AmaPiano FC TO THE RESCUE

  


By: Sylvester Raraza

Email: sylvesterraraza@gmail.com

Twitter: @Sylvester_tut




Amapiano FC. (Picture: Facebook)
Football is an international language understood by billions of people around the world and it has been used to foster tolerance, understanding and drawing people together. The story of Amapiano FC is similar in purpose. Amid a surge in substance and alcohol abuse amongst the youth in the community of Palmridge Extension 3, in Ekurhuleni, a football team was established in the hopes of getting the youth out of the streets and into the field. Not only did this team bring hope to the community, but it gave former drug users a second chance at life.


Amapiano FC Founders. (Picture: Facebook)
The team’s founders, Sibusiso Nhlabathi (30) and Junior Mosolo (27), say the team has had a positive impact on the youth in the community. “When we established Amapiano FC, we thought the team must have a name that appeals to the youth”, said Viki. “Our goal was much greater and important. Get the youth out of street corners where they are vulnerable to picking up bad habits like drug and alcohol abuse”, added Mduduzi Cindi.

South Africa has one of the highest crime rates in the world, and elements of crimes such as house break-ins, robberies and theft are sometimes motivated by drug use. A user resorts to criminal activity to feed their drug or alcohol addiction. Amapiano FC wants to try and hinder that effect on their community’s youth. The team has players who are former drug users.

Amapiano FC has been going strong since its establishment in 2019. It saw a significant growth in numbers after it was founded, with youngsters joining it shortly after it was established. Community members are grateful for the team because it keeps their young population busy and it gives them hope.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MEET BOITUMELO THAGE: ACTIVIST, AUTHOR AND NPO FOUNDER

Image
By Sylvester Raraza Email: sylvesterraraza@gmail.com Twitter: @Sylvester_tut South Africa is a country with an apathetic youth. This is unsurprising when you consider the fact that the country’s youth unemployment rate is sitting at 46,3%, according to Statistics South Africa. Young people are filled with hopelessness, they are demoralized and downhearted. Boitumelo Thage is trying to change that. The newly elected African National Congress (ANC) branch secretary, in Pretoria Ward 98, says youth involvement and participation is pivotal in attempting to change the country’s prospects and its young population. “Here is to championing the interests of young women, and young people. Here is to community development. A bright future awaits us as young people, and young women in particular #wetheyouth”, Thage tweeted when announcing her election as branch secretary. Leading up to the 2021 local government elections, Boitumelo Thage was declared as the ANC’s Ward 98 councillor candidate. Alth...
Read more

MAMELODI TAXI DRIVER TURNED SABC RADIO SENSATION

Image
By Sylvester Raraza Twitter: @Sylvester_tut Email: sylvesterraraza@gmail.com David Mashabela at a panel discussion | Image: David Mashabela via Instagram His is a story of a typical black child: he grew up in a township northeast of Pretoria in Apartheid South Africa, single parent home and living hand to mouth. David Mashabela remembers his childhood days in the 1980s. He is Pedi by birth – Bapedi are a Southern African ethnic group that speak Sepedi, but despite being brought up in a Bapedi household, his early learning years began at a Setswana-speaking Primary School in Mamelodi. So, he never got the chance to learn in his mother tongue because the only available school and the closest to his home, at the time, taught in Setswana. PW Botha (Prime Minister of South Africa from 1978 to 1984 and State President between 1984 to 1989), declared a countrywide state of emergency because of internal resistance to Apartheid and international pressure. David has vivid memories of seeing ...
Read more