Boys of Hope, the football club of NGO charity Rays of Hope, is instilling hope in Alexandra where there was once none.
Speaking in an interview with Alex News at the NGO’s year-end function at Ikhaya Lomusa in Marlboro, chairperson of the club, Moses Mhlongo, said they had established the club as a way of giving hope to boys from broken families.
“We started off as a club for boys within the various institutions of Rays of Hope, but the reach and lure of the work we were doing with the boys on and off the field attracted other boys as well,” he said.
“We welcomed them with open arms and today the various teams in the club are composed of boys from Rays of Hope’s charity work, and those who have come to purely play soccer and also benefit from the life skills we impart to all our players.”
Started five years ago and in their third season since registering in the Alexandra Northrand Local Football Association leagues, Boys of Hope have four divisions – U13, U15, U20 and a senior team.
Mhlongo said the programme for the players was a bit congested as they have to attend training sessions after school each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, with Friday set aside for life skills at the Rays of Hope centre in Alex.
“The idea of the club is to keep the boys off the streets and away from mischief while we empower them with skills to help them as they grow up,” Mhlongo added.
Asked about the ultimate goal of the club, Mhlongo said it was to see the children performing better at school and at home, and becoming exemplary citizens in the community as a whole.
“We want the team to help the boys to be schooled in the principles and values of a good upbringing, but if it happens they perform well in soccer, they might as well go all the way and end up in the Premier Soccer League. That will be a cherry on top,” he added.
Details: Moses Mhlongo 078 864 0368.
