By JOHN SAKALA
Konkola Copper Mines (KCM) has aided the Nchanga Rugby Club through a K50,000 contribution towards the hosting of the 10-Aside Rugby national tournament to be held at Nchanga Rugby Club grounds in Chingola on Saturday March 7, 2020.
The tournament, which has been dubbed the “KCM 10-Aside Rugby Tournament,” is the curtain raiser of the Zambia Rugby Union Calendar for 2020.
KCM Chief Financial Officer Patson Nyirenda said during the Cheque handover Ceremony in Chingola that the donation demonstrates the determination of the mining firm to give back to the community despite the company’s financial constraints.
Nyirenda said KCM continues to give support to various sports because it believes sport keeps the community healthy.
“We believe as KCM that if people are healthy, then we have a good community, and with a good community we can have good production in KCM. We are very happy to be part and parcel and wish the team good luck,” he said.
Nchanga Rugby Club Chairman Martin Makuyu expressed gratitude to KCM for lifting the huge financial burden of hosting a major rugby tournament.
Makuyu said, “We are very grateful to receive this donation because without KCM it would have been very difficult for us to raise money for the tournament. The money assist in organizing the tournament and entertaining the residents of Chingola.”
Makuyu also said the Nchanga Rugby Club had embarked on a recruitment exercise targeting young players under the age of 20 so that they help the young boys to stay away from vices such as drug and alcohol abuse.
Sport is one of the four pillars of the KCM’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme. The company sponsors three football teams in the Zambian soccer league and also supports other sports disciplines as part of the strategic plan to effectively contribute towards sports development in the country.
This is according to a media statement by KCM Acting General Manager Corporate Affairs Shapi Shachinda.
