By: Latifa Yusuf Masai
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – This year’s regional football championship top goal scorer shall take home a brand new Toyota Crown car.
The top scorer’s award car plate # SL 49597 is just one of the many has been availed by the Dahabshil Group of companies which is the top sponsor of the 2013 annual regional sports tournament currently ongoing in Hargeisa, the Somaliland capital city.
The Dahabshil Group which is not only global company owned by a local somaliland family but one of the leading in terms support to numerous development projects in Somaliland and the wider Horn of Africa region through its ingrained corporate responsibility policy has contributed a vehicle to the regional tournament for a second year.
Last year the Dahabshil Group car was taken home by Master Govinder a Maroodi-jeeh striker for having scored the first football goal in the 2012 tournament hosted by Togdeer region at the Almazy Stadium in Burao.
Govinder who also scored the first goal of the ongoing tournament, in the first minute of the first football match of the 2013 said to be the fastest in the tournament’s history during Hargeisa-Sarar and match watched live by president Silanyo at the Hargeisa stadium and others worldwide through various TV channels would have won it a second year in running if the rules had not been changed thus award the vehicle to the top scorer.
Courtesy of Somtel a leading telecommunication owned by the Dahabshil Group citizens both in the country and the diaspora can now watch all the 2013 football matches live through the SLNTV, HCTV, Somaliland Space Channel, Somali Sat, Somali Channel and Milgo Digital TV channels.
According to Somtel Operations Manager Mr. Ahmed Abdilahi Ainanshe, the live transmissions are very costly but the cost has been negated by pursuit of the telecommunication’s company policy of supporting youth development in the country.
Said he, “The 2013 regional sports tournament global live transmissions by six local TV channels have been entirely facilitated by Somtel at a cost amounting to $40,000”
The first foray into live transmissions by Somtel was in in 2011 during the Togdeer region hosted tournament in Almazy stadium in Burao was availed global by the Somaliland national TV and Radio Hargeisa.
While other local companies like Telesom , Juba express and Alnuur furniture have also chipped in one way or another the Dahabshil group has apart from donating the top goal scorer’s vehicle and sponsored live transmissions through five TV channels , the Dahabshil Group has also provided all the 13 teams with full sets of uniforms.
According to the group’s public relations manager Prof Hasan Hiis has also renovated the Tima’ade grounds in the capital where all the basketball games of the 2013 regional tournament shall be hosted.
Prof Hiis also informs that the Hargeisa Stadium which is the current venue of all Athletics competition and football matches was rehabilitated by the Dahabshil group late last year in readiness for the 2013 tournament.
Said he, “Plans for rehabilitating the Hargeisa stadium were embarked upon jointly by the ministry of youth and sports and Dahabshil group immediately after the 2011 regional event at Burao’s Almazy Stadium that also benefited from a Major Facelift courtesy of our company”
The Dahabshil group which is renowned for providing a vital money transfer lifeline to those living in many countries across Africa and beyond has over the years become, arguably, one of the most important multinational businesses in Africa.
As part of its Corporate Social responsibility, the family owned Dahabshil has committed millions of US dollars to education, health and youth development as well as supporting relief efforts which has had a real impact on the lives of needy communities not only in Somaliland but around the Horn of Africa as well.
In recognition of Dahabshil continued support to the Somali community both in Africa and abroad, investing 5% of its profits into community regeneration projects involving the development of schools, hospitals, agriculture and sanitation, The United Nations described Dahabshil services as “the only safe and efficient option to transfer funds to projects.”
According to the Dahabshil Group CEO Mr. Abdirashid Duale, the overall strategies of the company are tailored to arrive at optimum results efficiently and effectively. On this light, the company will continue to improve its services, products and state-of-art technologies favorable to customer needs while recognizing responsibilities to the communities in which the company operates.
In this light it is anticipated that Dahabshil which in 2010, celebrated 40 years in the business will continue to be visible in activities related to its UN acclaimed Corporate Social responsibility title of “the only safe and efficient option to transfer funds to projects.”
