Request
Ikamva Labantu invites you to support an innovative street soccer project in Cape Town’s townships which provides physical and emotional development opportunities and protects the most vulnerable children from danger on the streets in the afternoons. The project also provides income and leadership development opportunities through coaching to young unemployed adults in the townships. This project is part of Ikamva Labantu’s Afternoon Angels programme which supports local community volunteers to provide safety to children in the afternoons.
Ikamva Labantu’s Afternoon Angels Programme
Ikamva Labantu’s Afternoon Angels Programme supports local township-based volunteers, the Afternoon Angels (affectionately called Mamas), to protect children living in Cape Town’s townships from crime and violence on the streets in the afternoons. By creating safe places to play, enjoy nutritious meals and do homework, these dedicated community volunteers provide essential safety for children from local gang influence, crime and drugs. They form an essential part of the social safety net for vulnerable children in the townships.
The Street Soccer Project
Since August 2020, in response to the need for social distancing during Covid-19, Ikamva Labantu piloted an innovative Street Soccer Project at 9 sites in the townships, in collaboration with the Afternoon Angels and supported by Ikamva Labantu Community-Based Workers. By employing local safety marshals/trainers/coaches, the project has led to a new vibrant movement of ‘taking back the streets’ in an environment where children are prey to a high level of violence. In 2021, a soccer tournament was held between the teams which was widely enjoyed.
In addition to preventing transmission of Covid 19 and keeping children safe, the soccer is playing a role in the physical and emotional development of township children by teaching teamwork, instilling discipline, growing self-awareness and building confidence and hope for the future through sport. These opportunities are not usually provided in the townships as schools do not have extra-curricular activities.
The project also provides an income and development opportunities for the young, previously unemployed safety marshals/trainers/coaches. In addition to the stipend they earn, they are developing responsibility, skills and confidence in the field of work.
Ikamva Labantu would like to expand this project for the benefit of more children and young adults.
Project Goal
The goal of the project is to expand the street soccer project to incorporate more sites, employing more safety marshals/trainers/coaches, thus reaching more children.
Project Activities
- Street safety marshals/trainers/coaches are recruited
- Street safety marshals/trainers/coaches are trained
- Street safety marshals/trainers/coaches train and provide safety for children four days per week, covering 15 sites
- The street safety marshals/trainers are supported by Ikamva Labantu Community-Based Workers, for example, in taking registers and in identifying children’s other psychosocial and medical needs.
Intended Outcomes
- Children will be safe from the dangers of the township streets
- Children will develop emotionally and physically through soccer
- Outdoor activity limits risk of contracting Covid-19
- 30 safety marshals/trainers/coaches will earn a stipend, contributing to their daily needs
- 30 safety marshals/trainers/coahes will gain work experience, skills and confidence
- Supervised activity on the streets will contribute to areas of the townships being safer for children to congregate in the afternoons
Request
Ikamva Labantu invites you to invest in this innovative project that is changing the lives of children through exposure to soccer and is giving unemployed youth opportunities financially and personally.
We would be deeply grateful for a contribution to fund the employment of 30 street safety marshals/trainers/coaches four days a week at 15 sites in the expanded project.
Please contact mo**@ik****.za to find out how you can change the trajectory of young people in our township neighbourhoods.
Their future is in your hands!
