In an effort to foster community, encourage fitness and address the concerns of their drivers, Bolt Ghana organised its third annual Bolt Soccer Fiesta.
The event, held in Accra, saw over 200 drivers participating in various activities, including a soccer tournament, board games and more. The initiative aims to give drivers a day off from their usual routines, allowing them to unwind and engage in physical activity.
Henry Whyte, Acting Country Manager for Bolt Ghana, explained the motivation behind the event. “This is what we term or call the Bolt Soccer Fiesta,” Whyte said. “It’s an annual event where we bring all our drivers together to have fun through games like soccer and board games.”
He emphasised that many drivers work long hours without opportunities for physical exercise, making this event an important part of their well-being.
The day’s activities were not just about fun and games; they also served as an opportunity for drivers to network and share their experiences.
“Bringing them together to network, to connect to one another and to share ideas,” Whyte noted. “For us to also support them, we have some of these drivers who haven’t been able to reach out to us for one or two reasons. So this also serves as a medium for them to meet us, physically engage us, get to know their concerns, their grievances and then support them.”
This year, the event’s turnout was the largest yet, with over 200 active drivers attending, compared to the 100 drivers who participated in the first edition two years ago. The growing popularity of the event indicates its importance to the drivers and the company’s commitment to their welfare.
“Year on year we also see an improvement. This time it’s massive. We started with about 100 drivers two years ago. Last year ,we had a little over 100, and now we’ve hit the 200 mark,” Whyte shared.
The soccer tournament featured eight teams, with the winning team set to receive a prize of GH¢8,000. The runners-up would take home GH¢6,000, while all participating teams received various goodies from Bolt’s partners, including Broly, Fido and Trash X. Food vouchers were also provided for both participants and winners, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Teams that participated in the competition were Defending Champions, Soccer Eagles, Ultimate 11, Ideas 11, Bolt Food, AutoBolt, China FC and GODU.
The winners of the competition was Ultimate 11, followed by Defending Champions as first runner-up and Ideas 11 as the second runner-up.
Beyond Accra, Bolt has plans to expand these community events to other regions in Ghana. “Yes, we have plans of expanding. Basically taking cue from Accra,” Whyte confirmed.
He mentioned that a health screening event was recently held in Kumasi and hinted at the possibility of organising more comprehensive events in cities like Takoradi and Cape Coast in the future.
“Next year, definitely we are going to consider also having a big event like this,” he said.
The primary goal of the Bolt Soccer Fiesta, as emphasised by Whyte, is to make drivers feel valued and connected to the company.
“What we intend to achieve basically is to let the drivers feel that they are part of us,” he stated.
By organising such events, Bolt aims to demonstrate their commitment to the drivers’ well-being and foster a sense of community.
“We want them to have that sense of feeling that these guys are here for us. They are with us. They listen to us. They care for us by organizsng events like this. Bringing us together. Hearing our concerns. Finding resolutions to them. And then rewarding us also for our hard work.”
The Bolt Soccer Fiesta stands as a testament to Bolt Ghana’s dedication to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for their drivers, ensuring they feel appreciated and heard.
As the company looks to expand these initiatives to other regions, the impact of such events on driver morale and community engagement is likely to grow, solidifying Bolt’s presence and commitment in Ghana.
