22 May 2023

First National Bank Botswana (FNBB) Foundation has been praised for investing in women football.

Speaking at Gaborone Region Women’s Football League equipment donation handover by the foundation, Botswana Football Association (BFA) national executive committee (NEC) member, Lobito Ncube said women football was a low hanging fruit and therefore with resources they could  make the country proud.

She said women’s football had made a great turn-around in a short space of time, adding that they had a strategy approved by FIFA to grow women football. 

Ncube said the strategy was approved in 2019 but came to effect in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic. She said  that was clear demonstration that women football had made a fast turnaround, adding if they have had the foundation’s support from way back they would have had a lot of the players in the international market.

FNBB head of commercial credit-origination, Tshepo Morris, said one of the internal promises that they had as a bank was to be deeply invested and it was a promise that had led them to help women football with equipment.

 He said as a bank, they felt it was important for them to support women in their quest to grow the game.

He said the bank had done a lot in investing in Botswana sport through the foundation, adding that they continued to be present in all areas of sport across the country.

National women football committee chairperson, Keeng Mosinyi, said FNBB Foundation support signified their belief in the potential of the girl child and their dedication to promoting gender equality.

She said the foundation’s contribution went beyond material resources and served as a symbol of empowerment and encouragement for talented girls.

Furthermore, Mosinyi said BFA president Maclean Letshwiti visionary leadership and tireless efforts in promoting inclusivity and creating opportunities for the girl child had a profound impact on the development of women’s football in Botswana.

“We acknowledge his steadfast commitment to gender equality in sports and we are grateful for his continuous support,” she said. ENDS