On Wednesday, March 9 the Limpopo Cricket Union hosted over 800 kids in a KFC Mini-Cricket provincial festival at the Polokwane Cricket Club. The Limpopo KFC Mini-Cricket provincial festival featured local players Isaac Senetla, Bruce Shebang, Amir Bux and Ntokozo Mahlaba. With the national lockdown restrictions reduced to level 1, this presented the perfect opportunity to bring joy back to many kids in the region as KFC celebrate twelve years of their sponsorship.

This year’s theme of the KFC Mini-Cricket programme is “Imvuselelo” or “Recovery” – to resume mini-cricket in South Africa after a lost season due to the Covid-19 pandemic. “We are really excited that we can host provincial festival again. “Like everything else in South Africa, the programme was heavily affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, so we thought that Imvuselelo is fitting because we are recovering from what we have lost and rebuilding,’ says Buhle Motshegoa, Cricket South Africa’s mass participation manager.

Also read: KFC Mini-Cricket invades Limpopo

“The focus is to recover the programme and get kids playing cricket again. “We would like to encourage schools, that are still hesitant to playing sport, to get back on the field and play cricket in a safe way, observing all Covid19 protocol. The safety of the kids and the coaches is very important to us,” she continued. The kids were privileged to be coached by the Impala Limpopo Cricket team including players like Nyiko Shikwambana, Isaac Senetla, Bruce Shiburi, Amir Bux and Ntokozo Mahlaba who all started their cricket in the mini-cricket programme.

“I remember how important mini-cricket was for me when I was small. “I had just changed schools and I did not know anyone from my new school. Mini-cricket helped me make friends and fit into my school. “I have so many fond memories of the programme and I am happy to be part of making sure that today’s kids have fond memories from today’s festival,” Shikwambana said. This festival provides opportunities for all involved in the programme to grow, develop, and shine.

Also read: Limpopo born Titans coach, Mandla keeps on flourishing

The programme is one of the most significant development programmes in the South African sporting landscape. Its impact goes beyond the game of cricket. It brings youngsters from our diverse country together and contributes to the social cohesion in the country. Since the inception of the initiative, some 2.5 million kids have played KFC Mini-Cricket and over 120 players have gone on to play for South Africa in various teams. It plays a crucial role in CSA’s development framework, over 2 000 players have been identified in the programme and have been directed to their respective development hubs and regional performance centres.

“KFC takes great pride in being able to invest into the youth, making a meaningful difference across the communities we operate in. “ In the last 12 years KFC, through the KFC Mini-Cricket programme, have been providing an opportunity to change kids’ lives so we are excited to continue with this legacy by starting the cricket ‘imvuselelo’ season. “This programme will continue to impact kids’ lives once more as we encourage them to get active, learn life lessons and bring joy back into kids lives by again being able to play the game they love,” said KFC CSI manager, Andra Nel.