Seabata Mahao
An international foundation dubbed Supporting the Future (STF) handed over donations to the local Under-15 football teams and also donated winter clothes for people living in the streets of Maseru with the aim of developing the youth.
STF is an international foundation from United Kingdom (UK) which deals with charity and youth development globally.
The foundation was founded by a professional youth football coach in the UK James Murray, in 2018 after developing passion for youth development after volunteering with international organisations such as Skills Share and World Food Program (WFP).
In an interview with Newsday Newspaper, Murray stated that STF’s first trip was in 2018 when they came with only three bags of sports kits which they shared for Lesotho and Western Cape, South Africa.
He said in January 2020, they brought eight suitcases but their operations were unfortunately put on hold by the on-going global Covid-19 pandemic in 2021.
Moreover, Murray explained that they brought 22 suitcases of sports kits and clothing in Lesotho which they have donated since their arrival with the help of Lesotho National Olympic Committee (LNOC).
He said, LNOC has helped their foundation in identifying the development teams in the rural areas of Leribe as well as Botha-Bothe adding that Coach Mahlomola ‘Chencha’ Mats’oara from Mafeteng has helped them with organizing the football tournaments.
Murray noted that, STF donated sports kits to development teams which included, Happy Hearts FC, Galaxy FC, Makhoakhoa FC, Mafeteng Sisters FC, AC Tip FC, Real Fighters FC, Junior Sisters FC, Masianokeng Sports Academy and LDF women’s development team.
He said on the Mafeteng Football Tournament they had 128 boys and girls whom they gave full football attires to.
STF is not only focused on sporting development as it also handed out a full suitcase of clothes to Litsamaiso Foundation in Maseru.
The suitcase contained variety of clothes which the organization will donate to the vulnerable people living in the streets of Maseru.
“We are primarily an organization that distributes sports clothing to townships, rural areas, teams and schools also creating new teams with full football kit to wear. We want to create a development that will be the foundation of sports,†said Murray.
STF gets their funding from international organisations, volunteers and Kit Locker in England which is a sports kits manufacture.
In an interview with Litsamaiso Foundation’s Financial Controller, Keketso Molepe stated that, they were approached by STF through social media where they set a meeting. He said STF visited their foundation on Sunday last week during their food handout in Maseru adding that STF also donated food parcels.
Molepe said the donated suitcase full of winter clothes will be donated to homeless people living in the city of Maseru on Sunday during their weekly food handouts.
“We have agreed to work in partnership with STF for the community development as a whole,†Molepe said.
