Football kits for Youths Football Team in Rural Areas

1. INTRODUCTION

Mngeta Rangers Football Club is a football team in Mngeta village, Mngeta ward, Kilombero District, Morogoro Region, Tanzania.

The team is composed mainly by young men (15 - 28) who are in secondary schools, those who are in the village after completion of their studies and few more who are employed in the nearby agricultural company.

The team have been participating in various football leagues organised by football stakeholders in collaboration with the District Football Association (KDFA). Last year, the team participated in 2 maojr football events organised by Members of Parliaments for Kilombero (Hon Getrude Lwakatare - special seat MP & Hon Suzan Kiwanga - Mlimba constituency MP). In Lwakatare Cup, the team was knocked out in the Quarter final stage while in Jimbo Cup (Suzan Kiwanga's) the team made it into the knock out stage to only and was eliminated after failure to send the team to the village designated to host the competition at that stage - some 50kms.

The team have conquered nearby villages and wards due to its football philosophy and successes. In the last 3 years, the team have won other challenge cups 3 times (Ng'ombe Cup 1; Mbuzi Cup 2). It is one of the most successful and renowned teams in Mngeta Ward and division

The team, however is not popular in the district for the reason that it is yet to play in official KDFA leagues at the district level. This is not only due to financial constraints, but due to the fact that it is only meant to create unit and togetherness of youths in the village and nearby villages. It is also contributed by the fact that majority of players are students and youths just out of the schools. Hence, they are not available for long travels to other places in the district.

For the year 2018, the team has not participated in any formal competitions due to the fact that there has been no leagues organised by any stakeholder in the vicinity

2. PROBLEM STATEMENT

As mentioned above, the team is mainly composed by secondary school students as well as few boys who are in the village. Following the remoteness of the village, the team has been experiencing, among other issues, shortage of football kits (jerseys). Considering that the community is an agrarian rural community, there has been limited support to the team having jerseys/uniforms.

In 2015, the team received support of football jerseys from a nearby agricultural company. Nevertheless, years later, the kits are not in a good shape to continue being in use as some are damaged & repaired to a point that no way they can be repaired again. That has caused the team to sometimes play with mixed jerseys (white shirts) or shirt-less.

While football boots and shin guards have remained players' responsibility, the uniforms (jerseys) are a the main thing that we would request the community to help us get.

3. REASONS FOR FUND RAISING.

The Team is requesting funds to buy football kits, more specifically jerseys (uniforms) - 4 sets of 15 - 20 pieces each.

The requested kit includes;

i. Top shirts

ii. Shorts

iii. Stockings (football stockings/socks)

iv. Shin Guards

v. Bips for training & practices

We are open to receiving in kind donations/contributions (uniforms/jerseys & others), even part of our requests

4. EXPECTED RESULT

The donation of any kind into this will help to build unit and togetherness among youths in the village as well as other members of the society.

It is also expected that, as it is happening now, the team will further help in reducing moral degradation in the community, support abstinence from HIV/AIDS as well as drugs.