Life Skills Matter

At 15 years old, Simphiwe had dropped out of school and was abusing dagga (marijuana) and alcohol. He joined the IYDSF out-of-school sports programme, where he participated in soccer and cricket. Simpiwe attended the programme every day – he loved the 5-aside soccer. In the beginning, he displayed negative behaviour, he was not a very compliant team player – he never passed the ball, that was for other people!

Through the programme, he learned to work as part of a team and came to understand the team nature of the sport. This changed something inside him.

These days Simpiwe is a game changer champion, coordinating sports programmes within the community. He is a project manager for the Rural Development Trust. His day now involves taking the programme into schools and providing after-school sports programmes. He also represents Prudhoe community as a first-team soccer player.

Teamwork is a big part of the life skills components. Concepts such as determination, focus, and hard work are recognised as important components.