The Sunday News
Simba Jemwa, Sports Correspondent
STREET SET women’s football club and Vulindlela Groceries, Bottle Store and Meat House have announced that the latter is to invest in women’s and girls’ football.
The company has agreed a sponsorship deal running to the end of the season. Confirming the deal, the company’s spokesperson, Blessing Masimbe said their decision was influenced by the club’s hunger for success and hard work they put into the game.
“I think we were attracted to Street Set by their hunger to succeed. Secondly, it was the passion and the vision that the club’s founder, Lee Mangena shows with very limited resources. Eventually we said why not help a brother out who is doing a very good job. You know these days, drug abuse is an in-thing for teenagers and young kids so this is a way of keeping them busy and diverting attention from drugs. I would always see them passing by the shop and something just said give back to the community,” said Masimbe.
Drugs and substance abuse – Image taken from Shutterstock
The deal includes transport to and from games, refreshments and transport money for players who do not stay within Tshabalala, Nkulumane areas.
“We are in negotiations with relevant authorities so that these girls can have a place to use as a changing room when they are playing at home. My vision as a soccer loving person, and I happen to be a hard-core Caps United supporter in Zimbabwe and Liverpool in the English Premier League, is to have proper structures at Street Set including a fully-fledged board and an executive. From there, we want a proper academy and possibly have twin agreements with local schools in and around Tshabalala, Nkulumane and Sizinda. With this partnership, we want to be a powerhouse that can produce stars who will feature for the national team,” Masimbe said.
Masimbe operates a retail outlet at Vulindlela Shops in Tshabalala where they also have a butchery, a grocery shop and a bottle store.
Mangena, the Street Set founder, said in a statement: “Vulindlela have partnered with us to play a crucial role in the growth of women’s and girls’ football, so it is excellent news that they are committing to a deal with us. As part of our women’s and girls’ strategy, we set ourselves the ambition of providing equal access for all girls at 90 percent of primary and secondary schools in the province, and Vulindlela’s support and investment will allow us to make great strides in achieving this ambition.” @RealSimbaJemwa
