Nigeria’s Super Eagles Group B foes at the 2019 AFCON – Burundi is doing everything possible at ensuring that their team lacks nothing when they battle the West African giant on June 21 and efforts are on to raise the needed funds for the continental showpiece.
The fund-raising initiated by President of the Burundi Federation of Football, Reverien Ndikuriyo believes the fund would help the team to have sufficient fund not to be distracted during the tournament.
Ndikuriyo also called for fundraising or even crowd funding for the national team for their whole stay in Egypt.
According to Burundi-based Region Week, Ndikuriyo said that federation is still facing a challenge of insufficient money to facilitate the stay of Burundi’s Swallows in Egypt.
Ndikuriyo had called for anyone to support the national team, from Burundi government to any other Burundi citizen proud of his national team.
Thus, many sympathizers are now heeding the call of the federation boss to support financially Burundi’s Swallows, and they are going on fundraising money for the team stay in Egypt.
In response to the call, a relative amount of money(around 90 million BIF until now) has been collected on behalf of the Swallows on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 by some companies to support the preparations of the team that for the AFCON 2019.
The contributing companies are: BANCOBU bank which gave 40 million BIF, SOCABU 10 million BIF, SAVONOR which chipped in 15 million BIF, Tele 10 gave 5 million BIF and the OTB 4 million BIF.
Others include SOSUMO (5 million BIF), Imena Soma Usubire (10 million BIF), Regideso(10 million BIF), Uni Pharma 4 million BIF, Changai Homoport 5 million BIF, Musumba Steel 20 million, KCB 5 million, BCB 10 million BIF and FENACOBU(10 million BIF).
Ndikuriyo charged others who wish to contribute or chip in on behalf of the team can do it because the need of financial means is still a challenge for Burundi’s Swallows.
The first match Burundi will play in Egypt is scheduled on June 22, 2019, against Nigeria.