In brief

United Through Sport seeks to address the multitude of challenges facing township youth by creating a tailor-made programme to address physical education, malnutrition, academic education, life skills and youth employment to help children and youth exit the poverty cycle and become active, positive contributors to society.

Problem to be tackled

The right to play, the right to health, the right to education and the right to a safe and secure environment are all enshrined in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. The reality in South Africa, however, speaks a different language: children and youth growing up in township communities not only lack safe spaces and opportunities to play and access to good quality health and education, they also grow up in an environment that is not conducive or supportive in any of these key developmental areas.

Local partner

Children and youth growing up in the disadvantaged communities of Nelson Mandela Bay endure extremely harsh circumstances with very little opportunity to escape the cycle of poverty. The challenging environment leads to lack of physical and mental health, lack of academic ability and attainment and a lack of employment opportunities further down the line. The project aims to address this multitude of issues to help improve children and youths mental and physical health, academic performance, and overall employability, therefore leading to them getting out of the poverty cycle and becoming active, positive contributors to society.

The programme will provide positive youth role models trained in physical education, academic support, and life skills to provide a consistent secure adult figure for daily activities and support throughout high school. The aim of this programme is to improve participants physical health, mental health, academic prospects, and ability to navigate the challenges they face in their communities by providing important life skills and critical issues knowledge.