MTN and SBS Africa have provided the Bosmont Football Association (BFA) with funds for the development of West Rand youth soccer for the third year in a row.
The joint sponsorship, which amounts to more than R200 000 for its three-year duration, is one of the largest corporate sponsorships of an amateur sporting club or association in SA. The sponsorship programme includes the provision of kits for 150 BFA-affiliated clubs, the purchase of coaching aids and equipment, and the supply of development funds to the BFA.
Anthony Davies, a director of SBS Africa, says the BFA sponsorship is SBS's largest social responsibility project to date. The BFA fields cater for more than 150 clubs in previously disadvantaged areas with more than 2 000 players ranging in age from Under-8 to senior level.
"When we first started our involvement with the association two-and-a-half years ago, most of the players did not even have proper football kit. Yet, the BFA is a fertile training ground that has produced players that have been selected to play in the national soccer side, Bafana Bafana," Davies says. "We are pleased with the results our sponsorship has produced for the BFA."
Taryn Thorp, marketing manager at SBS Africa, adds that SBS selected the BFA as a beneficiary for funds from it social responsibility programme because it believes that sport is a powerful tool for youth and community development.
"From the sponsorship of the BFA, we will be moving onto bigger community development projects, one of which is the establishment of a computer centre in Bosmont for the community.
"This centre will be run by a committee, and will help the youth and businesspeople in the area to build their computer skills and literacy," adds Thorp.
Mish Mogale, GM at MTN, says the joint sponsorship of the BFA represents an extension of MTN's relationship with SBS Africa, one of its IT suppliers. This initiative forms part of the cellular service provider's broader strategy to participate in the development of the underprivileged communities where it does business.
"This project represents an opportunity for us to play a strong role in developing the youth in an underprivileged area through sport and recreation. However, it is not just about football - it is also about providing the broader community with access to computers to help build skills and PC literacy," he says.
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