Fighting social issues at Actonville
The community of Actonville hosted a soccer tournament at Actonville Primary School on August 5.
This tournament was held to help youngsters build self-esteem and to provide a positive platform for them to spend their leisure time.
“We want to build character through sport. We want to introduce value-based life skills coaching once the soccer league continues,” said Jessy Naicker, from the Benoni Sai Centre.
On the day, the Benoni Sai Centre with the help of the Gaujarati Hindu Seva Semaj packed 65 grocery hampers to be donated to needy families in Actonville, while the youngsters played soccer throughout the day.
“Like-minded individuals recognised the need to combine their resources to assist the residents of Actonville who face the trauma of social economic problems caused by unemployment,” said Naicker, adding that that is what started the initiative.
“These social ills are deeply rooted and, in some instances, have brought great sorrow that has killed their will to live, let alone survive.”
This project was started 11 months ago with 20 grocery hampers.
“In May, we managed to assist some council flat dwellers to pay rentals that were in arrears,” said Naicker.
The organisation has managed to create employment for four residents thus far; they also provide computer literacy courses and job interviewing skills.
Ramdass added that they want to focus strongly on mentoring the children. They have created homework supervision and after school programmes to encourage the learners to focus on their studies.
Actonville Primary School principal, Venessa Moodley, said the social background of the children is having an impact on their ability to learn.
“Having an event like this creates a balance between academics and their social life; sport unites, sport has discipline, it creates friendships and brings joy to the youngsters,” said Moodley.
“We thank the initiation team for choosing the community of Actonville as their social development project.”
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