Needy children enjoy a day of fun
Activities for the day included jumping castles, hoola hoops, face painting, magic shows and many other activities.
The Siyanda Zwane Foundation hosted its first initiative to help those in need on July 23.
A fun day was organised for the children of Siyazigabisa Children’s Home in Tembisa, a home for the orphaned, neglected and abused.
Activities for the day included jumping castles, hoola hoops, face painting, magic shows and many other activities.
Morocco Street in Tembisa was closed for the day due to the event.
The children also received blankets, party packs and school shoes, among other items.
The event was sponsored by Clark House, the Ingoma Foundation, VinBLue Entertainment, Hlengani Communications and Moabi Funerals.
Siyanda Zwane is a professional soccer player, who currently plays for Mamelodi Sundowns.
He recently started a foundation called the Siyanda Zwane Foundation, aimed at protecting, developing and providing essential care to girls and young women.
Siyanda Zwane started the foundation because he didn’t have it easy growing up.
He describes himself as an ordinary child who followed his dream.
He never met his father and his mother died when he was only 12 years old.
He grew up with his grandmother, who was employed as a domestic worker at the time, to make sure he had a roof over his head and food on the table.
Siyanda has always been passionate about soccer. Even though he lost those close to him, his dream remained.
The day that changed Siyanda’s life was when a caring man from his hometown in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, saw potential in him and bought him soccer boots. He informed Siyanda about the trials that Golden Arrows was hosting at the time.
Siyanda tried his luck and that was a life changing moment for him.
“There are already plenty of foundations that host soccer tournaments which take youngsters from the street and give them hope for a future. This foundation focuses on girls and young women,” he said.
It aims to protect and develop them, as well as put a stop to those who abuse or want to harm them.
“Most girls and young women do not know their value and that is why the foundation aims to ensure that young women grow up knowing their worth,” he said.
Siyanda has been hosting tournaments from his own pockets, with the aim of bettering the lives of others.
He has children himself and it hurts him to think that one day someone may want to hurt his little girl, which is why he feels strongly about helping girls.
The slogan of the foundation is “protect our girls”.
The day concluded with the arrival of Sundowns players; Teko Modise, Themba Zwane, Khama Billiant, Anthony Laffor and Dennis Onyango to name but a few.
