Tigresses eye more fundraising events

Local netball giants Tigresses have planned more fundraising events this year.

The team’s manager Hellen Mpinganjira-Tasosa disclosed this after successfully holding a fundraising dinner that attracted at least 200 patrons at the Greek Club in Blantyre on Friday evening.

The dinner followed the team’s loss of sponsorship from the College of Medicine (CoM) Sports Complex.

It aimed at helping the Airtel Money Netball Trophy champions raise funds for the team’s sustainability in the 2016 netball season in terms of players’ allowances, hostel rentals, food and utility bills.

“We have been encouraged by the good turn-out and we feel the holding of more fundraising activities is the best way to go for our team’s survival. Of course, we are hopeful that one of the corporate companies will come to our rescue with sponsorship, but in the meantime we will rely on fundraising activities,” she said.

However, Mpinganjira-Tasosa, whose side targeted to raise at least K5 million from last weekend’s dinner, could not disclose how much they generated from the event saying they were still in the process of reconciling the proceeds.

Multi-choice Malawi marketing manager Chimwemwe Nyirenda, whose company was one of the corporate partners that bought a table at the dinner, said Tigresses initiative was worthwhile because it gives prospective sponsors a picture of how proactive the team can be if taken on board.

“Corporate companies are looking for entities that help themselves first and take the initiative to grow their financial muscle. Nowadays, sponsors are no longer donors but partners, who also need to benefit from the sponsorship marriage. Other unsponsored teams should borrow a leaf from Tigresses,” Nyirenda said.

Tickets to the event were sold at K7 000 each while about 10 companies bought corporate tables at K100 000 each.