Fighting for cohesion in Victory Park
Youth from organisation Fight with Insight share on how they hope to positively affect all communities.
Fighting through the dividing lines in a effort to build cohesion was just one of the ways that youth from Fight with Insight left an everlasting mark to those at King David Victory Park recently.
The lifestyle boxing gym, an organisation based in Braamfontein, is described as a project that aims to create a safe society for the youth of Johannesburg. Two of its young boxers, Lucky Mlakalaka and Jennifer Mathibi, spoke to the Northcliff Melville Times and shared how they hoped their time with the youth of Victory Park would be remembered.
Having spent most of her childhood battling with depression and being sent to various psychologists, Mathibi initially joined the organisation seven years ago with a bit of arrogance as she thought it would be another failed attempt at help. “Instead I found a sense of belonging as it allowed me to do something that was actually different.”
At the time, being one of only three females, some approached their presence within the gym with question. In her time with the organisation, along with travelling internationally, she has had the opportunity to fight for the SA amateur title which for her was amazing. “I felt like I was in a space where everyone wanted to see if I could succeed at that level within that space and whether I could come back with the title.”
She came back with a bronze medal and through it she felt she gave other girls a sense that this is achievable and that they could reach the high levels they had doubted.
For her, it’s events like these held in Victory Park that help build cohesion and love. “I feel like this gives us the opportunity to see life in a different way. It allows for children from areas like these to see another perspective of what the inner city is about as the only thing they see is what they see in the movies.
“The people they think come from the inner city are only what they see in the news – which are criminals – not knowing that they are good people trying to do good in their community and youngsters who are actually striving for their dreams who have good moral ethic.”
She added that such days allowed for the exchange of different backgrounds and through it she hoped people took away that no matter where you may come from, you can still be strong and strive for your dreams.
Fellow boxer Mlakalaka also joined the organisation about seven years ago, doing so with the naïve thought that he wanted to enhance his fighting skills so it could add to criminal activities in the streets he was apart of. “But then I got to the organisation and they introduced life skills to my life and it got me thinking about what I want in the future.”
He added that this really made him introspective as he recognised that what he was doing on the streets was dangerous, and should he continue, he would end up in prison or dead. He too found a place that made him feel seen. “After introducing myself the first day, I came back and the next day they still remembered my name, this touched me. On the streets no one cares about your name or who you are.”
In his time with the organisation he has enhanced his boxing skill set, has become a life coach, and a certified boxing coach. He has had many opportunities come his way too, like working with local organisations and one of his biggest opportunities was travelling to Brazil to compete. To his peers, that are still struggling to find their way in this society he said to never lose hope and to hold steadfast to your dreams. “You are the only one that can make them happen, and this only begins with the decision to try.”
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