Econet Lesotho eases COVID-19 impact on athletes

‘MAKERESEMESE LETUKA

MASERU – Telecommunication company, Econet Telecom Lesotho, on Wednesday handed over food parcels to affiliates of the Lesotho Sports and Recreation Commission (LSRC). The grant was initially planned to benefit 100 of the LSRC member associations, but the benefactors have managed to cover only a section of the forecast number. On behalf of the Ministry of Sports, Puisano  Tšosane, Manager in the Department of Sports, thanked Econet Lesotho and announced the sports minister was also planning to extend a similar contribution “during these stressful COVID-19 pandemic period when the vulnerable had to helped.”

“Some athletes only get make a living through sports, and since the dawn of the COVID-19 pandemic many of them have been struggling to make ends meet. So we decided to lend a helping hand. This is the first round of handing over the food parcels, there will still be more to come, and kindly urge other companies and entrepreneurs to add on what we have brought today for the benfit of the entire sports fraternity,” said Puleng Masoabi, Public Relations Manager Econet Lesotho.

LSRC President Jobo Raswoko said: “Econet Lesotho is aware of the importance of sports, the reason the company is always in the forefront sponsoring sports, even the elite football league. It is commendable that they have remembered us as the LSRC in this time of the COVID-19 pandemic…I am very grateful and as the LSRC we will keep sourcing out sponsors to help us assist our members.” “I would like to thank the LSRC, but more especially Econet Lesotho for these food parcels which will come in handy for us as struggling athletes.

I also urge my colleagues to keep training individually to keep their bodies in shape” said Lehlohonolo Snyman from the Lesotho Boxing Association. The food parcels were handed to the National Paralympics Committee, the athletics, boxing, weight-lifting, traditional games, Special Olympics committees with six members selected from each association. And ‘Matšeliso Koebela , on behalf of the recipients said: “I am very grateful for this gift because we are really in need, even when we try to seek part-time jobs they don’t last because of the effect of this pandemic, and we have also stopped training.”

The food parcels consisted of maize meal, cooking oil, bath soap, beans, sugar, salt, tooth paste, petroleum jelly and matches.