Former Botswana Football Association (BFA) honourary president Ismail Bhamjee, donated football equipment, through his charity organisation, Bhamjee Sport Development Trust, to the Women's Affairs Department and John Nswazwi Memorial Cup Committee at his residence in Gaborone yesterday.

The donation included soccer balls, boots and bags. Bhamjee said that his trust is trying to help the needy in rural areas and not getting support from various organisations. He revealed that he got most of the equipment from World Group of Companies.

Bhamjee said it is important to develop those that are in places that are not in the limelight. He also stated that he still loves sport, and football in particular, adding that he was not kicked out of his position after the FIFA World Cup 2006 tickets scandal in Germany but had moved out.

Chairman of John Nswazwi Memorial Cup, Moffat Mabutho said they are grateful to Bhamjee for the contribution. "It is good to see that he has gone as far as reaching these villages and lending a helping hand," he said. He added that it is important that Bhamjee is not only thinking about those that are already shining but also those that need to be polished in order to become the future stars of the country. He said the cup starts on December 5 until January 1.

It will involve the villages of Nswazwi, Goshwe and Makuta which will field a total of nine men's teams. Five women's teams will also compete in the tournament aimed at bringing the three neighbouring villages together to honour the late Chief John Nswazwi.

Women's Affairs department representative Dominic Botshelo said Bhamjee has done a noble job, adding that women's teams in Ghanzi area have promised to play as much as men to show that they are equally capable. The Women's Affairs Department was receiving the equipment to be used by Ghanzi women football teams for a tournament aimed at commemorating "16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence".