The stage is set for the second edition of the Equality cup to be held at the Gaborone sports club this Saturday, May 7th. This unique event is a 7-a-side mixed football tournament in which each team represents a particular local clothing label. Brands already confirmed to be fielding players for this year’s competition include I run Gabz city, BW space, Akoomin, Dilo Dilo and Hotness. An interesting twist is that only the female players are allowed to score goals, hence the contest theme, “Giving the power to her.”
Moses Tembo, one-half of the event’s two-man organising team, says that they are determined to help nurture the growth of the local clothing industry while giving the public an avenue to come and enjoy themselves. “Our aim is to raise brand awareness for the participating labels and help take them to the next level. It’s a chance for the public to come and see what these brands have to offer and maybe even purchase a piece of proudly Botswana merchandise for themselves,” says Tembo. Each of the competing brands will have a stall set up in the area, on the day of the event, for anyone interested in learning more about the respective labels.
Depending on the success of this year’s tournament, the organisers also want to reach out to the Botswana Football Association (BFA) as well as other stakeholders to collaborate on the expansion of the tournament. This move is important to them as they feel the competition is a good vehicle, not just to promote the clothing industry, but also women involvement in sports, across the country.
Thobo Koontse, the other half of the event’s two-man organising committee, explains that when the event first took place, last year, it was conceptualised as a once-off event, “but after the success of last year’s tournament, we decided to make it an annual event and bring more clothing brands to compete and gain exposure.” He adds that they are capitalising on the fact that Gaborone’s once vibrant nightlife has grown monotonous so people are hungry for more unique social gatherings.
The event is still very much in its teething stages but these motivated young men are confident that the success of this second instalment will legitimise their intentions to expand. “We’re looking to extend it to a whole weekend event in future, in different locations around the country, as well as increasing sponsorship and local brand involvement. Our ambition is for the event to become a feature of the Botswana event calendar,” says Tembo. However, projections for the long-term growth of this project are entirely the organisers’ concern ÔÇô the public should just look forward to a day of fun and entertainment.
Those who attend the event can look forward to music mixed by a host of Gaborone DJs including Ozzy “The Great”, Smallz, TCM and German Dollar. The entrance fee will be P30 at the door for anyone dressed in one of the competing brands and P40 otherwise; people are free to bring camp chairs and cooler boxes and the event is set to run from 9am to 9pm.
