The Hollywood Foundation continues to be at the forefront of sports development at grassroots level throughout the country. In February, the Purple Team once again showed its support for Ikasi School Football Club in Khayelitsha, Cape Town with a soccer sponsorship.
Ekasi Soccer Football Club was established in 2018 with the aim to provide young women in the community with a safe, educational after school soccer programme. The programme focusses on building their individual confidence, equality in society, and their passion for the sport.
The club currently have 60 young girls from the ages between six and 17, and they practise four times a week ay Hopolong Combined School. The Club’s management hopes that the programme will help to develop their players’ talents and enhance their sports skills. In 2022, two of their beneficiaries went to play in Sweden and 12 girls have been promoted to play in the SAFA Regional.
With this programme, they want to give these young girls confidence and a sense of belonging. Their vision is to build a hub at one of the four schools namely, Eluxolweni, Kukhanyile, Hopolang, and Lwandle, that will provide an upgraded sports facility for girls of all ages at public schools within Khayelitsha.
Through the soccer sponsorship, the Purple Team was humbled to contribute soccer kits to Ikasi School Football Club to help make their dreams come true. Like everyone else, the club has encountered a number of challenges and overcame various stigmas about males wanting to work with young women in Khayelitsha. On top of running practices, a life skills class is taught to the girls once a week by volunteers from African Impact. This gives the girls a chance to express themselves in ways that they are unable to during practice or at home with.
Dumisani Ntshodo, the Director at Ikasi School Football Club, thanked the Hollywood Foundation for the much-needed assistance, and said that the contribution will help to boost the girl’s confidence and team morale.
