09 Oct 2019

The Botswana senior women national team on October 6, donated toiletries  and a soccer ball to children at Francistown Centre for the Deaf.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony of the donation, which coincide with the commemoration of the World Ozone Day at the centre, team captain Bonang Otlhagoile explained that they saw it fit to participate in the World Ozone Day by donating to the children.

She explained that it was their plan to engage people living with disabilities in sports, particularly in football.

She said people living with disabilities should not be left out of sporting activities ‘because they had the potential to contribute to the economic development of this country’.

For her part, the director for German Botswana Football Project from the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), Dr Carolin Braun said the team intended to donate more soccer balls and other football equipment to the centre.

She also said in the future, the senior women’s national team planned to engage the children in their training whenever they were in Francistown.

Dr Braun explained that Botswana and Germany recently launched a new partnership, which was a long-term project of DOSB, whose goal was to develop sports, especially football, with the main focus on coach education, talent identification and development of structures in both men and women football.

She said the project would reignite and strengthen the relationship between Germany and Botswana as well as improve cooperation in the field of sports, specifically football.

For her part, the centre manager, Margaret Chilimba thanked the national women’s team for the gesture, saying the donation would bring dignity to the children.

She said it was not the first time the school received such a donation, revealing that the Zebras once made similar donations.

Meanwhile, the Department of Metrological Services also used the day to donate school bags to the children as well as those from Tashatha Junior Secondary School. ENDS