Hope makes things possible

Young people, it is possible.

That’s what Sikhumbuzo Mnculwane, Alexandra Football for Hope centre manager wants every young person to believe.

For Mnculwane, managing the centre is more than just a job – it’s about reaching out to youngsters and helping them realise their dreams.

“There is something about having opportunities that gives you hope for the future. Alex youth need to see that everything is possible. It’s possible to be this, or it’s possible to change that. They need to make good decisions,” he said.

Mnculwane, who grew up in Alex, has a passion for his community. He believes that through the centre, he can help to bring positive change to young people’s lives. He described the Alexandra Football for Hope Centre as a dream come true.

“It is hard to describe the sense of amazement. For me it has been a three-year process of telling people that this was going to happen. When it was finished I came here on my own and it was an amazing feeling. It is exciting.”

For Mnculwane, the dream started back in 2009 after meeting two guys who were organising the Football for Hope Youth Festival which took place in Alex in 2010. “We built a relationship and started talking about Alex. I then became the community liaison officer for the project so it was a part of the World Cup,” he said.

During that time he also found out about Grassroots Soccer at a youth forum where they spoke about the work they were doing in their communities around the world. After hearing a 17-year-old girl speak about being HIV positive, Mnculwane was inspired to do more for his community.

“That is what inspired me to want to do this kind of work. Someone in that situation – she seemed like a happier person than I was, and that was troubling for me – that she is so happy but she has such big issues.”

He said it is important to allow people in those situations to express themselves and to help them become confident citizens.