By Phiwa Sikhondze
In a significant contribution to school sports, local Fintech company, INSTACASH, has announced a substantial sponsorship of E375,000 to the Eswatini School’s Sports Association for the 2024 High Schools Soccer Tournament.
The announcement was made by the company’s Managing Director, Mandla “Cheeks” Nxumalo, at the sponsorship launch held at the SNAT Centre in Manzini.
He said that this year’s sponsorship marks an increase from the previous year’s E350,000, signaling INSTACASH’s growing commitment to youth development and sports in Eswatini. The tournament not only fosters athletic competition but also encourages academic excellence among students.
Nxumalo pledged their commitment as the company to go all out in ensuring that everything goes well in the competition. He also urged the educators to preach the culture of good behavior during the proceedings of the tournament.
The second edition of the INSTACASH Schools Soccer Tournament is set to commence on Wednesday, March 13, 2024. The tournament will unfold across 15 branches, culminating in the Top 16 Knockout stage. The finals are scheduled for June 28, 2024.
Sibetsaphi High School, last year’s champions, are poised to defend their title. During the media briefing, the school’s principal, Armstrong Dlamini, shared the team’s ambition to retain the trophy for three consecutive years.
Also speaking on behalf of the Eswatini Principals Association (EPA), Dlamini expressed his gratitude to INSTACASH, saying that sports are very instrumental in the development of a child.
“You can see that sports play a vital role as they keep the learners motivated. As school leaders, we believe in sports, we believe that there are benefits that the learner’s get from sports. It makes the learner fitter, healthier, and mentally strong. If they participate in sports, they become very active mentally. Also, sports help to develop great leaders. So, we encourage schools to join the competition for the sake of the learners,” he said.
He also highlighted the academic success of one of the players, who ranked in the top three of Form 5 results nationwide.
Representing the Ministry of Education, the Senior Inspector in the Ministry of Education, in the Sports and Culture department, also made emphasis on the significance of sports in the learning process.
She also praised INSTACASH for such an initiative. She further praised the company for their commitment to ensure good conduct and behavior during the proceedings of the tournament.
“Our culture as the Ministry is to help develop holistically. So, their conduct in sports gathering is very key to us as the Ministry. We promote good behavior,” she said.
INSTACASH, known for its financial services, has been a strong advocate for community engagement, with this sponsorship further solidifying its role in supporting local initiatives.