Around BD25,000 was raised for charity as football fever swept Hamala yesterday.
Hundreds of people attended the 46th edition of the iconic Six-A-Side Football Tournament, organised by the Rotary Club of Manama, transforming the Central Club grounds into a hub of energy and goodwill.
Twenty spirited teams battled it out on the pitch – not only for glory, but also for a greater cause.
Proceeds from the tournament will support Rotary’s impactful initiatives – fighting the menace of single-use plastics, championing maternal and child health, uplifting schoolchildren’s well-being, and fortifying food security for families in need.
“This tournament is especially significant as it coincides with the Rotary Club’s 60th year, and so it’s massive,” club president Robert Timmers told the GDN.
“We have raised nearly BD25,000, making this our most important event of the year, as it provides the funds needed for our upcoming projects.”
Rotary’s primary focus this year is the environment, particularly reducing reliance on single-use plastics and to support this goal, the tournament eliminated plastic water bottles and instead offered free water dispensers throughout the venue.
Participants and spectators were asked to bring their own reusable bottles.
Clearly marked waste-separation bins were also placed around the grounds to encourage proper recycling. The collected recyclables will be processed in partnership with Masar, ensuring responsible waste handling.
“As part of our environment initiatives, we have also ordered cotton bags to distribute at supermarkets, encouraging them to avoid using single-use plastics,” Mr Timmers added.
“The aim is not just to hand out reusable bags, but to engage with shoppers and educate them on why changing their habits matters.”
Beyond environmental initiatives, the Rotary Club of Manama continues to be a part of several community programmes, including providing Ramadan food boxes to low-income families and distributing electric breast pumps to young mothers.
“For the past 12 years, the club has also supported the Mobile Diabetes Unit, a programme that encourages children to adopt healthier lifestyles and educates their families on the importance of it,” Mr Timmers added.
“This year’s event was a tremendous success, and we hope to expand it even further in the coming years, making it more accessible to everyone.”
The club president extended his gratitude to all the sponsors who made the event possible.
This year’s tournament – a tradition running for 45 years – was sponsored by GIB, Foolath, the American School of Bahrain, NBB, BMMI, Bapco Energies, American Express, the University College of Bahrain, GFH, GIG, KPMG, Max, Al Noor School, ASC, Masar and Royal Bahrain Hospital. Raffle sponsors include Auriga, Ghulams Bespoke Tailoring, Alnada Training Centre, Dammani Designs, and Sharif Group.
The GDN was the media sponsor.
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