The Green Sports initiative launched by BankMuscat has evoked big response as the bank will start receiving applications from Sunday to green the playing fields of registered sports clubs/ teams.
The Green Sports application forms can be obtained from the offices of regional managers or downloaded from the BankMuscat website. The bank will accept the applications for two weeks.
The funding for greening the playing fields will be extended to eligible sports clubs across the sultanate. A total of ten clubs/teams will benefit from this programme every year. The funding eligibility criteria include that sports clubs/teams should have been in existence for a minimum of three years.
They must furnish proof of legal ownership of the land and provide income statements for the team and activities for 2011.
The club membership must be a minimum of 300 youths from the local community and the clubs must be involved in a variety of sports activities. They must furnish proof of their achievements over the past five years and demonstrate the positive effect of the team on local community through regular events and community work.
The clubs should be capable of financially maintaining and operating the green playing fields for a period of five years. They must also possess equipment to maintain the green fields.
BankMuscat will lay grass and plant trees and hand over the fields to beneficiary clubs/teams. The bank will also specify approved vendors to implement the greening project.
If more than one sports club/team from the same region meets the eligibility criteria, the bank will consider the following standards to choose the beneficiary from that region - the number of members, location of the field, number of years in existence, financial capability to maintain and operate the green playing field for a period of five years.
Sheikh Badr Rawas, president of Dhofar Club, said, "The Green Sports initiative by BankMuscat is highly commendable as it helps lay the foundation at the grass-root level for sports infrastructure across Oman. The initiative will go a long way in building a sporting nation by providing the youth the required infrastructure facilities.
The initiative also contributes to sustainable development and protection of the environment, thereby ensuring all-round development in Oman."
Ali al Ghadani, president, Suwaiq Team, said, "We are thankful to BankMuscat for launching the Green Sports initiative, which will raise the sporting infrastructure standards in Oman and help nurture a generation of sporting heroes. The initiative will encourage healthy living, which will have wider impact on the nation."
Essam al Sharji, CSR manager, said, "The initiative was launched by BankMuscat as part of policies aimed at contributing to sustainable development and benefiting communities across Oman, especially youth, to develop a sporting nation. The initiative reiterates the bank's support to Oman's youth who represent the future of Oman.
True to its commitment to supporting varied sporting activities in the country, BankMuscat remains at the forefront in offering the required encouragement and support to youth.
BankMuscat aims to motivate other corporates to provide the required impetus for youth to excel in all arenas.
© Muscat Daily 2012
