Soccer stars give goals for miracles

Goals for Miracles will raise funds for cataract operations performed through the South African National Council for the Blind (SANCB), the Pretoria Eye Institute's Sight 4 U Cataract Project, and the Netcare Vodacom Sight For You Programme.

The campaign kicks off in the thrilling upcoming Vodacom Challenge from 19-26 July. Every time a goal is scored in regulation time, Vodacom will give R50 000 to the three organisations.

This exciting fund-raising concept will be taken to the next level during the 2008/2009 PSL's ABSA Premiership season, as the Vodacom-sponsored PSL clubs in the form of Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Bloemfontein Celtic will be able to raise funds for the beneficiaries when scoring, as they strive to reach the total of R4 million to be paid out to the three organisations by the end of May 2009.

Goals for Miracles is an innovative way for soccer stars to express their commitment to social responsibility. It follows on the highly successful Tries for Smiles campaign, in which South Africa's rugby players are still raising funds for operations on disadvantaged children with facial anomalies. Scoring of birdies through the Vodacom Origins of Golf Tournament will ensure that golfers continue to raise funds for Women and Men Against Child Abuse (WMACA).

In each case, Vodacom provides funds to leading organisations in the field that are bringing relief to South Africa's vulnerable citizens. Thus far, Tries for Smiles has raised an impressive R1.54 million for the Smile Foundation, while 2 245 birdies that have been scored in the Vodacom Origins of Golf Tournament, have raised R224 500 for WMACA.

Mthobi Tyamzashe, CEO of the Vodacom Foundation, says: “Vodacom's cause-related marketing campaigns are playing a significant role in raising funds for and awareness of the needs of our disadvantaged South Africans. We trust that these campaigns will encourage our sporting public to also become involved in corporate citizenship for the benefit of our communities.”

In welcoming the initiative, Orlando Pirates Football Club Chairman Dr Irvin Khoza said: “The Vodacom Foundation's Goals for Miracles campaign will serve as an additional source of inspiration to our players to get the goals that will enhance our club's chances of success in the Vodacom Challenge, and also make a major difference, to the lives of many of those less fortunate in our country. Be assured that the Orlando Pirates players will go the extra mile to create life-changing situations for these individuals.

“The simple yet best way to get people motivated to meaningfully contribute to a cause is by asking them to do that which they do best. Goals for Miracles will succeed because it is based on a sound principle that promotes excellence in sportsmen's sphere of influence. It promotes the essence of an age-old principle of winning best when winning together. I am pleased that we at Orlando Pirates are able to contribute to humanity whilst doing what we do best,” he added.

Kaizer Chiefs Chairman, Kaizer Motaung described the Vodacom Foundation's initiative as a major step forward in corporate social investment terms, which will go a long way towards brightening up the lives of people, who had until now faced a bleak future. “The Vodacom Foundation's Goals for Miracles campaign is a heart-touching one that allows our players to steer Kaizer Chiefs towards a potential fifth Vodacom Challenge title win, as well as to raise funds for the beneficiaries.”

The SANCB will operate five mobile units that provide essential eye care service, including surgical interventions, to people living in remote rural areas of the country where there are limited or no services available. During the past two years, the mobile team has screened over 33 500 patients and performed 7 500 cataract operations. Vodacom Foundation's funding will be used for the operational costs of one of these clinics for a year.

The Sight 4 U partnership between the Pretoria Eye Institute and the Vodacom Foundation began in 2006 with a R1 million donation from the Vodacom Foundation that enabled 400 operations to take place at the Institute during Eye Care Awareness Week. A further R1 million contribution the following year resulted in 400 operations taking place during the same week in 2007. An additional grant of R500 000 from the Vodacom Foundation, taking the total contribution since inception of the partnership to R2,5 million, enabled a further 82 operations to take place in 2008.

Over 1 400 people have also had their eyesight restored through a partnership between Netcare and Vodacom. The Netcare Vodacom Sight for You Programme aims to assist the more than 160 000 South Africans who are blind as a result of cataracts. Since its inception in 2004, Vodacom Foundation has contributed over R5 million to this programme. Netcare's contribution is made in the form of subsidized hospital facilities, medical personnel and consumables.

The much-anticipated Vodacom Challenge will see Kaizer Chiefs meet Manchester United at the Newlands stadium in Cape Town on Saturday, 19 July. Orlando Pirates takes up the challenge three days later when they meet the world-famous English team in Durban.

On Thursday, 24 July, the Vodacom Challenge moves to Port Elizabeth for the “Soweto Derby” between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs. The game will decide which team will qualify to play Manchester United in the final of this year's tournament at the Loftus stadium in Tshwane on Saturday 26 July.