A group of children from Giyani have been offered an opportunity for growth and development through their participation in the KFC Mini-Cricket series, under the guidance of their coach, Patrick Mabasa.
“Cricket is a calling for me and seeing kids interact through the game, makes my heart smile. Being part of the programme, I simply wanted to encourage children to be active members of the community through sport – one which they’ve grown to love immensely and which has taken a central role in their lives,” Mabasa was quoted to have said.
When asked why coaching was important for developing kids, he said that the lessons learnt both on and off the field of play helped develop tolerance and respect in children and equiped them better to recognise and appreciate the differences and similarities between themselves and others. “This, in effect, encourages social cohesion that can help alleviate some of the harms kids are exposed to in their everyday lives at schools and in their communities,” he said.
Driven by his love for teaching and imparting important life lessons, Mabasa thought it would be great to create a space for children who play mini-cricket to have a library in which they can cultivate their knowledge and learn without hindrances. It’s this ability to encourage them to become all-rounders beyond cricketing that sets Mabasa apart. With the children gathering diligently after school, Mashaba realised education and sport play a mutually beneficial role in enabling these children to grow into members of society who will make meaningful contributions.
The seamless incorporation of sport and education is a demonstration of how targeted sponsorships in local communities can drive authentic engagement that directly benefits the people.
