21 Jun 2020

Registration for the Social Pledge 25 Club’s annual football tournament is underway for this year’s championships.

In an interview, Social Pledge 25 club chairperson, Gaone Gaefiwe explained that the principal aim of the tournament was to raise blood donation awareness and build friendly relations with companies, churches, youth organisations, schools and government departments.

The tourney, which started in 2014 and has successfully run for the past six years, will be marking its seventh consecutive run this year.

Gaefiwe said registration for the tournament remains a non-refundable P350 cash, with an upfront list of players for each team.

She said the tournament had been successful because it was guided by terms and conditions, which work for both participating teams and the club, adding that a month before a team takes part in the tournament, the players donate blood.

She emphasised that donors were then registered and after every four months, they were called and encouraged to donate and most do oblige.

“We are sticking to this initiative because on a normal blood donation day, we sometimes get few packets of blood, but with the tournament, we are sure of about more packets of blood from players, coaches and technical team as well as supporters,” Gaefiwe said.

She said participants would be rewarded with cash; which was yet to be reviewed for this year, shopping vouchers equivalent to the cash price as well as trophies and medals for teams and individuals.

“Trophies and medals will be awarded to the best team in blood donation champions, best goalkeeper of the tournament, top goal scorer, player of the tournament and best supporter of the tournament awards,” she said.

Gaefiwe said national blood transfusion centre, which birthed, Pledge 25 Botswana, helps the club to run by bearing costs for the club campaigns all over the country and also offers advice to the club committees.

She said the tournament had  boosted the blood bank as every year, they get an increase in teams and blood donation packets.

“Though there is a challenge of possible fear posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are hoping that our regular teams will register and we are ready to welcome new ones,” she said.

“The blood transfusion rate is generally low and though we always have a shortage, this time around it is worse, as the pandemic hit us really hard,” she said.

Gaefiwe pleaded with the society to donate blood regularly in order to save lives.

“We are also looking for sponsors and partners, who are interested in helping us boost our campaign and get more blood into our blood bank,” she said. ENDS