Kempton footballers aim to help the community, one child at a time
Two young coaches committed themselves to helping children in the community by addressing important social topics such as conflict resolution, inclusion, substance abuse and sexual illnesses, through football.
Kevin Mbhele and Trevor Mdletshe believe in leveraging the power of sport for the development of vulnerable children and youth in Kempton Park.
They coach youngsters between the ages of 11 and 18 as part of the Rhodesfield Football Club.
The Kemptonians assist vulnerable children to improve participation in sports and fitness activities while taking them off of the streets, and protecting them from social ills.
According to the duo, sport in a community is an effective tool for inclusion.
“The aim behind the newly formed football club is to reach out to young children in the community, to provide life skills and combat the spread of drugs and alcohol abuse,” they said.
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“We aim to mould them into better citizens. We grew up in a sporting environment, playing all sorts of sporting codes, keeping fit and active. This prevented us from idling around with the spare time we had. To curb substance addiction and the soaring teenage pregnancies we thought of gathering a group of young men who we could try to inspire through soccer.”
The team consists of teenagers who aspire to be professional footballers and ambitious individuals who want to make it in the corporate industry and business sectors while leading a healthy lifestyle.
“We strive to help one child at a time. Kempton Park has an alarming number of street children who are addicted to drugs and alcohol. Having the team helps not only to sharpen their football skills but also improve positive academic results.
“Coaching a team without a sports facility is difficult. The biggest challenge is to find a decent training facility in the area.
“However, it has not stopped us from conquering.
“We look for the positive. We’ve dedicated ourselves to gathering the boys and any obstacle that comes our way, we are destined to conquer.”
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