Youthful midfielder Jean Marie Rukundo suffered a knee injury towards the end of the first half of the 2012/13 Primus National Football League.

He went on to miss the whole of the second half as his team La Jeunesse struggled in their bid to maintain pressure from rivals to finish among the big four.

They however, went on to finish fifth with 40 points in 26 matches played, improving five places from last year’s standings where they finished ninth.

Rukundo, who has previously played for thirteen-time league champion APR underwent MRI tests as well as other medical treatment at King Faycal Hospital but he had no hope of ever having any professional treatment that would help him get back on pitch. At this moment, the young midfielder is in Nairobi, Kenya where he is set to undergo a knee operation thanks to La Jeunesse sponsors Tinko Investment Group, who are cashing in over $5000 (about Rwf3.2 millions] for the operation.

Though corporate sponsorship input in Rwandan clubs is minimal, efforts by Tinko Investment Group to rejuvenate the young man’s career is widely commendable and this should act as a wake-up call to other companies to play their social responsibility towards sports development in the country. Football clubs should also know that to be able to attract these companies, they need to improve competency and recruit qualified persons to run the affairs of the clubs from a strict business perspective. But with La Jeunesse and Tinko Investment Group knowing the trick earlier, serves in their own interests as the youthful side has gained its reputation with their stylish display.

Tinko Investment Group’s 100% sponsorship has helped La Jeunesse boost their main principle of promoting the young Rwandan players.

The group under Chief Executive Officer Martin Kahanovitz is not only supporting them financially but also securing kits for them on top of paying the monthly salaries for the players and technical staff on time.

With different clubs crying of delayed salaries because of their dependency on the government budget since many are owned by districts, La Jeunesse is quite comfortable on that front.

La Jeunesse have set bigger ambitions for the upcoming season where they are targeting to at least finish in the top four of Rwanda’s Primus National Football League. As clubs might find hindrances to attract sponsors, I believe positions for marketing executive should be created, while it would be an extra expense, it would change the way clubs marketed themselves to potential sponsors. 

It would help clubs point out their strengths and make benefits to sponsors clearer. It would also help clubs point out what could be a benefit. Why is it that even the smallest teams in the Championship (England’s second tier) have multiple sponsors? I think we should learn to market our clubs or hire professionals to sell our teams to sponsors.