Debswana GM’s Soccer Fiesta Deepens Community Impact

The Debswana Jwaneng Mine GM’s Soccer Fiesta will return from July 31 to August 2, with organisers saying proceeds from this year’s tournament will be directed towards health and education initiatives in Tlhankane. Speaking ahead of the event, Njabulo Gilika said the tournament has evolved from a football competition into a platform for community development, with each edition funding social projects in and around Jwaneng. Gilika said the initiative began in 2022, with proceeds initially channelled towards grassroots development.

“We found it fit to support the girl child through the women’s team,” Gilika said. The third edition, held in 2024, featured Zimbabwean side Highlanders and attracted about 4,000 spectators. According to Gilika, the event raised P750,000, which was used to refurbish hostels at Mogale Junior Secondary School, benefiting more than 200 students living there.

Attendance doubled in 2025 to about 8,000 spectators, while fundraising reached P1.4 million. “This shows that there’s continuous growth. This means we can impact more,” Gilika said.

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He said the funds were used to address the lack of health facilities in Betesankwe, culminating in the handover of a fully fledged clinic on July 17 at a cost of P1.4 million. This year’s tournament will feature Gaborone United, Mochudi Centre Chiefs, Jwaneng Galaxy and Namibia’s African Stars in the men’s competition. Gilika said organisers have maintained the practice of inviting at least one team from outside Botswana.

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