Wazalendo in bid to raise funds for Club Championships

Wazalendo have launched a M-Changa platform in a bid to raise a Sh7 million budget in preparation for this year’s Africa Cup for Club Championships (ACCC) slated for Blantyre, Malawi.

The club finished second in the Kenya Hockey Union (KHU) Men’s Premier League last season and thus earned an automatic slot in the continental championships alongside champions Butali Sugar Warriors.

Without a sponsor, the club has resorted to well-wishers and donors to realise their dream of participating in the annual tournament as they rolled out the platform in an event held on Sunday at the City Park stadium.

According to the chairman of the club’s Board of Directors Douglas Ochong, the club has been solely depending on its members subscriptions to run its activities which is barely enough to cater for the trip.

“This platform is about supporting our club to participate in the tournament. We are actually not begging but actually inviting well wishers to invest in us and become an investor in this noble course by contributing through M-Changa,” said Ochong.

Ochong explained that they are looking forward to sending a contingent of 40 comprising 30 players and 10 officials with an estimated Sh70,000 set to cater for each athlete for the week-long tourney.

The contributions can be made through the club’s website- www.wazelendo.co.ke or via Mpesa paybill number 891300 with 40902 as the account number. They can also use other money transfer services including paypal, equitel and airtel money.

Whenever a person makes their contributions, they receive a message on how much they have contributed and the total amount raised in the platform.

With the fate of the continental event still hanging in the balance due to Covid-19 pandemic, Ochong said his team will continue with their preparations as they awit communication from the Africa Hockey Federation.

“As it stands now, we are still working with the earlier dates which is the end of November. However, it (tournament) may be pushed forward to next year but for us we are all set for the event and we will continue stepping up our preparations,” added Ochong.

All the four Kenyan clubs pulled out of the 2019 tournament held in Ismailia, Egypt due to financial constraints.

KHU president Nahashion Randiek who was present in the event hailed Wazalendo for coming up with the initiative while also pledging the federation’s support for the clubs to realize their potential.

“I promise that we at the leadership of KHU shall support Wazalendo in this noble course. I want to urge our clubs not to focus on the limitations but focus on the goals and come up with plans like what Wazalendo have shown us today,” said Randiek.

The South B based club will be making a return to the Club Championships after missing out for more than a decade.

The club made its debut in the 2007 championships tourney held in Egypt but missed out on the main tournament after arriving late due to financial constraints thus leading them to playing some friendlies.

Ian Olando is one of the players who has scaled the ranks in the club and is looking forward to making his bow at the tournament.

“This year I was looking forward to two major events: the Under-21 championships and the Africa Club Championships. We are still hopeful that we will compete in Malawi,” said Olando.