admin
Grace Chingoma Senior Sports Reporter
RED Sphere Finance, a subsidiary of CBZ Bank Holdings, are seeking to break barriers in sport by giving equal opportunities to women football.
This was revealed by Red Sphere Finance managing director, Desmund Ali, during a kit handover ceremony in Harare yesterday.
They donated a kit to the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services team, Correctional Queens, at Harare Central Prison offices.
The training and playing kit is worth about US$9 000.
ZPCS Deputy Commissioner-General Manetswa Manhivi received the kit on behalf of Commissioner-General Moses Chihobvu.
The ceremony was attended by players, Correctional Queens club chairperson, Mavis Gumbo, and CBZ Group head of marketing, Manatsa Gaka, as well as staff from the commercial bank.
The club also observed a minute of silence in honour of their late president, Tendai Chaponda, who died in August.
His brother Petros, flew in from South Africa, to grace the occasion.
“Red Sphere is seeking to break barriers and give equal opportunities to women,’’ said Ali.
“CBZ, we are the biggest bank and us, as Red Sphere Finance, we are the largest microfinance firm.
“Empowering Correctional Queens is empowering women, especially girls, through sports programmes.
“Red Sphere will seek to establish future opportunities to expand the footprints of this football club, and its message of equality and opportunity, for girls.”
The Prisons side want to reach the levels of their sister club, Black Rhinos Queens, who are now a household name, in women’s football.
Ali urged the club’s executive, headed by Gumbo, to invest in junior structures to guarantee their future.
Some of their stars include Marjoury Nyaumwe, Erina Jeke and Chido Dzingirai.
Chihobvu commended Red Sphere for their kind gesture.
“We remain grateful and our doors remain open to all willing stakeholders, who are keen to join hands with us, in ensuring that our Queens’ needs are catered for,’’ he said.
“We are really humbled that CBZ Red Sphere took heed of such an invitation hence our gathering here today to witness the donation of a full kit for the players, tracksuits for both the technical team and players as well as warm-up T-shirts.
“We are proud and quite convinced that Correctional Queens Football Club shall remain one of the top-flight teams in the football fraternity and as management, we shall continue to empower and support the female officers, especially those with passion for the sport.’’
Gumbo welcomed the timely donation.
“CBZ have been an all-weather friend of Zimbabwean football for a long time and, at one stage, they were the anchor sponsors for the CBZ FA Cup,’’ she said.
“Red Sphere have seen it fit to rekindle the romance between CBZ Bank and football by coming up with a timely donation for the club.
“Correctional Queens are a club destined for greater things and, as such, will forge a strategic business relationship with serious entities, who will see value in collaborating with us.
“We want to make a lasting football statement in Zimbabwean football by building strategic alliances which will help our team to excel on the football pitch.’’
The club are preparing for the resumption of top-flight football.
Online Reporter