Hon. Minister Seretse accepts BIHL African Youth Games sponsorship

GABORONE – Listed financial services Group, Botswana Insurance Holdings Limited (BIHL) today announced their sponsorship for the 2014 African Youth Games. The Acting Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture, Honourable Vincent Seretse, accepted the handover from BIHL Group CEO, Mr. Gaffar Hassam, at an engagement held at Cresta Hotel. Initially billed to be a P474,000 (US$ 50,000.00) sponsorship, BIHL Group surprised all by upping the sponsorship to P500,000 at the event.

The Group and its three subsidiaries Botswana Life Insurance Limited, BIHL Sure! and Bifm will each contribute a combination of cash of and kind to what is set to be the biggest sporting event in the country.

“As a sponsor of this year’s Games, BIHL Group continues to dedicate itself to philanthropic initiatives” In a country known for its dazzling diamonds, we strive to give a boost to the more metaphorical gems of our nation, the causes which dedicate themselves to doing good. Our new partners at BAYGOC are no exception. As we celebrate this partnership, we celebrate both an incredible collaboration as well as, from a BIHL perspective, a celebration of yet another way we get an opportunity to play a more hands on role in our community, inviting all Batswana to show off our collective strength in numbers as we welcome the continents’ finest into our playing field,” expressed Mr. Hassam.

The Group’s involvement sees sponsorship as follows:

  • Group personal accident for persons whilst actually engaged in the activities of Youth Games, including 2,000 volunteers, 1,500 managers/coaches, as well as medical expenses
  • Public Liability cover
  • Business al risks cover based on the theft of equipment
  • Accidental death cover for the participants of All Africa Youth Games during the period of the competition
  • A P110,000 cash amount to be directed by the organisers of the Africa Youth Games as required

The 2nd African Youth Games, dubbed ‘Gaborone 2014,’ are set to take from the 22nd to the 31st of May 2014. Up to 2,500 youths aged between 14 and 18 from 54 African countries are expected to participate in the Games across 16 venues.

Honourable Minister Seretse stated that, “Hosting games of this magnitude is no doubt a mammoth task that requires a great deal of effort, calling on all of us to participate in whatever manner towards assisting the Organising Committee to successfully deliver the games on our behalf. Resources go a long way in determining the extent we can go to make this work; and we are delighted that BIHL has heard our clarion call and taken that firm decision to contribute to the Games.  With just 45 days left to the games, I wish to assure Batswana and Africa that Botswana will be ready to deliver very successful Games.”

The Games are billed to see 21 sporting codes, including: Athletics, Badminton, Basketball, Boxing, Canoeing, Cycling, Football, Golf, Judo, Karate, Netball, Rowing and Rugby 7s, Swimming, Table Tennis, Taekwondo, Tennis, Triathlon, Volleyball and Weightlifting.