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SAWIMA wants to bring Bosso and Dembare to play Pirates and Chiefs

by Tse Ndex
18 Jul 2011 at 08:18hrs | Views
The Southern African Women's Institute for Migration Affairs, (SAWIMA) are negotiating for a big Peace and Reconciliation tournament that will bring two top Zimbabwean teams to play against two top South African teams in the next two months. SAWIMA, who organised highly Ubuntu Derby between Highlanders FC of Zimbabwe and Jomo Cosmos of South Africa on the 25th of July 2010 and the Orlando Pirates vs Dynamos this June, are hoping to establish long-term arrangements for the Anti-Xenophobic campaigns while looking to unite, educate and build African communities by tolerance amongst each other.

In July 2010, after the FIFA 2010 South Africa World Cup, SAWIMA, in partnership many stakeholders like the Methodist Church, Action for Transformation (ACTION) and Population Council, Show Me Your Number, the Brazilian Embassy, Econet Wireless, they successfully raised funds in that soccer match between Jomo Cosmos FC and Highlanders FC on the 25th July 2010 at Johannesburg Stadium that saw between 18000 and 20 000 fans enter the gates to watch a drawn match that ended 0-0.

Funds raised from ticket sales of this match went to funding other anti xenophobia campaign, kick-start the skills development and repatriation programs for migrants in Johannesburg among other things. The organisation used the support of  Population Council who made posters and fliers, Econet who donated R10 000.00 cash as well as 200000 smses notifying people about the match, 20 T-shirts for the volunteers and the kit that Bosso donned on the day.

Tear Fund pumped the R25000.00 for the stadium deposit with Nando's chipping in with meals and Press Conference venue, as did the Methodist Church. Transporting the Zimbabweans to Johannesburg was borne by the Brazilian embassy and Bridges of Hope who forked out R17000.00. R205 000.00 was collected at the turn-tile gates while, according to the available report, R286 302.00 went to the organisation of the event as total expenses. The gate-takings and cash donations brought total income to R300 400.00.

The rest of the funds went towards skills development programs for refugees and their repatriation. The refugee children school fees were also paid for by the organisation. There was also help for young refugee mothers seeking help with food parcels and blankets. By the year-end 12 young mothers had been equipped with Clothing design and Basic Computer Literacy Skills. The program organised an Exhibition and Fashion Show on 16 December 2010 during the 16 Days of Activism Against Violence on Women and Children.

After the match, SAWIMA in collaboration with IOM- International Organisation for Migration coordinated the activities in preparation for the repatriation of Zimbabweans from South Africa to Zimbabwe, including 17 people who voluntarily expressed wishes to return home and were assisted with transportation. The organisation is seeking to play a great part in getting to equip refugees with welding, construction and farming skills.