MARAKEZ Joins valU in Sponsoring Hana Goda, the Youngest Egyptian National Table Tennis Champion
MARAKEZ and valU’s sponsorship includes a series of upcoming camps and competitions for Adults and Juniors in France, Germany, Oman, Qatar and Slovenia
By Eman Hamed
MARAKEZ, one of the largest mixed-use developers in Egypt, has joined valU, MENA’s leading Buy-Now Pay-Later (BNPL) fintech platform, to sponsor Hana Goda, the youngest Egyptian national table tennis champion, number 1 worldwide under 15 and 17 and number 4 under 19. valU has been sponsoring Hana since 2020 and is entering its third year with the champion while MARAKEZ comes in this year to offer the star access to a series of upcoming competitions.
“This sponsorship of Hana Goda, an exceptionally talented and promising young champion, is a natural fit for MARAKEZ as all of our real estate developments all include a fitness and health component. We wish her the best of luck and look forward to continuing having her among the top players” said Ahmed Badrawi, Executive Vice Chairman of MARAKEZ. “Our partnership with valU is one of many for MARAKEZ as we proactively support athletes and seek opportunities to empower and elevate Egyptian talent.”
MARAKEZ and valU, are longtime partners having collaborated on many campaigns with the latest being the launch of sha2labaz at Mall of Arabia and mall-wide offer at Mall of Tanta.
“We are delighted to once again be supporting Hana Goda, an amazing young star that makes all Egyptians proud. valU was Hana’s first sponsor and we are delighted to continue the journey with her. This year we are also thrilled to bring MARAKEZ onboard as together we can offer Hana more to encourage and motivate the young star so she can enjoy the sport and feel empowered to sustain excelling. Undeniably, sports is one of valU’s important categories respectively we are keen to contribute to its growth. Moreover, we are also committed to supporting and empowering young talent as we believe they are the future”, commented Walid Hassouna, CEO of the Non-Bank Financial Institutions (NBFI) platform at EFG Hermes Holding and CEO of valU.
MARAKEZ has been a strong advocate and supporter of health, fitness and sports. The company has sponsored several Egyptian athletes, including several Olympians, and empowers youth, promotes sports, and integrates health and sports-focused amenities in its projects. From the first 400m jogging track inside Mall of Arabia, to fitness clubs, sports facilities and gyms across MARAKEZ developments at large, to sponsoring and supporting fitness and athletes the company is encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle within the community.
valU has retained its position as the market leader in BNPL solutions, serving as a platform through which consumers can seamlessly access financing solutions across various sectors. Having successfully grown its service offering into the retail space, valU similarly is committed to other key sectors including healthcare, education, real estate, sports club financing and many more. Initiatives such as the “valU Family” program and the youth financing program “Ma3ak” further cement valU’s dedication to quickly responding to the needs of underserved market segments and reflects our clear focus on customer centricity making sure that our customers feel empowered at all times.