10/02/2024 - Breaking Barriers, Building Dreams: Safaricom champions for aspiring female and junior golfers at the Magical Kenya Ladies Open

The telco fully sponsored the four aspiring Kenyan golfers, providing them with a rare opportunity to participate in the 2024 Magical Kenya Ladies Open Pro-Am at Vipingo Ridge

For the past four editions, Safaricom, through its M-PESA platform, has been an integral part of the Magical Kenya Ladies Open, a tournament included in the Ladies European Tour and organized by U.COM Event.

This year marked the fourth edition of the event's presence in Kenya and East Africa after its debut in 2019. Safaricom, known for its culture of supporting and nurturing talents in the country, committed KES.34.8 million to support the event.

In line with its commitment to nurturing talent, Safaricom provided a unique opportunity to four aspiring golfers: Margaret Njoki and Aisha Duba from Golf Park in the senior category, and Vivian Adhiambo and Ekron Odhiambo from Nyali Golf Club in the junior category, by fully sponsoring them to participate in the Pro-Am tournament.

These four golfers who possess great talent in the sport unfortunately lack the financial means to participate in such a prestigious tournament on their own. They were nominated by their respective foundations, namely the Junior Golf Foundation and the Kenya Ladies Golf Union. The Magical Kenya Ladies Open Pro-Am platform provided these players with the chance to interact with and learn new skills from international professional golfers.

"I am immensely grateful to Safaricom for providing me with the opportunity to participate in this year's Magical Kenya Ladies Open. It was my first time playing in the Pro-Am event at the tournament, and the experience was truly remarkable. I learned a lot from the professionals I played alongside. One of the key takeaways for me was mastering the technique of rolling the ball far from the bunker," said Aisha Duba.

To further nurture golf talents in the country from grassroots, Safaricom sponsored junior golf clinic at the event, benefiting more than 50 junior golfers who received full-day coaching from professional golfers.

“Sports sponsorship remains a key area for us because of its role in transforming the lives of many young Kenyans. As part of our commitment to supporting and nurturing talent, today we supported junior clinics where over 50 children were trained by golf professionals. The young golfers we nurture and develop are the future of the country’s golf sport,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO of Safaricom.

This initiative positions the Safaricom brand as providing opportunities for promising athletes. Additionally, through this sponsorship, Safaricom not only enhances the diversity of the tournament but also empowers aspiring talents.