Safaricom has officially kicked off the North Eastern regional finals of the Chapa Dimba football tournament with a series of community outreach initiatives aimed at transforming the lives of the locals in the region.
The initiatives involve free Medical Camps that took place on Saturday at the Garissa level 5 hospital, Stakeholders’ Engagement, Players’ and Coaches Clinics, and Digital & Financial Literacy training that will take place at Hola. These will lead up to the regional finals matches scheduled for the weekend of Saturday, February 24th, and Sunday, February 25th, 2024, at Garissa University Grounds in Garissa County
“It is amazing to see how football has continued to grow in this region. In the history of Chapa Dimba, this is the first time we have witnessed, over 280 teams from North Eastern registered to participate in the tournament. The tournament serves not only to nurture talents but also to transform the lives of the entire community. That is why today, we are officially kicking off with a series of community engagement activities, including free medical camps, as well as digital and financial literacy programs aimed at empowering our customers in the region,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom PLC.
The Financial Digital Literacy training is a collaborative effort between Safaricom and Britam Insurance Company designed for Boda Boda riders, vendors, small business operators, shopkeepers, and others who are Safaricom customers in the region to impart knowledge that fosters a culture of saving and enhances preparedness for credit and investment opportunities.
The football clinic for the players’ and coaches will feature valuable lessons in skill development, social values, teamwork, and leadership. Coaches will gain insights into effective training methods, tactical approaches, and ways to motivate and communicate with players.
Last week, during the free medical camp at Garissa level 5 hospital, over 3300 people from Garissa and its surrounding community benefited from free medical check-ups, free physician consultation, eye and dental check-up, blood sugar test, blood pressure, cancer screening, among others.
Additionally, there will be training on the use of Safaricom’s newly introduced GPS Sports Vests, which are AI-powered to improve players’ performance and open up scouting opportunities. They are used to capture data about players, including total distance, speed, power plays, power scores, among others. This allows players to understand their strengths and weaknesses, identify areas for improvement, and more.
The community engagement initiatives will then build up to the Safaricom Chapa Dimba regional final matches, to be played at Garissa University Grounds, with three boys teams lining up for the competition.
Safaricom Chapa Dimba aims to provide a structured platform for scouts and coaches to tap into new talent and build feeder systems for the Kenyan football leagues across the country while also training a total of 250 coaches. The football tournament targets young people aged between 16 and 20 years old.
