By SANDRA MWILA –
ZAMBIAN Breweries has pumped K320, 000 into the 2014 Inter–Compound Under-17 football tournament that kicks off today in Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces.
The eighth edition of the Inter-Compound tournament has seen an increase of K20,000 in sponsorship with the overall winners walking away with K7,500 and losing finalist pocketing K5,500 while third prize will be worth K4,000.
Zambia Breweries marketing manager sparkling beverages, Mambo Mwiimbu said during the launch yesterday that the tournament had targeted 1,120 youths for both Lusaka and Copperbelt events.
Mwiimbu said the tournament would run from today to October 11 with both provinces fielding eight teams each from various compounds.
“We are working at ensuring that this tournament grows in the near future by introducing a girls team and expanding to all 10 provinces in the country,” she said.
Mwiimbu said the tournament had been successful over the years and managed to tap talent in various compounds of Lusaka.
“You may wish to know that this compound tournament has helped taping talent amongst boys in compounds that don’t have the opportunity to go to school,” she said.
Mwiimbu reiterated the firm’s commitment in sponsoring the compound tournament that taps unseen talent and helps the youths to stay away from bad vices.
“We are proud as a company that we have helped to contribute to the development of sport in the country as we have contributed the likes of Nathan Sinkala to the national team,” she said.
Sinkala, who was identified from MM Academy the defending champions of the tournament, was part of the Zambian team that won the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Lusaka compounds to take part in the tournament include Bauleni, Kanyama, Chawama, Kalingalinga, Linda, Matero, Kafue and Chainda while Copperbelt will be represented by Nkwazi, Chifubu, Chiwempala, Kamuchanga, Kwacha East, Bulangililo, Chiwempala, Mpatamato and Roan.
Today, the Lusaka tournament kicks off in Kanyama while on the Copperbelt, Ndola will host in Chifubu.