Puma and Bafana Boost SOS Children's Villages

Published: Monday, 4. June, 2012 in category Puma Gear
PUMA representatives James Mullen and Sidney Noholoza hand over a donation to SOS Children's Villages National Director Mr Siphiwe Maphanga yesterday. credit: Darren Alexander

PUMA, technical partners of South Africa’s national football teams, yesterday presented SOS Children’s Villages with a donation of R132 237.00 raised through sales of limited edition Bafana Bafana replica shirts.

The donation at the Ennerdale Village comes a year after PUMA announced its partnership with the South African Football Association (SAFA) and unveiled a limited edition kit. PUMA launched these replica shirts with all proceeds being donated to SOS Children’s Villages, a cause designated by SAFA.

SAFA President Kirsten Nematandani thanked PUMA and fans for supporting the charity: “We wish to thank PUMA and those loyal Bafana Bafana fans who bought the collectors’ item shirts. The SOS Children’s Villages care for children who are orphaned, abandoned or whose families are unable to care for them, and this is a cause very close to our hearts.”

Brett Bellinger, Marketing Director of PUMA South Africa, said: “PUMA is very happy to hand over the profit from the sales of the special edition replica shirt – PUMA’s very first kit for SAFA. The charity nominated by SAFA is a worthy recipient and the funds will be used to further the aims of SOS Children’s Villages and specifically the children supported by the organisation.”

The current Bafana Bafana kit, launched in November 2011, was designed by South African artists Hasan and Husain Essop and includes a rainbow graphic inspired by the phrase “Rainbow Nation” coined by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

The SOS Children’s Village Association provides professional foster care on a long-term basis, until the children are self-supporting. The association has been operating in South Africa for 30 years and aims to care for 20 000 children by 2016.

“I wish to thank SAFA and PUMA for this wonderful donation – not only do you assist us in providing a loving home for every child, you inspire our children to reach for their dreams and believe that with practice and discipline those dreams can be achieved,” said Siphiwe Maphanga, National Director of SOS Children’s Villages.

See www.sosvillages.org.za for more details.