Karate is in their blood and they want it to share it with the youth
Two youngsters from Kagiso have opened their own karate dojo and are training the children in their community to become role models for others.
Much like the famous movie The Karate Kid, two youngsters from Kagiso took it upon themselves to be the Mr Miyagis for the rest of the community’s children.
The 16-year-old Seramo Sello and 18-year-old Sello Mathoko opened the South Africa Full Contact Karate Organisation dojo in 2016 and train between six and 20 students weekly.
Seramo said that as a little boy he was bullied a lot at school. He initially wanted to learn karate for self-defence, but said that in the process it has taught him so much more.
Sello’s story is a bit different – he said he started his karate training nine years ago in Krugersdorp.
They saw the children from poor backgrounds in their community struggling and together they decided they had to do something.
To join will only cost a new student R250 and R5 every month after that.
The two trainers say they focus on Kyokushin-style karate. This style is specifically rooted in a philosophy of self-improvement, discipline and hard training. It is a full contact stand-up style of karate.
By teaching the children karate, they keep them off the streets, away from bad influences. They teach their students manners, respect and self-control and hope that these are traits the children will carry with them throughout their lives.
They train every second day at the Kagiso Recreation Centre and any one who wants to join can phone Seramo on 062 593 4839.
