Stationary donation for School of Excellence Kids

Rio-tinto continued their all round support of the School of Excellence kids by providing 180 brand new stationary packs for all of the sponsored children at the School of Excellence. Each pack contained pencils, pens, a ruler, eraser, calculator and scissors. Lubabalo Mpongoshe, Project Manager of the School of Excellence program said, “These packs are the perfect gift to start off the new year for the scholars. Every year it is a financial struggle to make sure our kids have the right equipment to perform academically, this year Rio-tinto’s donation has really given them a push start”.

Launch of the new Soccer Fun Bus

A new project under the A Chance To Play (ACTP) project umbrella (funded by VW Works Council through Terres des Hommes Germany) within United Through Sport South Africa is a real eye-catcher! The colorful Soccer Fun Bus was launched recently with qualified trainers and the necessary equipment on board to visit schools and other facilities in and around Port Elizabeth, offering sport and play opportunities for girls and boys. The physical activities are accompanied by special training sessions for children and young people on relevant topics such as HIV and AIDS, gender equality and self esteem and decision making. The initiative that also has support from Volkswagen South Africa, making the bus available, and the German State of Lower Saxony will reach out to more than 12000 children in 2010.

In recent months United Through Sport South Africa (UTS SA) has already visited some 30 schools in underdeveloped areas and presented different sports codes as part of an ACTP road show. Nick Mould, Director of UTS SA explained, “Thanks to the bus we can now broaden our impact and also visit other schools outside the Nelson Mandela Bay, we can now take our key life-skills curriculum to areas that seldom see any kind of intervention”.

Soup Book Released

For their 2008 Christmas campaign, United Through Sport has produced a unique soup recipe book to support the South Africa School of Sporting Excellence in building a soup kitchen to feed all their students.

The aims of the school are to not only enhance sporting levels in football, netball and rugby but also to offer a fully rounded education to increase the choices available to these talented yet disadvantaged children. Students are given the kind of attention and education that is hard to achieve in a regular school, as well as additional life skills training in subjects such as HIV/AIDS awareness, alcohol and drug abuse and career guidance.

To support this great cause in South Africa, please buy a book! Even if you don’t like soup, these books make a great Christmas stocking filler for friends and family.

To buy a book, go to www.JustGiving.com/soupkitchen and follow the instructions.

Football Team Fully Equipped

A local township football team on the famous South African Garden Route was this month fully equipped with crucial kit thanks to a £500 grant from United Through Sport.

The team is a vital social lifeline for a group of poverty-affected children between the ages of 8 and 13. With the help of the charity, a 14-strong squad has now been provided with numbered jerseys, shorts, socks and 10 training balls to sharpen their skills.

The donation was made with the assistance of Ashley Wentworth and Stormsriver Adventures, and the equipment was handed over with a fantastic reception from around 70 local supporters.