The Happy Africa Foundation | Always moving forward. Always giving back.

Football mania in Cape Town

Katherine Sparkes and Phil McClean visited the African Impact project in Cape Town, 12-16th May 2010. Katherine and Phil work for Flamingo, a marketing company based in Bristol, UK. They have been promoting ‘Project Fair Play’ a football initiative that aims to help disadvantaged children in the UK and South Africa.

Pubs in the UK have been helping to raise enough cash to build a sports ground at Ukhanyo Primary School in Fish Hoek, Cape Town. The sports field will have a huge impact on the school and the local community, providing much needed space for the children to exercise and play sports.

UK football fans all over the UK have also been digging out their unwanted football shirts (especially children’s shirts) to donate at their local pub. The secondhand strips were brought by Katherine and Phil when they came to Cape Town. African Impact held a special sports day at Ukanhyo School where the shirts and some footballs were given out to the children as prizes. The children had been asked to write or draw on a piece of paper the reason why they would love a soccer field at their school. There were close to 500 entries which made the decision making very difficult. The atmosphere was electric on the day of the prize giving, with nearly 1,300 children and teachers packed into the school hall.

Eventually one overall winner was chosen, winning a Beckham jersey, a football and a new pair of football boots! He was so excited when he came to collect his prize; he had the other children cheering him on as he held up his boots! 19 children were selected from different grades as the best entries who won themselves a jersey of their choice and a football. 60 runner up prizes were given to the children who also got to select a football jersey.

Over 20,000 football jerseys have been donated to date which will be shipped and distributed to various places throughout Johannesburg and Cape Town. With the World Cup only a few days away we hope even more funds will be raised for the new sports ground at Ukhanyo School, please help if you can!