Africell yesterday disclosed to journalists that it would sponsor the single leg Amputee Sports Club with $14,000 to take part in the second edition of the All African Nations Cup in Liberia.
Addressing journalists at the Country Lodge the company’s chief commercial manager, Joe Amara-Bangali, said Africell had this year embarked on a programme whereby certain areas would be identified in fulfillment of their corporate social responsibility.
“In addition to rewarding our subscribers, we also consider it important to assist deserving groups, organisations or communities,” Joe Amara-Bangali noted, adding that for this reason they decided to respond to a request from the single leg Amputee Sports Club to sponsor their participation at the All African Amputee football championship in Monrovia, Liberia, from 30th march to 14th April 2008.
He mentioned that the single leg amputee sports club had been in existence since 2001 and that it was formed by a group of young amputees who wanted to continue to enjoy their favourite sport which was football.
The chief commercial officer stated that, “Africell has always been giving back to the people in various forms and this is not the first time we are assisting the single Leg Amputee Sports Club”.
He disclosed that last year they also provided assistance for one of the club’s officials to attend an All African Amputee conference in Accra, Ghana.
He stated that concerning their participation in the tournament in Monrovia, “we will be covering expenses related to their transportation, travel allowance, and team camping, football kit, medical kit and protective stump devices”.
He also revealed that they had plans to also sponsor a friendly home match between the Single Leg Amputee Sports Club and the amputee football team in the United Kingtom most probably in May this year. This will be their second encounter, the first having taken place away in the UK in 2003.
He mentioned that Africell was keen to see that the dreams of the founders of the club were fulfilled, whereby they would continue to enjoy playing football.
“We will continue to offer assistance not only in the area of sports or to vulnerable groups but also to educational institutions in a bid to empower our youths,” he stated.
The UNDP external relations specialist, Peter Ngu Tayong in his own contribution, said the Single Leg Amputee Sports Club would take Sierra Leone higher in football as they were the future peace ambassadors.
He noted that they would come together with Africell after the competition in Liberia to see how they could sponsor the amputee female team.
One of the greatest achievements of the club was the hosting of the first All African Amputee Nations Cup in Freetown, Sierra Leone, in 2007. They also took part in the Amputee World Football Championship in Turkey when they were sponsored by the United Nations.
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