SAFARICOM’S UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF GOLF AMONG WOMEN AND GIRLS

Safaricom, through its spirit of Tuinuane, has for more than two decades used sports such as golf to nurture and support talent to transform lives.

Part of this support includes KES 26.8 million sponsorship towards the third edition of the Magical Kenya Ladies Open at Vipingo Ridge, Baobab Course in Kilifi County. This is a premier event that puts Kenya and the East African region on the world map.

Since 2019, Safaricom through the M-PESA brand has supported the Magical Kenya Ladies Open with sponsorship of over KES 60 million. As part of this continued support to grow the sport of golf especially among women and girls in the country, the telco is sponsoring all the participating female Kenyan players by providing them with finances and kitting.

Safaricom also fully sponsored four female junior golfers -- Jecinta Njeri, Kanana Muthomi, Vivienne Otunde and Idda Rose -- in this year’s Pro-Am tournament, which took part on 1st February. The four players were drawn from last year’s Safaricom Golf Tour, which also saw 100 junior golfers benefit from a full-day coaching clinic with professional golfers.

The telco also sponsored four Kenyan players, Naomi Wafula, Mercy Nyanchama, Nancy Wairimu, Jacquelyne Walter, and Vetlab’s 16-year-old Chanelle Wangari with KES 1 million financial support and kitting during the tournament.

“We are proud to sponsor the Magical Kenya Ladies Open for the third year in a row. This sponsorship highlights our strong commitment to supporting sports in the country and promoting Kenya as a premier sporting and tourist destination. The Ladies European Tour provides our young Kenyan lady golfers with an opportunity to learn and grow, which is in line with our goal of supporting talent through the spirit of Tuinuane,” said Peter Ndegwa, CEO, Safaricom.

Last year, the telco launched its golf series dubbed Safaricom Golf Tour, which aimed to tap, nurture and grow talent countrywide. It invested KES 100 million for the inaugural edition of the tour, which was played in 14 golf clubs across the country, attracting over 9,000 participants out of whom 4,405 were juniors. The tour included junior tournaments, clinics and outreach programmes held across the country.

Safaricom has also previously supported professional golfer Rose Naliaka’s Foundation, which nurtures young budding golfers in the country.