Green Blades SPASS Secure Sportpesa Sponsorship After Cheza Dimba Win
The Green Blades SPASS were crowned champions in the women's exhibition match, earning a Sportpesa sponsorship of KSh 250,000 per year for three years, along with home and away kits.
This victory followed the team's adherence to all tournament rules and came after the cancellation of the Western Region Cheza Dimba men's tournaments.
According to a statement by the Sportpesa Tujiamini team, the men's tournaments were canceled due to participating teams' failure to comply with Cheza Dimba tournament rules, specifically by registering ineligible players.
Mercy Kabui, an Assistant Public Relations Manager, supported this decision, emphasizing the importance of integrity.
She stated, "Given what happened in Mumias East, we had some disqualifications, and we felt it was appropriate to award the women's squad because of their integrity. They played with caution, and it was only fair to recognize their efforts by awarding them KSh 250,000.
Sportpesa is passionate about giving back to the community, empowering young women and men in society, and uplifting them in various ways, which is why Tujiamini was established."
Pius Shiundu, from Dream Believe and Achieve (DBA) Africa, which partners with Sportpesa, explained that the Tujiamini campaign is an initiative to support sports and talent in Kenya, moving from region to region, and awarding one gold, five silver aspirants who receive support to elevate their sporting dreams, and 80 bronze awardees.
"The Tujiamini campaign was born out of Sportpesa’s commitment to grassroots sports, one of its main objectives. As DBA Africa, our primary goal is to invest in long-term sporting talent within Africa's sports ecosystem. We aim to develop sports to a level where we can compete with the best teams in the world. To achieve this, we work with academies focused on nurturing talent in various sectors.
We created Tujiamini to encourage sports and talents. In Kenya, we travel from region to region, awarding one gold and five silver aspirants who receive support to reach their athletic goals. Additionally, we provide 80 individuals with KSh 80,000 in monthly prizes to aid their sporting journey," said Pius.
"The three prizes are categorized under the Jiamini Award and the Tujiamini Award. Additionally, we have the Cheza Dimba Awards, where the winner receives a three-year Sportpesa sponsorship worth KSh 250,000 per year, along with home and away kits. The Tujiamini campaign aims to bridge the gap between sports and skills, bringing them together within the same ecosystem, so millions of Kenyans can benefit," he added.
Pius also encouraged women's teams in other regions to apply for the Cheza Dimba prizes, as Sportpesa is looking to make an impact in women's sports.
"I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all the female teams in the regions we haven't visited yet to check our website, find out where the next region is, and apply. You might be among the lucky few who win a sponsorship from Sportpesa," he urged.
Stephen Otieno, coach of the Green Blades SPASS, expressed gratitude for the opportunity provided by Sportpesa to compete for the Cheza Dimba awards and vowed to work even harder to secure their promotion to the women's national football squad within the next three years.
Sharon Mumoli, the team’s captain, mentioned that they plan to use the funds from Sportpesa to address challenges, such as transportation issues during the league. She promised to keep the team moving forward to avoid disappointing their sponsors.
The Tujiamini campaign, in collaboration with Sportpesa and DBA Africa, aims to uphold the highest level of integrity in their initiatives, while continuing to promote and nurture grassroots football, which is the foundation of the Cheza Dimba competition.