Total South Africa to take a child to Egypt
The Total South Africa Group visited Winnie Mandela Primary School in Tembisa.
On May 29, The Total South Africa Group visited Winnie Mandela Primary School in Tembisa, looking for talent.
The Total Group is a proud sponsor of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the title sponsor for the Total Africa Cup of Nations 2019 in Egypt, which will kick-off on June 21.
In celebration of the sponsorship and in the spirit of African sports talent, Total South Africa is partnering with 32 schools across the country to ignite football talent and nurture the soccer culture. Among the 32 schools, Winnie Mandela Primary welcomed the visit of Total South Africa group. During their visit, they played soccer with the children and created a space for dancers to win prizes. Eight learners were nominated and two were selected to be listed in the lucky draw to stand a chance to win a trip to Egypt.
Pierre-Yves Sachet, Total South Africa CEO and managing director, said Total South Africa school games will make provision for 14 boys and 14 girls in each grade to play a game of soccer to stand a chance to be selected as the top boy and girl player of their grade.
“These top players will then participate in skills-based soccer activities for a talent scout to select the best players from each school. The winners of each school will be part of a lucky draw to win tickets to attend one of the Bafana Bafana Games in Egypt,” said Sachet.
“The African continent is the cornerstone of Total’s global presence and this partnership allows us to deepen our already strong roots and strengthen our ties with stakeholders and fellow Africans. Football is a universal language synonymous with friendliness, enthusiasm and, of course, energy,” explained Sachet.
Reina Cullinan, corporate communications and marketing manager of Total South Africa, said Total signed a partnership agreement with CAF in 2016, becoming the official title sponsor of African football for eight years.
“Total became the title sponsor of 10 competitions, three international clubs and seven nationals. The partnership started in 2017 in Gabon with the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations, which was renamed the Total Africa Cup of Nations,” said Cullinan.
In the midst of all the fun, a medic was invited to look after the well-being of the children. Prince Dumisani Khumalo, intermediate lifesaver from ER24, said when a group of over 50 people gather there should be a medic to react to any medical challenges one could encounter.
“We are here to take care of the children in case of medical need. Some of the children have underlying conditions that no one knows of which we take care of and to prevent casualties, in case they kick each other because it is soccer, anything is possible,” said Khumalo.
In addition to the soccer activities, there was also a safety session with the learners to highlight the importance of road safety in a fun and engaging way. Each learner received an educational Road to Safety activity booklet with colouring in pencils and reflective stickers to be more visible on the road. The learners were also given snacks and oranges.
Cullinan also said at Total, safety is more than just a priority, it’s a core value and the basis of their strategy.
“We are excited to engage with learners by means of the soccer activities and the road safety sessions. We look forward to a successful journey as a partner of African football,” added Cullinan.
“We are honoured to be the chosen school in Tembisa. We are grateful to Total because they brought joy and excitement to our children. Our excitement cannot be explained,” said Sekwena Ratau,Winnie Mandela Primary educator and head of mathematics department.
“We hope to build a lasting relationship with them. For the children it means a lot, especially knowing they stand a chance to board a plane to Egypt,” said Ratau.
To find out more about the upcoming Total Africa Cup of Nations Games and to follow the Total school games, follow Total on Twitter @TotalSAfrica, Facebook @TotalSouthAfrica or visit www.total.co.za. In addition, Total will be running different competitions where customers stand a chance to win tickets to the Total Africa Cup Nations Egypt, as well as lots of soccer goodies. Be sure to visit your nearest Total service station to stand a chance to win.
