Following-on from an already strong relationship between the two groups, MAG Angola and the Luanda International School (LIS) celebrated their first LIS-MAG Golf Day on 20th May. The inaugural fundraising event, which raised approximately $25,000, was a tremendous achievement and brought together a variety of companies currently active in Angola.
Companies were asked to sponsor a hole for $1,000 or more thereby enabling them to enter a four-player team on the day. Whilst the event was very much a day of enjoyment and fund-raising, it did, of course, have a serious element to it. MAG Angola was well represented with technical experts on hand to provide explanations of demining procedures and generally raise awareness. In between holes, golfers were encouraged to get involved in some of the MAG activities at the tees including demonstrations on demining and photo displays. When golfers landed in the ‘mined areas’ around the green, points were deducted and players had to undertake a brief session in Mine Risk Education on how to safely evacuate high-risk areas.
The funds, raised through the generous support of the sponsors outlined below, have been committed to highly contaminated areas within Eastern Angola and to providing vital mine risk education to those communities in close proximity to such locations. This work is particularly pertinent at present due to:
• The dire levels of absolute poverty and lack of socio-economic prosperity in Eastern Angola compared to the huge wealth located in Luanda and the diamond and oil areas;
• The recent official completion of the UNHCR refugee repatriation process which is putting an increasing strain on the limited number of safe agricultural cultivation areas;
• The impending legislative and presidential elections due to take place in 2008 and 2009, respectively, and a general lack of access as a result of highly contaminated roads;
• The abundance of small arms and light weapons in the region compounded by a large number of trained soldiers yet to be demobilised.
Following the tremendous success of the event, Roger Groenink, Diploma Coordinator at the school and main LIS organiser, stated that “Luanda International School and MAG have committed to making the LIS-MAG Golf Day an annual event. Judging by the success of the inaugural event, we are confident that this partnership will continue to raise awareness of the problem of landmines and unexploded ordinance in Angola and to provide funds to support MAG’s work in Angola”.
The day was just one in a series of events hosted by the LIS in order to raise money and awareness for MAG. Such a variety of events are likely to continue in the future with Eileen Freely Baker, a principal at the school, commenting that the partnership has “been a pleasure - and more than money, it made the students and parents aware of landmine issues, and where ever we all go, it will stay with us".
MAG would like to extend its appreciation and sincere gratitude to all those sponsors involved in the inaugural LIS-MAG Golf Day, namely:
Golf Course and First Prize Sponsor:
• Baker Hughes
Raffle Sponsor:
• British Airways
Hole Sponsors:
• Norsk Hydro
• Esso
• Halliburton
• Chevron
• BES-Banco
• Eni / Agip
• Total
• Weatherford
• Pride Foramer
• Statoil
• GSF
• Petrobras
• FMC
• Transocean
• CAT/Barlow
• AkerKvaerner
• PTA
Refreshment Sponsors:
• SA Breweries
• Coca Cola
• Água de Bom Jesus
Food Sponsor:
• Shoprite
Second and Third Prize Sponsor:
• Cemtec
Article & photos by Mark Naftalin
