28 Oct 2025

The Diamond Trading Company Botswana (DTCB) has been commended for contributing to the growth of women’s football.

Speaking at the impact assessment stakeholder engagement workshop for DTCB Women’s League recently, Botswana Football Association president Tariq Babitseng said through DTCB annual investment in the grassroots centres and the elite DTCB women’s tournament, the pathway that connects the dusty pitches of local communities to the global stage has been built.

He said they have sown belief in young girls and promoted excellence, adding that the success was visible through the Mares’ back-to-back qualifications for the Womens Africa Cup Of Nations, and has also inspired Gaborone United’s triumph at the COSAFA Women’s Champions League.

The achievements, Babitseng said were not coincidences, but a living proof of what happens when corporate purpose meets sporting vision.

“When our Mares travelled to Morocco, DTCB was not in the stands only in spirit, you were physically present, side by side with the team. That image will forever remain a symbol of true partnership: when belief meets presence, and sponsorship becomes solidarity,” he said.

Babitseng said as they celebrate the success stories, they must also look ahead with courage, and the next phase of this partnership must now focus on building better quality facilities that would allow a Motswana girl to play without hindrance, in safe, modern environments that inspire both participation and pride. 

"The talent is there; it now needs the stage it deserves," he said.

DTCB corporate affairs manager, MacDonald Motsele said their sponsorship journey commenced in 2022.

The partnership, he said, was designed not merely as financial support, but as a comprehensive framework aimed at addressing the multifaceted challenges faced by women in football.

He said throughout the years, they had developed initiatives targeting coaching, training facilities, grassroots development, and overall visibility for women’s football.

According to Motsele, DTCB’s investment was structured to promote inclusivity and gender equity in a traditionally male-dominated sport, ensuring that women athletes received the recognition and opportunities they rightfully deserved.

“As we look ahead, I want to emphasise the strategic importance of the year 2025, which we have earmarked for a critical phase of realignment and evaluation,” he said.

This year, he said, would focus on assessing the impacts of their sponsorship, both qualitatively and quantitatively.

Motsele said they aimed to gather insights through stakeholder feedback, performance metrics, and community engagement to better understand how their contributions were enhancing women’s football in Botswana.

“This knowledge will enable us to iterate on our approach and ensure our initiatives are sustainable, impactful, and truly resonate with the needs of the athletes and the larger football community,” he said.

BFA Chief Operations Officer, Kago Mosinyi said DTCB investment in women’s football has not just produced games and goals, but it has produced confidence, visibility, and change. The partnership, he said, had also made football fields across Botswana feel like safe places for girls to dream, and be seen.

Mosinyi said BFA does not see the sponsorship as charity, but it was a shared investment, adding that they were conscious that for every pula invested, there must be a return in impact, in visibility, and in the social value. ENDS