Safaricom has officially kicked off the Coastal regional finals of the Chapa Dimba football tournament with a series of community outreach initiatives aimed at transforming the lives of the locals in the region.

These initiatives will culminate in the football extravaganza scheduled for the upcoming weekend, on Saturday, 13th, and Sunday, 14th January 2024, at Mbaraki Stadium in Mombasa County.

The initiatives involve free Medical Camps, Stakeholders' Engagement, Players' and Coaches Clinics, and Digital & Financial Literacy training.

The Financial Digital Literacy training is a collaborative effort between Safaricom and Britam Insurance Company designed for Boda Boda riders, vendors, small business operators, shopkeepers, and others who are Safaricom customers in the region to impart knowledge that fosters a culture of saving and enhances preparedness for credit and investment opportunities.

The football clinic for the players' and coaches will feature valuable lessons in skill development, social values, teamwork, and leadership.

Coaches will gain insights into effective training methods, tactical approaches, and ways to motivate and communicate with players. 

 Additionally, there will be training on the use of Safaricom's newly introduced GPS Sports Vests, which are AI-powered to improve players' performance and open up scouting opportunities.

They are used to capture data about players, including total distance, speed, power plays, power scores, among others.

This allows players to understand their strengths and weaknesses, identify areas for improvement, and more.

"After a three-week break during the festivities, we are delighted to resume our football tournament, with the Coast region hosting the first event of 2024. This tournament serves not only to nurture talents but also to transform the lives of the entire community. " said Peter Ndegwa, CEO Safaricom PLC.

Adding "Throughout the week, we have a series of activities planned where we will be engaging our customers in the entire Coast region, offering them free medical camps, as well as digital and financial literacy programmes to empower our boda boda riders, small vendors, and small business operators,".

The engagement initiatives will then build up to the Safaricom Chapa Dimba regional final matches, to be played at Mbaraki Stadium, with eight teams lining up for the competition.

Safaricom Chapa Dimba aims to provide a structured platform for scouts and coaches to tap into new talent and build feeder systems for the Kenyan football leagues across the country while also training a total of 250 coaches.

The football tournament targets young people aged between 16 and 20 years old.