**Connecting ‘That Feeling’ to a thousand smiling faces – BetKing’s sponsorship at the 21st National Sports Festival** The world is evolving, and now more than ever, there is a growing importance for organizations to demonstrate that they are ‘humane’ brands through Corporate Social responsibility. What’s even more interesting is that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities can be truly wholesome, impactful, and valuable when integrated with the organization’s key business goals, resulting in a true Win-Win!
At Kingmakers, our CSR activities are a wholesome experience for the entire team. We are at our best when we join forces to touch the lives of the communities we live and work in. In the last quarter of 2022, our CSR efforts were directed towards several sports’ development initiatives. These initiatives cut across numerous categories, however, the most important was our dedication to championing diversity and inclusion in sports, which was seen through KingMakers’ Sponsorship of the National Sports Festival Para-sports category. A decision that was made in alignment with the vision of the Honorable Minister of Sports to buttress the recognition and importance of Para Sports in Nigeria. We decided to not only raise awareness but also celebrate the community of those with special needs who are active participants in sporting activities.
Aside from our sponsorship, we also supported 3 para-athletes with the resources and tools they needed to thrive in their various sporting engagements. We experienced the most fulfilling moments when BetKing supported para-athletes won medals, and made these remarkable strides: 1. At the 21st National Sports Festival (NSF), Temitope Hassan won 2 Gold medals in 100m & 500m Para Canoe: and 1 Gold medal in 100m Para Swimming. 2. Goodness Nwachukwu MON (Member, Order of the Niger), won 3 Gold medals in Javelin, Discus, & Shot put in the Para-sports Category.
**Our Impact** Our participation at the National Sports Festival (NSF) was truly memorable, stats below show how we continually fulfil our promise to provide ‘That Feeling’ to a thousand and more smiling faces. - **500** Para-Athletes benefitted from our sponsorship of the Para Sports category of the National Sports Festival. - **2** new world record holders in weightlifting, and shotput respectively. - **154+** medals won across different para-sport games. - **71%** medalists were male recipients. - **29%** medalists were female recipients.
**Next Steps** At KingMakers, this is not the end of our journey to champion inclusivity and diversity in sports. We will continue to support para-athletes and para-sports in Nigeria. This is an opportunity for our brand to raise more awareness on the dedication, hard work, and commitment these athletes have put into their respective para-sports. We will not stop until para-sports is celebrated as a formidable category in the Nigerian sports landscape.