Media Release
For immediate release:
Tuesday, 18 April 2006
After an exciting Absa Cup weekend, with the last four teams now having qualified for the Absa Cup Semi Finals, and with that, their dreams of making it to the Final, is one step closer.
And while the key theme for the Absa Cup – The Cup of Dreams, is that Absa Cup is an enabler and a platform for dreams to be realized: from the soccer player to their teams. But it's not just about the soccer. It is also about the supporters and the communities within which we live and operate.
As an organization, Absa believes they should also be mindful and cognizant of the communities within which they ply their trade and operate. And as such, with every sponsorship they are involved in, they identify an organization within the community which requires assistance in the form of funding, to contribute to the work they are doing in aiding those in need.
But for Absa, it's not just about handing out money and walking away. It's about seeing through that donation, and playing an active role in the contribution.
Today, Absa announces that they have identified and nominated The Tomorrow Trust as the official organization to benefit from the proceeds raised through the Absa Cup – The Cup of Dreams.
The T o morrow Trust is a foundation which aims to secure, amongst others, post school education bursaries for children managing child-headed households who have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS.
In the past Absa have been involved is assisting HIV/AIDS related organizations with providing the “basic essentials” such as food, shelter and clothing.
Absa have also supported a campaign called “I know”, which empowers people with knowledge about HIV/AIDS. And their global involvement in raising awareness of the pandemic, is through their participation in World Aids Day here is South Africa . They also support NGO's, who provide home-based care and voluntary training in aiding this cause.
Today, Absa commits to taking this a step further. From the provision of basic essentials, to now helping the children to realize their dreams, thereby creating sustainability - through raising funds for the post school education bursaries of these children, orphaned by HIV/AIDS, and donating it to The Tomorrow Trust.
The Trust supplies support structures for Orphans to pass their final school exams in order to follow the path that they are passionate about to create a future for themselves and their families and society, the economy and the country as a whole.
To highlight just two objectives of the campaign:
To ensure that the children had the self esteem and the belief in themselves to follow their dreams
To give an otherwise impossible opportunity to the Orphans – namely tertiary education.
And with the Absa Cup being the Cup of Dreams – and the enabler and a platform for dreams to be realized, Absa saw a perfect fit in supporting this forward-thinking campaign. One that not only looks after the needs of the “here and now”, but assists in creating a sustainable future for the children orphaned by HIV/AIDS, once armed with a career of their choice, to go on and become adults able to fend for themselves.
So as part of the 2006 campaign, and with the support of the PSL, Absa has nominated the Tomorrow Trust as the official charity of the Absa Cup 2006.
How the Funds will be raised
In line with the Cup of Dreams theme - Absa has developed a competition for all soccer supporters, called the Wildest Dreams Competition, which runs across 14 SABC stations. In this competition, listeners call in on a weekly basis to share their wildest dream. The other listeners then vote via SMS on a weekly basis for the best dream.
The revenue generated from the SMS' sent through the 14 Radio Stations in the Wildest Dreams Competition will be donated to The Tomorrow Trust. In addition Absa will provide an initial sum of R350 000.00
Challenge to All
Absa and the PSL would therefore like to challenge the public, the teams and the players to make the dreams of the children of the Tomorrow Trust come true by also pledging to this cause.
One merely has to think of the children who have become adults and sometimes “parents” as they lead child-headed households, long before their time. They are children with responsibilities and harsh realities.
It is up to them to create a tomorrow that is better than today.
For further information
Yolanda Arendse,
Exp Sponsorship
(on behalf of Absa)
Tel (011) 549-5340, Cell 083 440 2031
Email: yolanda.arendse@expagency.biz ;
Ntambi Ravele, PSL GM Corporate Communications
Tel (011) 402-2424, Cell 082 994 0261
Email : ntambir@psl.co.za
Kim Feinberg, Director,
The Tomorrow Trust
Tel (011) 883-2361
Email: kim@tomorrow.org.za
Errol Smith,
Media Manager, Absa
Tel (011) 350 400. Cell 082 573 0059
Email: errols@absa.co.za
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