ZOC get DZL sponsorship

Zimbabwe Private Limited for their 13-15 athletics programme.
The 13-15 athletics programme is an initiative of the International Association of Athletics Federations, which the Olympafrica Centre is implementing through the Olympafrica Foundation programmes.
The programme was launched last year and it caters for athletes between the age of 13 and 15. The contract signed between the two parties will see Dairibord sponsoring the programme through their Fun ‘n Fresh brand for the next three years and they have put in US$30 575.
Speaking at the signing of the contract and presentation of the cheque yesterday, ZOC president, Admire Masenda, acknowledged Dairibord Zimbabwe for their support.
“As ZOC we signed up for this programme because we fully appreciate the value of grassroots sports development as it forms the backbone of successful elite sport participation.
“We are grateful to Dairibord who have come on board through the Fun ‘n Fresh brand. This sponsorship will run for the next three years with a provision for annual reviews. The coming in of Dairibord Zimbabwe through the Fun ‘n Fresh brand brings about a multi-faceted approach to sport development in Zimbabwe which is the ideal situation to development of a holistic, well groomed athlete,” said Masenda
The ZOC boss said athletics has the potential for success hence the need to invest in the discipline.
“Athletics as a discipline is placed first on our priority list of sporting disciplines with the greatest potential for success and as such more support will be channeled towards this discipline in order to realise results by 2020.
“The 13-15 athletics programme fits systematically into our Long Term Winning Strategy,” said Masenda.
The 13-15 programme has so far benefited 7 297 participants and 30 outstanding athletes were identified since the launch of the project.
Masenda said it has become necessary to expand the programme as it continues to grow.
“Due to the success of the pilot programme and its obvious relevance to the future, it became inevitable for us to expand the programme’s reach and this year we have a target to reach out to over 11 000 young athletes,” said Masenda.
Speaking at the same function, Dairibord Zimbabwe’s managing director, Thompson Mabika, said there is need to develop the youths for a better future.
“We believe that in order to have healthy and happy lives, people must address all aspects of the person wholly, that is the body, mind and soul.
“We also believe very strongly that the core of a family and the nation’s growth and development is in the youth. Therefore we must focus, we have a duty to our young boys and girls to incalculate in them the right life styles.
“It is against this background that we have come together with ZOC to run this project which we have dubbed 13-15 Fun ‘n Fresh Athletic Explosion,” said Mabika.
Acting secretary for the Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, Paul Damasane, assured ZOC of their support.
“We are committed as a Ministry to deploying all efforts reasonably possible to assist ZOC in mobilising resources in order to enhance and compliment their efforts towards not just Zimbabwe’s participation at the London 2012 Olympic Games, but the global development of high sport and sport for all in Zimbabwe,” said Damasane.
Damasane said they hope to see the programme expanding to other provinces in the country.