundation for heeding our call,” Letshwiti explained.
With the BFA on the verge of rolling out one of their flagship football development programmes, the Youth League, the significance of Joy Foundation’s input was not lost to Letshwiti.
“Very soon, the BFA Technical team will be unveiling their grassroots development programme and it is massive. Joy Foundation has set the tone, and now, I would like to appeal to all Batswana to do likewise,” he pleaded.
Letshwiti further stated that given the enormity of the programme, the association would accept any help it gets, from individuals to the corporate world.
“Whether the contribution is a single ball or a whistle, it will go a long way to help the association to achieve its goals,” he emphasised.
He further said that even though FIFA went a long way in financing football development, the amounts they gave depended on the efforts the associations were exerting to finance their own programmes.
“When an association shows to FIFA how much they have accumulated to finance their own development programmes, FIFA then matches the same amount. Therefore, the more we partner, the better chances for us of getting financial help from them,” the BFA President concluded.
For her part, Joy Foundation Founder and Director, Joy Setshedi, said theirs was a contribution towards football development initiatives.
She said their objective was to spur on the growth of sports in Botswana. She said as such, they felt it was only fitting to partner and help the BFA as they were embarking on a football development programme.
“Our intention as Joy Foundation is to have donated at least 2 000 playing boots to young players and youth teams by the end of March next year,” Setshedi explained.
To ensure all kids have a chance to get themselves soccer boots, the Joy Foundation founder said they had partnered with one local radio station that will be running a competition for youth players to win themselves some football boots.
The foundation has also partnered with Botswana Post, who will be expected to deliver the playing boots to all young players who would have won.
On other matters still related to sport development, Setshedi further said her foundation would in future partner with the BFA to organise some development tournaments.
