Fitness From Africa partners with Shumbashaba to develop aspiring athletes in Diepsloot
FOURWAYS– Viljoen said the partnership with Shumbashaba will see more young athletes getting the opportunity to participate in major competitions through the help of FFA.
Fourways-based runners club, Fitness From Africa (FFA) and Shumbashaba, a non-profit organisation, have join hands to help young aspiring athletes from Diepsloot become better runners.
Shumbashaba works with children and adults in Diepsloot to develop their self-worth, gain life skills and the sense of empowerment needed to build a hopeful future.
Chairman and head coach of Fitness From Africa, Marcel Viljoen said the Diepsloot Young Athletes Development Project was started in 2015 to offer young girls an opportunity to participate in sports and get free coaching from professionals.
He said the partnership with Shumbashaba would see more young athletes getting the opportunity to participate in major competitions through the help of FFA. “Our aim is to offer professional coaching free of charge to the young aspiring athletes in Diepsloot.”
He added, “Linked with Shumbashaba objectives of respecting yourself, others and nature around you, they are also taught about gender-based violence to create awareness. Shumbashaba has professional people who offer an emotional and psychological counselling.”
Precious Hlaka, who works with a group of young athletes in Diepsloot, said the programme would not only give local youngsters an opportunity to get professional coaching but it would also give them an opportunity to compete with their peers from different parts of the world in different competitions.
“The initial plan of the project was to give young girls an opportunity to participate in sports but we later decided to take boys as well to be part of our programme. Our partnership with Shumbashaba will help us with a training space at their property which is something that was a big challenge for us over the years,” Hlaka said.
