Mbekweni scores with new UK-funded indoor sports facility
2010-06-17
THE Mbekweni community will benefit hugely from the state-of-the-art multi-purpose indoor sports facility that was officially opened last Saturday by UK based Hope Through Action together with its implementing partner, Score – a South African based sports and development NGO working to change lives through sport. Hundreds of children joined community leaders and the sporting community of Mbekweni to celebrate this landmark occasion, the beginning of a new era in sport for the community. Hope Through Action and Score hosted a number of invited dignitaries and guests at the official opening, which included a football festival, a traditional ceremony, a match between Mbekweni’s first high school volleyball teams (started just three months ago through this program) and a host of other activities for the youth and visitors. The five-a-side football festival was the main highlight, being the first football competition played by mixed-gender teams. The centre was opened by the Chairman of the England Football League, Lord Mawhinney, together with the Mayor of the Drakenstein Municipality. A community church service was held in the venue to complete the launch on Sunday. Funded by Hope Through Action, this exciting new venue is built to the latest specifications. It has changing rooms, an astro turf pitch, seating for 450 spectators, as well as rooms for counselling, meetings and workshops. It is designed specifically to provide members of the community, and especially children and youth, with a safe, controlled environment in which to play and learn. Score, the implementation partner of Hope Through Action, will initially manage the day to day running of the centre. Score will offer a range of sporting and training activities that are aimed at youth development, fostering social cohesion, and using sport as a tool to achieve social impact beyond the sports field. Hope Through Action trustee, Phillip Green explains, “The centre is for use by the Mbekweni community, and will be a place of safety, fun, education and sport for all. Our aim is to offer focused sport, welfare, health and education programmes to children and youth in the vicinity, free of charge.” Extensive community involvement and consultation in the design and running of the centre and its programmes has ensured that community stakeholders, local community-based organisations, other non-profit organisations and Government departments are all involved in the initiative. These partnerships are crucial to long term sustainability; the centre has a business plan to generate income to cover running costs, and Score will train community sports leaders to manage and maintain the centre and its programs, Kwezi Shumi, Project Co-ordinator, said, “The centre will be a community hub where Score will facilitate daily sports and recreational activities for children and youth. We will introduce “new” sports to children and, most importantly, strengthen existing sports leagues whilst promoting the growth and establishment of new leagues and structures. “Our role will be to mentor and train peer coaches, facilitate life and leadership skills training and implement fun and educational programmes. We want to increase the well-being and performance of the children and youth in our community in all aspects of their lives.”
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