28-08-2006, 12:32 PM
Approaching the make shift soccer field in Emvini, KwaXimba, we can see the dust rising from the dry, scorched earth as a large group of local youth participate in the days training and exercise routine with their coach, Sandile Vusmuzi. Today was going to be a very special day for these youngsters and as we approached the field, I felt excited by what was about to take place.
“Football today is big businessÂâ€, Sandile had said to me only the day before when we had first met to organize a very special delivery for his team. “I want to keep these youngsters out of trouble and keep them away from drugs. I want them to focus on football and on the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. We have a lot of talent here but we do not have the facilities they have in the city. We make do with what we have but we need helpÂâ€, Sandile had said.
Today, I along with our volunteers from GE Money UK would witness how a little help can inspire a group of youth to rise above their seemingly impossible situation and stay focused on the game they so passionately love, football!
Through the partnership between Habitat for Humanity South Africa and Great Britain, together and Charity Challenge UK, volunteers from GE Money UK, were in Emvini to build Habitat houses for families taking care of Aids Orphans. Prior to their departure, they had received a team strip from the Barclays Premier League football club, Liverpool. Instead of holding a raffle to raise funds, they had decided that it would mean far more to a local community to bring the strip to South Africa and donate it to a local football team in the area in which they were building.
The lucky team was Mkhonto Wesizwe, managed by Hamilton Cele and coached by Sandile Vusmuzi. All week, the volunteers had watched these dedicated youngsters practice in the most difficult of circumstances. With no boots on their feet, the boys had worked hard each day during their training sessions running from one end to another of a decidedly uneven pitch. Scoring goals through a goal mouth made up of wattle trees tied together with old rope. Such skill and determination is difficult to imagine when we compare their circumstances to our first world facilities in the city. These boys had no boots on their feet and yet their ball control was awesome.
Now, sitting in the dust, the teams excitedly watched as Ian Benfell from GE Money presented to Sandile, the precious Liverpool 1st team strip. Cheers roared across the field as the team members eagerly tried to catch a glimpse at the kit. Huge grins on faces covered with dust from their practice session.
Following the presentation, the team put on the strip and proudly posed for photographs.
Now to the serious business of the day, the GE Money/Mkhonto Wesizwe Challenge!
Running in the heat with the dust flying into their faces, the GE Money team made up of male and female players ran their hearts out up and down the uneven field. At one point, Ian Benfell ran so fast towards the goal that with the pitch sloping, he could not stop himself and ran straight off the pitch into the long grass, much to the delight of the hundreds of spectators.
The local lads skillfully dribbled the ball in and out of the legs of our visitors and their emerging talent was evident to everyone. The youth won the game and the valley football team won the volunteers hearts.
2010 is not far off and we now have
a young team with their eyes firmly fixed on the world Cup and not on their circumstancesÂ….well done!!!
Written by:
Sue Johnson Habitat for Humanity
South Africa
“Football today is big businessÂâ€, Sandile had said to me only the day before when we had first met to organize a very special delivery for his team. “I want to keep these youngsters out of trouble and keep them away from drugs. I want them to focus on football and on the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. We have a lot of talent here but we do not have the facilities they have in the city. We make do with what we have but we need helpÂâ€, Sandile had said.
Today, I along with our volunteers from GE Money UK would witness how a little help can inspire a group of youth to rise above their seemingly impossible situation and stay focused on the game they so passionately love, football!
Through the partnership between Habitat for Humanity South Africa and Great Britain, together and Charity Challenge UK, volunteers from GE Money UK, were in Emvini to build Habitat houses for families taking care of Aids Orphans. Prior to their departure, they had received a team strip from the Barclays Premier League football club, Liverpool. Instead of holding a raffle to raise funds, they had decided that it would mean far more to a local community to bring the strip to South Africa and donate it to a local football team in the area in which they were building.
The lucky team was Mkhonto Wesizwe, managed by Hamilton Cele and coached by Sandile Vusmuzi. All week, the volunteers had watched these dedicated youngsters practice in the most difficult of circumstances. With no boots on their feet, the boys had worked hard each day during their training sessions running from one end to another of a decidedly uneven pitch. Scoring goals through a goal mouth made up of wattle trees tied together with old rope. Such skill and determination is difficult to imagine when we compare their circumstances to our first world facilities in the city. These boys had no boots on their feet and yet their ball control was awesome.
Now, sitting in the dust, the teams excitedly watched as Ian Benfell from GE Money presented to Sandile, the precious Liverpool 1st team strip. Cheers roared across the field as the team members eagerly tried to catch a glimpse at the kit. Huge grins on faces covered with dust from their practice session.
Following the presentation, the team put on the strip and proudly posed for photographs.
Now to the serious business of the day, the GE Money/Mkhonto Wesizwe Challenge!
Running in the heat with the dust flying into their faces, the GE Money team made up of male and female players ran their hearts out up and down the uneven field. At one point, Ian Benfell ran so fast towards the goal that with the pitch sloping, he could not stop himself and ran straight off the pitch into the long grass, much to the delight of the hundreds of spectators.
The local lads skillfully dribbled the ball in and out of the legs of our visitors and their emerging talent was evident to everyone. The youth won the game and the valley football team won the volunteers hearts.
2010 is not far off and we now have
a young team with their eyes firmly fixed on the world Cup and not on their circumstancesÂ….well done!!!
Written by:
Sue Johnson Habitat for Humanity
South Africa