Sports Cabinet Secretary Ababu Namwamba has challenged young golfers in Kenya to capitalise on a global initiative launched by DP World to raise the standards of the game in the country.
The CS spoke at an event organised by DP World in Nairobi on Friday to distribute golf balls to organisations and individuals keen on developing the game.
Representatives of the organisations gathered to celebrate the occasion ahead of the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.
“This initiative will have an incredible impact on the Junior Golf Foundation in Kenya. These balls will help to demystify the game of golf and secondly, they will open the opportunity for many young people who look at golf as a closed elitist sport that you can’t access,” said Namwamba.
“It feels special to be selected by DP World as a beneficiary, it’s a very strong message from the corporate world that you have a role to play, and who knows, we might just have the next Tiger Woods emerging from Kenya.”
The 130,024 golf balls have been collected in numerous ways, with donations from DP World Tour players, fans, professional golf ball divers, ball-collecting dogs and children’s golf ball hunts.
The program hopes to inspire and encourage more people to take up the game in three key growth areas including the disabled, junior golfers, and women’s golfers.
Kanana Muthomi, a 10-year-old junior at the Junior Golf Foundation Kenya, said: “It’s going to be very nice that lots of these golf balls will be coming to Kenya. More of the underprivileged kids are going to get the chance to play and it’s going to encourage more junior golfers.”
“In Kenya, not all kids get the chance to play golf so this will give more opportunities for them to play the sport I love. Thank you to DP World for the golf balls.”
Lily Reich, General Secretary of the South African Disabled Golf Association said they have been desperate for golf balls.
“It’s incredible that DP World can help alleviate that financial pressure with this fantastic initiative. SADGA provide golf to any disabled golfer in South Africa to have often been given their second life, so for DP World to give golf balls a second life with this initiative is tremendous.”
Brendan Lawlor said golf for the disabled has developed enormously in Ireland over the last few years.
“Earlier in the year, I was proud to participate in the Irish team that won the EGA European Championship, and with this donation of balls from DP World to EDGA and Golf Ireland, I look forward to seeing new individuals with a disability try our great game.”
President of the Golf Foundation India, Amit Luthra, observed that the price of golf balls being so expensive, this initiative from DP World is a huge help for the children of India to continue playing golf.
DP World Chief Communications Officer Daniel van Otterdijk said they wanted to find both a meaningful and memorable way to give back to the sport.
“This initiative has been a great way for DP World to showcase our logistics and supply chain capabilities and expertise.”
