Betika, the Kenyan sports gaming company, has stepped up its investment in grassroots football. The firm is the official sponsor for the third edition of the GrandPa tournament that will be held in Kibera, dubbed Betika Na GrandPa 1 Milli Super Cup.
The winners of the Cup will take home Ksh350,000 from Betika. The firm aims to invest in the youth by nurturing talent through sports, arts and culture. The event is expected to create memorable Betika BTL experience through Grand Pa Super Cup football tournament that will have a pool of 64 teams in Nairobi – 48 male and 16 female.
“For many communities, sports is a way of life with the prospect of getting a better life. One of the most striking things about watching the grassroots players during their training is their enthusiasm, something that is inspired by football but not confined to it,” says Mr Noah Yusuf, also known as Refigah.
Mr Yusuf said many of the youth have never been supported or even encouraged in their life before. Betika is moving in to give them a sense of confidence that they can channel into improving their own lives outside their homes.
The selected 64 teams will compete for 12 weeks from the end of September to mid-December
Football Kenya Federation (FKF) says it intends to continue supporting the community teams and help them reach league levels. “We also call upon other industry players and sports stakeholders to join Betika in building Kenyan sportsmen and supporting our own. Football in Kenya is improving and the Football Kenya Federation has always been committed to ensuring that it develops even further,” says Mr Caleb Malweyi, FKF Chairperson for Nairobi West.
Mr Malweyi said FKF plan is to have a three-day mentorship & training session where we will have all the coaches & team goal keepers taken through serious mentorship program from celebrity footballers in conjunction with Betika.
The sessions we will be used to identify, nurture and expose talents amongst the players and shape the team into responsible members of the community. “We are happy with the strides Betika Na Community is making in transforming the lives of our youth. Sports has this unique power to celebrate our common humanity,” says Betika PR Manager, Kate Arudo.
Ms Arudo says Betika Na Community initiative brings people together, allowing them share the common love for the game, compete on equal terms, follow the same rules and respect differences even in competition.
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