Youth enjoy life skills and soccer
ALEXANDRA - Last week's heat wave over Joburg couldn't dampen the spirit of Alex youths eager to acquire life skills and, to remain healthy through exercise and sports which could also expose them to their sporting talents.
Last week’s heatwave in Joburg couldn’t dampen the spirits of Alex youth eager to acquire life skills and to remain healthy through exercise and sport.
This through an opportunity offered to them at the Altrec Sports Complex by Footfall For Hope and Grassroots Soccer as part of the third term school holiday programme.
The life skills programmes were interspersed with sporting activities targeting 15- to 24-year-olds and facilitated by life skills coaches affiliated to the two organisations.
One of the coaches, Musa Mashika, said the sport conducted on Fridays enticed the boys to the life skills activities which were held on Tuesdays and Thursdays. “The skills include health and HIV/Aids awareness, leadership and personal development, dealing with behavioural problems and substance abuse, and coping with peer pressure; while the games exposed them to sporting skills they could use for careers,” Mashika said.
Fellow mentor, Lentswe Ntshegang, said the girls’ programme called Skills Street had been positively received by schools and contributed to changing girls’ attitudes towards teachers, reduced risky sexual behaviour and teenage pregnancies and improved their HIV/Aids awareness.
She added that the activities were conducted in a 10-part programme that included human rights, HIV/Aids and testing, reproductive health, puberty, relationships and friendships, and having pride in one’s family despite social status.
Details: Footfall For Hope 011 346 1323.
