Millennium Park Soccer Academy (MPSA) has secured a season-long commercial sponsorship worth M160,000 from Mark Lesotho, providing a major financial boost to the grassroots football institution’s youth development programme.
The sponsorship is expected to support the academy’s day-to-day operational costs while also subsidising its social development initiatives aimed at children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.
Established in 2017 by Liphakoe head coach Kalaele Tseka, who is currently working towards a CAF A Licence, MPSA has spent the past eight years developing young footballers through structured tactical and technical training.
The academy currently has more than 250 active youth players across its various divisions.
For years, however, the academy operated without corporate sponsorship, with Tseka often meeting operational shortfalls from his own pocket to keep the programme running and ensure that children from low-income families had access to sportswear and other basic necessities.
Speaking at a media briefing in Maseru yesterday, Tseka said the financial challenges facing the academy were particularly severe because of the socio-economic circumstances of many of the children it serves.
“We face severe operational challenges as we work with heavily underprivileged children,” Tseka said.
He said some players come from households where parents are unemployed or are being raised by elderly grandparents, with hunger sometimes affecting their ability to participate effectively in training.
“When we train them, we look for physical energy that simply isn’t there. We quickly realised that several of these children arrive at training hungry, completely uncertain of their next meal,” he said.
In response, the academy introduced life-skills programmes designed to identify and assist its most vulnerable players.
Tseka said MPSA’s mandate extends beyond producing footballers, with the academy seeking to address social challenges while developing players technically from an early age.
He said one of the academy’s key objectives was to address tactical and technical deficiencies before players reach senior football, arguing that national team coaches should not have to correct fundamental weaknesses that could have been addressed during a player’s formative years.
“I recognised a critical need to introduce structured coaching at a tender age, which prompted me to establish the Millennium Academy,” Tseka said.
“Our ambition is to elevate national football development, ensuring that our players are thoroughly prepared to represent the national team on the international stage.”
The partnership was facilitated by former MPSA player Kananelo Makhanya, who is currently in the United States on a football scholarship while pursuing medical studies.
Makhanya, the son of Mark Lesotho founder KaraboMakhanya, approached the company about supporting the academy’s community-based football development model.
Speaking on behalf of Mark Lesotho, which operates the Spur franchise at Maseru Mall, Makhanya said the company wanted its corporate social investment to support initiatives capable of producing tangible benefits for Basotho children and sport.
“We are formally committing our resources to complement the exceptional work you are already executing on the ground. It is vital that the raw talent of Basotho children is properly coached from a young age to benefit the country,” he said.
“We are partnering with you to validate your efforts, signal that we recognise the power of sport in our nation, and actively participate in nurturing this talent.”
Makhanya said the academy’s holistic approach was an important factor in the decision to support it.
“I am particularly impressed that their curriculum extends beyond pitch training. The academy supports these children in every department of their lives, including mental health counselling and structured career guidance,” he said.
“We intend to bolster those initiatives to ensure the academy’s impact is felt nationwide.”
Summary
- Speaking at a media briefing in Maseru yesterday, Tseka said the financial challenges facing the academy were particularly severe because of the socio-economic circumstances of many of the children it serves.
- Speaking on behalf of Mark Lesotho, which operates the Spur franchise at Maseru Mall, Makhanya said the company wanted its corporate social investment to support initiatives capable of producing tangible benefits for Basotho children and sport.
- It is vital that the raw talent of Basotho children is properly coached from a young age to benefit the country,” he said.
Seabata Mahao is a general news reporter with special focus on Business and Sports. Started working at Newsday in 2021. Working in a team with a shared goal is what I enjoy most and that gives me the motivation to work under any environment leading to growth.
