The Maseru Community Cup is set to make a splash as its inaugural charity soccer tournament promises a grand prize of M100,000 for the winning team. Organized by the Nthomeng Majara Foundation and Molefi Global Agencies, the one-day, four-team competition aims to raise funds for charitable activities while providing an exciting event for soccer fans.
Sponsored to the tune of M200,000, the event is an initiative of the Nthomeng Majara Foundation, with Molefi Global Agencies focusing on its organization. Additional sponsors include Econet Telecom Lesotho, Vodacom Lesotho, Global Cure, and Sakisi Hotpot.
Scheduled for 11 August, the tournament was officially launched on Monday 22nd August at the Global Guest House in Naleli, Maseru. The off-season tournament will be held at the Bambatha Tsita Sport Arena in Maseru, featuring four premier league giants: Linare, Matlama, Bantu, and Lioli.
Speaking at the launch, Molefi Global Agencies Chief Executive Officer, Molefi Lengosane, announced that the winner would walk away with M100,000. The second-placed team will receive M50,000, and the two teams knocked out in the semifinals will get a M25,000 consolation prize each. Lengosane emphasized that the tournament is not only a fundraiser for the Nthomeng Majara Foundation but also a means to help the teams generate some funds.
“The tournament is meant to raise funds for the Nthomeng Majara Foundation. The funds will, thereafter, be directed to charitable activities,” Lengosane said. “We are also trying to help teams to raise funds through ticket sales.”
He explained that each team would have Econet’s Ecocash and Vodacom’s Mpesa merchants, through which their respective supporters would buy tickets. Each team would, in turn, keep 70 percent of ticket sales bought via the aforementioned merchants. The remaining 30 percent would go to the Nthomeng Majara Foundation.
The foundation’s founder, Deputy Prime Minister Nthomeng Majara, highlighted the dire need for assistance among vulnerable and poor people. Unable to meet these needs with her salary alone, Majara, who also serves as Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, decided to form the foundation.
“There are scores of people who are in serious need. Some are faced with the hunger crisis. There are also disabled people while others need clothing,” Majara said. “So, we came up with the idea of a football tournament as one of several ways to raise funds because we know that Basotho love soccer as it unites people. This is just a start. We are hoping to see the tournament grow, for sponsors to come on board so that we can include more teams. We want to even go beyond soccer and include other sporting codes.”
Ticket sales are already underway and will close on 7 August , 2024. The draw will take place on the same day.
