• DONE DEAL…Airtel Zambia marketing director Barry Sekou (left) exchanges documents with FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya after signing the agreement for the sponsorship of the biggest local youth football tournament in Lusaka yesterday. Picture by GWEN CHIPASULA

By GWEN CHIPASULA –
FOOTBALL Association of Zambia (FAZ) and Airtel Zambia yesterday launched the 2015 Football Talent Search, a prelude to next year’s Airtel Rising Stars.
The Talent Search programme, which will be moving from district to district, kicked off on Monday and will this weekend be in Choma.
Speaking during the signing ceremony at Football House in Lusaka yesterday, Airtel Zambia marketing director, Barry Sekou said the Talent Search would lay the foundation for the 2016 Airtel Rising Stars tournament to be held in March.
Sekou said the search for hidden football talent would start with districts before shifting to provinces.
He, however, said FAZ and Airtel were finalising on issues of how much would be pumped into the project.
Sekou hinted that the sponsorship package would exceed K4 million poured into last year’s Airtel Rising Stars.
“The expense will not be less than what we had last year but we are giving a different dimension this time around.
“This time around things are a bit different because we are moving from district to district, then provinces because we want to accommodate everyone for the Airtel Rising Stars which will take place some time in March next year,” he said.
FAZ president Kalusha Bwalya said he was happy with the programme which ensured a continuous identification of football talent across Zambia.
“The significance of this programme can never be overemphasised. The talent we have in the under-17 and 20 comes from the Airtel Rising Stars and we are so grateful for that and looking forward to this programme,” he said.
Kalusha said the Airtel Rising Stars had a huge impact on schools and commended Airtel for continued support to such programmes that helped identify talent.