Kenyan telco Safaricom has officially kicked off the Eastern regional finals of its grassroots football tournament Chapa Dimba with a series of community outreach initiatives aimed at transforming the lives of the locals in the region.
These efforts will culminate in the regional finals matches scheduled for the upcoming weekend, on Saturday, 9th, and Sunday, 10th December 2023, at Kinoru Stadium in Meru County.
The initiatives involve free Digital and Financial Literacy training, a collaborative effort between Safaricom and Britam Insurance Company. This training is designed for boda boda (motorcycle) riders, vendors, small business operators, shopkeepers, and others who are Safaricom customers in the region. The training’s primary objective is to impart knowledge that fosters a culture of saving and enhances preparedness for credit and investment opportunities.
There will also be a football clinic for the players’ and coaches featuring 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.
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.
“This is the second time we are hosting a Chapa Dimba tournament here at Kinoru stadium after successfully hosting the national finals in 2018. Even as we come back with football tournament that is aimed at nurturing talents, we also want to make sure that all our customers are not left behind. Throughout the week, we will be engaging the members of the public in the entire Eastern region with various community engagement that involves free digital and financial literacy to empower our boda boda riders, small vendors and small business operators,” Safaricom Peter Ndegwa said.
The engagement initiatives will then build up to the Safaricom Chapa Dimba regional final matches, to be played at Kinoru Stadium, with eight 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.
