MHLUME: Nick Jackson, the Managing Director of the Royal Eswatini Sugar Corporation(RESC) says the Three-hundred and fifty thousand Rands(R350,000.00) for the Siyakha Soccer Tournaments is meant to capacitate young people to develop their talents.
Eswatini has about 70% of the population living below the poverty line, the youth is most affected as young people face scarcity of jobs.
Speaking to this Swaziland News on Saturday afternoon when interviewed by editor Zweli Martin Dlamini,the Managing Director said, the youth development program was part of their Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) targeting young people within the communities in the outskirts of their operational sites or areas in the Lubombo region.
“It’s part of our social program called Siyakha 1800, the target was to reach one thousand, eight hundred(1800) children, boys and and girls aged five(5) and-up playing soccer. We engaged with the Football Association(FA) and we started pre-COVID but COVID came and messed everything-up but we back on track now”, said the Managing Director.
The Royal Eswatini Sugar Corporation(RESC) Director further mentioned that, as the program continues they realized that four thousand(4000) children might benefit. He said this year, they pumped-in one hundred and fifty thousand Rands(R150,000.00) plus two-hundred thousand Rands(R200,000.00) making it three hundred thousand Rands(R350,000.00) in total.
“As we speak, we have two(2) girls playing for the Ladies National team and these girls came from Lubombo. We are developing young emaSwati into football so that ultimately, they can improve their lives”, said the Director.
Royal Eswatini Sugar Corporation(RESC) pumps-in R350,000.00 for Siyakha Youth Soccer Tournaments, Managing Director Nick Jackson says sponsorship meant to capacitate young people.