08 Jul 2015

The founder of the Kabelo Dambe Annual charity tournament and Botswana’s number one goalkeeper, Kabelo Dambe has implored teams taking part in his tournament’s 2015 edition to do more for charity. 

Dambe was speaking at a meeting he convened with his tournament’s organising team recently to map a way forward for his tournament, which kicks off on July 18-21.

“I have received last year’s tournament report and I am really impressed with the way the soccer part was organised. 

I am however disappointed with the charity part as participating teams lagged behind on that area last year,” Dambe noted.

He revealed that charity is really close to his heart and giving back to the less priviledged members of the community should be what the eight participating teams strive for the most.

“I know how it feels like to be in poverty. I have been through that road before,” he noted.

Dambe, who also plays for South African Premier Soccer League (PSL) side, Platinum Stars, revealed that this year’s tournament will be big in that private companies and certain individuals have come on-board to offer help in the best way they could as a way to contribute to their charity effort.

“I wrote letters to Botswana National Sports Council (BNSC), the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture (MYSC), and Zac Construction who have all promised to come on-board, helping us in ways that could best suit their budgets. 

I have also introduced serious silverware for this tournament, being 20 gold medals, 20 silver and 20 bronze. 

There are also mini-trophies for best coach, best young player and best goalkeeper,” he said. 

Another notable individual mentioned as willing to support was his football agent, Paul Mitchell.

One of the tournament’s organisers,Ditsabone ‘Nati’ Nfila reminded his organising peers that last year’s charity recipient, Ms Chaikwa Modise still needs their charity gesture as her home was badly dilapidated but was close to the tournament ground, something which he said would spell ignorance on their part.

“Her home needs a serious facelift. The P1000 grocery we gave her last year is not enough,” he reiterated. 

The organising committee then resolved to assist refurbish  Modise’s home from pledges and money from their own pockets. 

For his part, the tournament’s Public Relations Officer (PRO), Kagiso Moswaane implored everyone to pledge the little they can to help make the refurbishment project a success and that they should complete the refurbishment before the tournament began. 

Dambe pledged a complete fence, Monty ‘Ugly’ Maoto pledged bricks for toilet construction, Goitsemang ‘CC’ Anthony pledged two bags of cement, Nfila pledged doors, and Moswaane pledged paint while Tshediso Tshabetshe pledged toilet roofing materials. 

Other notable charity gestures came from Buy n’ Build Francistown with 20 bags of cement and two doors and CTM Botswana with a flushing toilet. 

Eight teams will lock horns for the annual tourney at Mexican grounds in Monarch and these are Phindha, Rekaofela, Ola 7, Bommata, Youngsters, Strong Tigers, and one of the two, between Barata Bolo and Tjimukilapetjo, depending on which team pays P1000 registration fee first. ENDS