Safaricom has kicked-off the Coastal regional finals of the Chapa Dimba Football Tournament with several community outreach programmes, aimed at improving the lives of the residents.
The initiatives involve free Medical Camps, Stakeholders’ Engagement, and Players’, Coaches’ Clinics, Digital and Financial Literacy training.
Safaricom Chapa Dimba aims to provide a structured platform for scouts and coaches to tap into new talent and build feeder systems for the Kenyan football leagues across the country, while also training a total of 250 coaches. The football tournament targets young people aged between 16 and 20 years old.
The Coast Region is hosting the first Chapa Dimba event of 2024. Kilifi County Deputy Governor, Flora Mbetsa, kicked-off the event in Mtwapa.
‘Safaricom’s effort of ensuring youth participation throughout the tournament is fantastic. We applaud the Kilifi County Government and Safaricom, for organizing the community engagement project,’ said Mbetsa.
Mbetsa urged Kilifi people to turn
out in mass numbers in Mbaraki, to support the team that will be representing Kilifi region in the Chapa Dimba tournament.
As the tournament enters its fifth edition, Jackson Mutua, Safaricom Regional Head of Sales and Operations, expressed his excitement to launch the tournament as Safaricom’s mission has been to transform lives.
‘Apart from nurturing talents for our young boys and girls, we engage with the community to uplift them in terms of their socioeconomic status,’ said Mutua.
‘Sport is vital because it engages our young boys and girls and allows them to use their time constructively. Also, we develop their talent to improve their skills, and we provide them with exposure,’ he added.
The competition, founded in 2017, will feature eight teams, four boys’ teams and four girls’ teams, with the semi-finals, taking place, Saturday, at Mbaraki Sports Club.
The team that wins in each match will advance to the finals on Sunday.
Two boys and two girls will be selected during the tournament to form an all
-star team which will get an opportunity to visit Spain for a ten-day training boot camp.
The tournament has produced some excellent players, including current FKF Kenya Premier League top scorer, Benson Omala of Gor Mahia, David Majak of Tusker FC, Jentrix Shikangwa of Beijing, Jane Njeri, Cynthia Livondo, and Judith Osimbo, among others.
Source: Kenya News Agency