Vunani Fund Managers praised for boosting women’s sports in Botswana

Vunani Fund Managers’ sponsorship of the Vunani Annual Botswana Women Sports Awards has been hailed as a transformative investment in the country’s women’s sport ecosystem, supporting gender parity, long-term development, and the growth of women-owned businesses. Speaking to this publication, Kesego Kebelaele-Okie, co-organiser of the awards, described the partnership as “transformational rather than transactional.” “It has contributed significantly to positioning the awards as one of the key highlights of local sport,” she said. “Vunani has gone beyond the sponsorship agreement, helping us bring more partners on board and showing determination to grow the awards, the athletes, the artists — and us as a women-owned business.” The fourth edition of the awards will be held on March 27, 2026, in Gaborone, recognising performances and contributions made between January 1 and December 31, 2025. The theme, Honoring Women Shaping Botswana’s Sporting Legacy , reflects both history and the current push to ensure women’s sport receives sustained recognition. Applications for this year closed on February 27. Kebelaele-Okie emphasised the lasting impact of recognition. Past winners have seen scholarships, professional opportunities, and career growth follow the awards. Teenager Buhle Majama, last year’s Young Promising Athlete, secured a scholarship to study in the United States. Maru Chokwe, 2025 CEO’s Special Award winner, enrolled in a professional golf academy in South Africa. Since 2023, the awards have recognised over 51 female athletes, administrators, and sports journalists, distributing nearly P500,000 in prize money across 16 categories, including Sportswoman of the Year, Young Promising Athlete, and Team of the Year. Beyond financial support, the awards have established credibility through a broad coalition of partners, including the Ministry of Sport and Arts, Botswana National Sports Commission, Women Against Substance Abuse Botswana, Vunani Fund Managers, and Papadi Sports. Over three years, organisers have disbursed more than P500,000 to award recipients, P150,000 to performing artists, and over P750,000 to suppliers and team members, most of whom are unemployed women. The awards deliberately spotlight talent from outside Gaborone, with past winners from Maun, Francistown, Letlhakane, and Selebi-Phikwe, and uphold independent judging to safeguard against favoritism. Women with disabilities are assessed alongside able-bodied athletes, with equal prize money for top awards, and have also won Courage and Young Promising Athlete awards. The 2026 theme coincides with Botswana’s diamond jubilee, recognising women who laid the foundations for current sporting achievements. Financial recognition is also catalytic: winners have used prize money to grow businesses, reinvest in training, and sustain livelihoods. A capacity-building workshop covering financial literacy, personal branding, and investment readiness, introduced last year, will now be an annual feature. Looking ahead, organisers envision systemic change — greater visibility, deeper investment, and policy alignment to enable women to compete consistently at international competitions such as the Olympics and World Championships. Engagements with the Botswana National Olympic Committee and prospective sponsors are underway to support extended training programmes. “There is no single sponsor or organisation that can do this alone,” Kebelaele-Okie said. “But collectively, we believe this vision is achievable.” For Inside BW Women Sports, the Vunani Annual Botswana Women Sports Awards function less as an endpoint and more as a starting line — a moment of recognition that quietly, persistently, transforms what comes next.

Gaborone relays to spotlight Botswana’s diamond-led branding push

P1 MILLION BOOST FOR FNB BOTSWANA GOLDEN GRAND PRIX

Golden Grand Prix sets stage for historic relays

Botswana’s Titans invited to compete in European softball cup