Econet Telecom Lesotho has renewed its commitment to supporting school sports in the country by extending its sponsorship of the Lesotho Inter-School Association (LISA) for three more years. Econet’s sponsorship of the programme was due to end this year and the extension was announced by Econet’s Chief Executive Officer, Dennis Plaatjies, last Friday during the opening of the 2024 LISA Games at Lesotho High School.
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Econet made headlines two years ago by launching Lesotho’s largest-ever sponsorship of school sports when they pledged M6 million over a three-year period to support secondary and high school sports programmes.
The initiative has been a game-changer in school sports and Plaatjies confirmed that Econet would continue its support, though he did not say whether the sponsorship amount would increase or remain the same.
Econet’s M6 million sponsorship has enabled LISA to support schools across the country in various sports including volleyball, basketball, athletics, football, chess and debates.
Plaatjies emphasised Econet’s commitment to nurturing young talent and expressed the company’s long-term vision of seeing athletes in their programme one day compete on the Olympic stage.
“Our support in sports at school level will continue,” Plaatjies said when addressing guests and sports scholars at Lesotho High School.
“What we want is for the Minister to watch the Olympic Games and see you (student athletes) there. We are going to work hard to make sure that what we are doing here with LISA supports and helps this talent reach the top so that you can raise the national flag abroad. I believe that in the next three years, we will achieve great things. Let’s support Econet, and it will continue to support the Basotho nation,” Plaatjies continued.
The Minister of Sports, Motlatsi Maqelepo, who was present at the opening ceremony, highlighted the importance of investing in school sports to achieve success at the senior level.
The minister emphasised his responsibility to ensure the growth and development of sports in the country, including advocating for better facilities and infrastructure.
“We have to invest a lot in school sports in order to reach the high level and I have faith that (by) working together, we are going to start building Team Lesotho that, in the next five to 10 years, will be seen internationally,” Maqelepo said.
The minister said part of his role is to ensure the availability of quality facilities, headed by the national stadium, Setsoto.
“Our thinking should be different from now on when it comes to sports. My job is to ensure we have grounds, starting with Setsoto Stadium, to bring it to the level it should be,” Maqelepo said.
“From there, we will go to the districts to ensure there are grounds. I am happy because all over the world, sports are not only supported by governments but also by businesses. We thank Econet for seeing the importance of investing in sports,” he added.
This extension of Econet’s sponsorship is a significant boost for school sports in Lesotho.
It ensures young athletes will continue to receive the support they need to develop their talents and compete on larger stages.
Tlalane Phahla
