Mrs Dube from Stanbic Bank handing over a Prize to the 100km winner Bernado Ayuso in the Male category

The Morupule Cycle Challenge took place on the 26th of October 2014 in its new home of Palapye. The Stanbic Bank Botswana sponsored event, now in its fifth instalment, has proven to be a great success, with 84 active participants.

The annual sporting challenge is hosted each year by the Morupule Cycling Club (MCC). The Club was formed in 2009 with a view to improving the level of fitness and wellbeing of members of the community in which it operates within.

Stanbic Bank Botswana’s sponsorship comes as part of a three year commitment to the platform, this year increasing to a total sponsorship of P200, 000.00. “Stanbic Bank has enjoyed an increasingly strong relationship with the Morupule Coal  Mine, with a history of supporting the Morupule Cycle Challenge in years past. We are tremendously excited to be able to see this relationship grow even further, and look forward to being able to actively contributing towards the good work that the Club has already begun,” commented Mrs Omphemetse Dube, Stanbic Bank Botswana Manager, Client Coverage – Mining & Metals.

In 2010, the Club established the Morupule Annual Charity Cycle Challenge to contribute to the less fortunate members of the community using proceeds from sponsorship. The previous four Cycle Challenges enabled Morupule Cycling Club to donate almost P260 000.00 to local charitable beneficiaries.  In 2013, the challenge attracted 98 cyclists and raised P186, 000.00 for local causes, supporting the Khama Memorial Museum and Sehunou Primary School in particular. The beneficiaries of this year’s Challenge are Ratsie Setlhako Primary School in Palapye and an orphan family in Matlhakola.

Winners within the 100km male and female categories are as per the below:

• Female category: Anouk Vander Geest
• Male Category: Bernado Ayuso

“Our decision to continue as sponsor of the event falls on the back of an incredible partnership with the Mine,” continued Mrs. Dube. “Secondly, we have an increasingly close alignment with the mining and downstream industry in Botswana by virtue of our Corporate and Investment Banking operations. For this reason, the relocation of the Challenge to Palapye and the home of the Morupule Coal Mine proved especially appealing.”

“It has been a specular turnout for this year’s Challenge, with 84 cyclists participating. We are grateful to be able to continue growing the platform to make a difference in the communities we live in and thank Stanbic Bank for their generous support. We encourage other corporates to the time out to come and join us, participate in the Challenge, and help us make this platform an even greater success,” David Kgoboko, the General Manager of the Morupule Coal Mine.