Sidlala Sidlamkile Sifunda Banzi Ngobom

In a nutshell

The programme is targeting adolescents between the ages 10 - 19. It is an in school and out of school programme. The programme was introduced to address criminal behavior within rural schools and communities. It is envisaged to yield positive results over a period of five years 2015 - 2020. In the interim, our objectives and interventions are well on track to attaining our long term goal.

Rationale

The South African government has long recognized children, youth and young women as marginalized communities through various legislative policy frameworks. Moreover, these target groups are vulnerable to drugs and substance abuse, child trafficking and bullying. These behaviours individually or concurrently result in violent crimes, gender based violence, rape, commercial sex work and low self esteem; and are most likely going to impact negatively and have unimagined consequences within rural communities and schools.

What we do

We equip these young individuals with life skills using the following sporting codes cricket, soccer and netball. Our life skills cover the following topics: Bullying, Sexual Reproductive Health, Gender equity, Domestic Violence, Violence Extremism, Drugs and substance abuse, Hygiene, sports science, Human Rights and Sex and Sexuality. The five aside sporting activities are aimed at promoting team work and healthy living among the learners. The organization moved away from gender equality approach to adopting gender equity, we have found gender equality as some form of revenge on non perpetrators (young people), hence sporting codes and activities that speak to equity.

Dialogues

The school going children are engaged in dialogues ranging from socio-economic to political socio-ecological issues. The learners participate in these dialogues in different fora including community radio stations live broadcast. Moreover, we intend to host these dialogues in the presence of Ngqushwa Local Municipality mayor, councillors, LED and supply chain officers with the aim of mainstreaming children and youth programmes in the municipal budgets and IDPs.

Green inter schools garden competition

The learners from the schools with whom we work are trained in permaculture, forest and land conservation. They then compete among themselves for annual Prize.

Sporting activities

The sports programme is aimed at instilling athleticism and moral values at an early stage of human development. The programme isn't just promoting participation in sports but also serve as a crime prevention strategy to promote rural youth safety.

How we do it

The programme development was informed by multi-stakeholder engagement, panel discussions and interactive workshop, wherein we undertook to implement it. The programme team include civil society, Prudhoe Community, local schools, councillors, Ngqushwa Local Municipality, SAPS, Department of Education, Department of Agriculture, community radio stations, Department of Sports, Amazizi Football Association and traditional leadership. All these stakeholders find expression in the project implementation.

We recruit game changer champions every year and impart them with skills and knowledge to implement the program. The game changer champions are mentored and coached by the Project Coordinator. We use non formal and informal educational techniques as a conduit through which our messages are passed.

What we have achieved

The Sidlala Sidlamkile Sifunda Banzi Ngobom subscribe to the values of Ubuntu, equity and transformative society. As such, we are guided by relevant international and continental instruments; and legislative policy frameworks in ensuring gender, youth and disability mainstreaming in this programme. The organization established learners dialogue forum at Tatshana Primary School and in communities we work with. These dialogues will be rolled out to other schools and furthest communities subject to funding we receive.

Furthermore, we subject these learners to physical training and sporting activities, health promotion and school green gardens competitions. We have partnered and funded Amazizi Football Association since 2015; established under 13 mini soccer tournaments and are going to launch Netball league in July 2017. These leagues will be handed over to the local communities after a period of five years. The Inkwenkwezi Youth Development Sporting Foundation will enter into strategic partnerships before and long after handed over these leagues for continued sustainable development.

The project has an implementation plan with clearly defined goal and objectives; and timeframed interventions that are constantly benchmarked against agreed project indicators. Furthermore, prior to implementing this programme we conducted pre evaluation and post evaluation of social attitudes towards it; and attitudes and behavior of young people through our evaluative tools. The local youth and partners that influenced the programme development are also peer review partners, who actively take part when we review our project relevance. The project also has a monitoring plan to ensure that action and work plans are adhered to in pursuit of our diverse duties. The monitoring and evaluation plan is reviewed quarterly.

Since 2015 we helped raise more than R30, 000. 00 through the June 16 tournament for the Amazizi Football Association. During the same year, we donated a soccer kit to league champions Power City from Mpeko Community. In 2016 we donated a soccer kit to Prudhoe Community based soccer team Real Tembisa FC as well as 2016 Qeto Community based league champs, Flamingo FC. We have contributed more than R20, 000.00 towards league prizes and well over R60, 000.00 for the June16 tournaments since 2015 . The Foundation pride itself for having donated Peace Cup in recognition of fallen football heroes. The 2017 June16 trophies were donated by Fish River Sun. Our involvement in youth development through sports has seen a decline in youth engaged in such anti-social behaviors as violent crimes, drugs and substance abuse.

What we have learned

Young people are active participants, valuable resource and should play a meaningful role on any issue pertains to their development. This resulted in sense of ownership by all involved. There had been high levels of despondency, bullying and criminal behavior among school going children. In curbing these challenges, the Inkwenkwezi Youth Development Sporting Foundation game changer champions involved these youths in physical sporting activities, dialogues, permaculture and health promotion campaigns. Lastly, there's a need for sporting facilities in rural communities and schools. As a consequence, we have approached the Eastern Cape department of Sports, NDA and SAFA Development Agency with the aim of establishing safer schools and community gymnasia parks.

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