By Seleoe Nonyane
The Lesotho Institutions Sports Association (LISA), on Tuesday, signed a three-year sponsorship deal worth M6million with Econet Telcom Lesotho (ETL), for the support of different sporting codes at high school level.
LISA’s mission is to assist high and secondary schools throughout the country to compete in different sporting activities.
The sporting codes that students will participate in include netball, volleyball and basketball. Debate and chess have also been incorporated into the sports that students will compete in. the competitions will begin within inter-zone tournaments where high schools from the same region/zone will compete upon with the winner going on to contest at national level.
ETL general manager – marketing and customer experience, ‘Mapusetso Ntṧekhe, says the company is launching the partnership with LISA now because Covid-19 infections have decreased in the country. In addition, restrictions on movement have also been lifted, making it possible to schools to engage in competitions.
Ntṧekhe said ETL wants students to be able to express themselves from a tender age, and expose them to other opportunities beyond the classroom.
“Encouraging children to participate in sports at an early age helps nurture their talent and create future national sporting personalities like Souru Phatṧoane who recently became the first assistant referee from Lesotho to officiate an AFCON final match when he handled the game between Senegal and Egypt,” she said.
For his part, LISA president Teboho Pholo thanked ETL its support and the faith it has shown in LISA’s vision of sports development in the country.
Pholo added that LISA will immediately train administrators, coaches and referees.
