WATCH: Champions in the making
ZANDSPRUIT – Children of Zandspruit are given the opportunity to train with professional sport coaches.
Football Without Borders is changing the lives of the youth in Zandspruit through various sporting programmes.
Founder of the organisation, Michael Mapfunde, studied towards a sports science degree at Monash University in Ruimsig. After he completed his studies at the end of last year, he teamed up with Monash to set up Football Without Borders and started operations in July.
The organisation’s main goal is to use sport, particularly soccer and boxing, to address social issues and teach life skills to children between the ages of 12 and 18. Mapfunde focuses on teaching the children to not live a dangerous and unhealthy way of life, and also promotes HIV/Aids education.
Every Monday, Tuesday and Friday, professional boxing trainer, Nkosi Mkhambaphi, trains 17 children from the Zandspruit Informal Settlement.
“These children take drugs and alcohol. I have become involved in the programme to try and remove them from this bad situation,” Mkhambaphi said.
One of Mkambaphi’s students, Thandeka Shabalala said, “It keeps my mind off drugs and alcohol. It makes me healthy and strong and makes me think about what I really want out of life,” said Shabalala.
The students train at an abandoned factory in Zandspruit due to the lack of sports and recreation facilities in the area. The organisation also trains five-a-side soccer teams over weekends at a field near the Zandspruit taxi rank, where the teams play to develop their skills. Mapfunde eventually hopes this programme will grow until he can open up an official soccer academy.
Mapfunde relies on sponsorships to improve their programmes, to further help the children of Zandspruit. To become involved, contact Mapfunde on 061 141 1961.
