The Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, Hon. Tumiso Rakgare, on the 14th February 2022 officiated at the Senior Women National Football team's motivational sponsorship launch by Lucara Botswana Diamond Corporation at Avani Hotel. Lucara Botswana Diamond Company (Lucara) has sponsored the Senior Women’s National Team (The Mares) with P300, 000. 00. The sponsorship is a means of encouraging the team and serve as a morale booster as they prepare for a crucial Africa Women’s Cup of Nations qualifier against Zimbabwe.
The Minister also bid farewell to the team who will be travelling to Zimbabwe for the first leg of the game which will be played on Friday, 18th February 2022. The second leg will be played on the 23rd February 2022 at Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown.
Lucara Botswana Diamond Corporation’s sponsorship is the third sponsorship to sport by a company in the diamond industry in a short period of time, having recently launched those by Diamond Trading Company Botswana (P2 430 000.00) to Women’s Football league and grassroots football and the Debswana Diamond Company to Re Ba Bona Ha sport development programme; P6 000 000.00 and Botswana Athletics Association; P9 000 000.00.
From the P300 000.00 Lucara sponsorship, each player will walk away with P11 000.00 while team officials will walk away with P5 200.00. Minister Rakgare applauded Lucara for the admirable work they continue to do for sport development in the country and women’s sport in particular. This is just one of the many good things they have been doing for sport, of the main ones being the construction of a stadium in Letlhakane.
Hon. Rakgare implored the Mares to embrace the support given to them and let it motivate them to go to Zimbabwe and put their best foot forward.