Doing things differently
MTC spokesman Fikameni Mathias says they are not shy to do things out of the norm and thus the Knockout boxing tournament was a success.
The MTC Knockout boxing project, which took place last weekend, saw well-known personalities pitted against each other in thrilling bouts, in order to raise funds for the fight against gender-based violence (GBV).
The total amount raised will be announced in a few weeks, as well as the charity organisation that will receive the funds.
“We received criticism because of this event, but in the same vain we also received praise.
“Our idea was to create debate and discourse around the topic of GBV and I think we have achieved that. We are not experts in GBV and how to handle this issue, but we had a fundraiser to raise funds for those affected.
“Some people think and feel that we should not have used boxing to create dialogue around the issue or to raise funds, others feel that the event should have been in Katutura.
“So you see everyone has an opinion and that's what we wanted from the start,” Mathias said.
He added there were a number of messages spread during the boxing event by the personalities and these were good messages that should move people to do better in the fight against GBV.
Mathias said they might consider making this an annual event, with the hope that it will change behaviour, and that they are now knocking on the doors of experts to go forward with the initiative.
Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) spokesperson Mufaro Nesongano, who also fought on the night, said the event certainly achieved its purpose of creating dialogue, based on the conversations it brought to the table before and after the boxing event.
“Through using personalities the event carried weight. I'm not really up to taking punches, so in that vein it's not something I would want someone else, especially a woman, to endure,” Nesongano said.
LIMBA MUPETAMI
The total amount raised will be announced in a few weeks, as well as the charity organisation that will receive the funds.
“We received criticism because of this event, but in the same vain we also received praise.
“Our idea was to create debate and discourse around the topic of GBV and I think we have achieved that. We are not experts in GBV and how to handle this issue, but we had a fundraiser to raise funds for those affected.
“Some people think and feel that we should not have used boxing to create dialogue around the issue or to raise funds, others feel that the event should have been in Katutura.
“So you see everyone has an opinion and that's what we wanted from the start,” Mathias said.
He added there were a number of messages spread during the boxing event by the personalities and these were good messages that should move people to do better in the fight against GBV.
Mathias said they might consider making this an annual event, with the hope that it will change behaviour, and that they are now knocking on the doors of experts to go forward with the initiative.
Namibia Wildlife Resorts (NWR) spokesperson Mufaro Nesongano, who also fought on the night, said the event certainly achieved its purpose of creating dialogue, based on the conversations it brought to the table before and after the boxing event.
“Through using personalities the event carried weight. I'm not really up to taking punches, so in that vein it's not something I would want someone else, especially a woman, to endure,” Nesongano said.
LIMBA MUPETAMI
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