By Tatenda Mujeyi
The Zimbabwe Tourism Authority has donated training kits to the country’s netball team ‘The Gems’ who are scheduled to leave for the Netball World Cup in Liverpool in the United Kingdom.
The donation comes at the right time as the team was facing shortages to best meet their preparedness ahead of the world tournament.
“On behalf of the girls and the Netball Association, I would like to convey our appreciation to the kind gesture that you have shown,” Zimbabwe Gems Vice Captain Felistus Kwangwa said at the ZTA donation.
ZTA emphasised their gesture as a continuing means to support the girl child who is constantly marginalised.
“I wish you the best in your endeavours and would like to convey to you that this is not the first time I have supported women in sport. I was part of the team that supported the women’s football team,” ZTA Acting Chief Executive, Rita Likukuma said at the handover of the donation.
“I would like to emphasise that ZTA saw it important to support not only the girl child but your efforts in sports tourism as you market Zimbabwe in Liverpool through sport,” ZTA Corporate Communication and Industrial Relations Manager, Hazel Zisanhi said.
The girls were lobbied to market Destination Zimbabwe throughout the tournament through portraying good characters.
“Zimbabwe is a third must visit country after Sri Lanka and Germany. So there is need to continue marketing Zimbabwe. Be ambassadors through your personal presentations,” Likukuma added.
The girls emphasised their preparedness and were ready to face their opponents come Liverpool.
“We are geared up for the tournament and we are ready to face our challengers when we get to Liverpool for the world cup,” Kwangwa said.
ZTA emphasised how they would have appreciated giving more, but hoped what they gave will assist in facilitating better involvement for the ‘gems’
“We would have appreciated giving more but we hope that you appreciate the little that we managed to give,” ZTA Head of Corporate Communications Godfrey ‘Chief’ Koti said at the handover.
The gems leave for United Kingdom, Liverpool, tomorrow and will represent the nation at the Netball World Cup with hopes they will erase the bad memories following the Warriors early dismissal in the AFCON tournament underway in Egypt.