Grade 4 pupil from KES initiates a drive to collect soccer boots for boys in need

HOUGHTON – Hundreds of soccer boots collected for boys in need.

Sarah Koning

October 6, 2018

Boys hold up some of the boots donated to children in need at KES. Photo: Sarah Koning

King Edward VII School (KES) together with King Edward VII Preparatory School (KEPS) collected close to 300 pairs of soccer boots and R4 000 for children in need on 28 September through a drive initiated by pupils at the schools.

Grade 4 Nathi Ncukana was the star pupil who came up with the idea to collect boots for children outside of his school who could not afford them. Nathi teamed up with Grade 10 Jacob Nkwamba, who was already assisting his fellow pupils at KES who could not afford boots, to organise a boot collection drive and fun soccer tournament to assist those in need.

Nathi said, “I visited Tembisa with my Dad and saw all these boys playing soccer without shoes and I asked my Dad if we could donate boots to help them out. Later, the school came on board too.”

“I feel so happy to see the number of boots that have been collected. The boys who receive these boots will feel very happy,” he added.

Nathi Ncukana, who came up with the idea to collect soccer boots for boys in need, signals to his friend on the field. Photo: Sarah Koning

Dimitri Athanasopoulos of the Jacoba Academy. Photo: Sarah Koning

Players from the Jacoba Academy played in the KES boot drive soccer tournament. Photo: Sarah Koning

KES Old Boys supported the boot drive and participated in the friendly soccer tournament. Photo: Sarah Koning

Nathi Ncukana runs to get the ball away from Reece Schwartz from The Stevens Football Academy. Photo: Sarah Koning

Grade 11 Callum Beukes helped Nathi and Jacob to arrange the large-scale event that welcomed boys from KES, KEPS, past pupils, members of The Stevens Football Club and the Jacoba Football Academy to play in the friendly soccer tournament on the day.

“We also received donations from Mr Price Sports and Mix FM. This is about trying to make everyone feel equal. If we can give boots to those who cannot afford them, it will lessen the bullying,” said Callum.

Jacob said, “If a friend is able to help another friend, they will then be willing to do more to help someone else.”

The boots that were collected will be donated first to students in need at KES and KEPS as well as to boys at the Jacoba Academy in Orange Grove. Dimitri Athanasopoulos from the Jacoba Academy said the purpose of the academy is to use sports as an engine to drive social development.

“We want to take kids off the streets and help them through sport with housing, food and other needs they might have. These boots give them hope to continue playing football even if their parents won’t back them, which is life-changing,” said Athanasopoulos.