It was no mean feat as Shaka Easter Soccer Tournament donated 200 pairs of new shoes to learners in Soshanguve.
The water outage that has been affecting the entire Soshanguve for the past two days could not dampen the spirits of almost 200 learners who received brand-new school shoes during a watershed moment in celebration of Mandela Day today.
It was a morning of big hugs, warm smiles and tears of joy as 200 learners from three schools in Soshanguve South, north-west of the City of Tshwane each received a pair of brand-new school shoes as part of the ongoing Shaka Easter Soccer Tournament’s corporate social investment commitment to the nearby communities.
Tshepo Letjane, President of the Shaka Easter Soccer Tournament and the educators of the Shalom Primary School, Matlapeng Primary School and Central Secondary School had their hands full and had to hold back tears themselves as 67 learners from each school became very emotional after receiving their first new pair of school shoes they have ever owned.
Nine-year-old and Grade 3 pupil Keagile Moeng of Matlapeng Primary School looked puzzled when he received his pair of brand-new shoes.
He held back his happiness at first because he felt that the shoes might be taken back. He only displayed his broad smile, when Letjane and his team waved goodbye.
Meanwhile, the gratitude and pride on Atlegang Maponyane’s face with her new shiny school shoes in her hands was priceless.
She is in the same grade and class as Keagile, and they were happy that they would be able to replace their nearly worn-out sneakers with real school shoes.
“It is with great fulfilment to know that some of these learners will no longer be bullied or teased by others.
Another positive point is that these learners have one less thing to worry about,” said Matlapeng Primary School headmaster Elizar Radipabe.
Central Secondary School Principal Kelebogile Maake said: “We are so grateful for the support of Shaka Easter Soccer Tournament today.
We are truly humbled by the on-going support that we as a school and community are receiving from you.”
Shaka Easter Soccer Tournament is a duly registered non-profit company and operate from Shaka Residence, which is a black-owned and black-managed accredited modern student accommodation facility situated in Soshanguve, and which accommodates about 1 000 students from Tshwane University of Technology.
The Shaka Easter Soccer Tournament is focused on delivering sustainable and impactful solutions within communities and our dream is to see the Shaka Easter Soccer Tournament being recognised not only in our community but in the country as a premiere sporting event known for highlighting and developing talented youth whilst boasting quality coaches and referees.
“We want to use the event to highlight the social challenges of substance abuse, genderbased violence, teenage pregnancy, and neglect of our senior citizens in Soshanguve.
“Our social cohesion programmes, have resulted in building shared values among these communities, reducing crime against the students who are usually not from the area, and generally enabling people to have a sense that they are engaged in a common enterprise, facing shared challenges, and that they are members of the same community,” said an enthusiastic Letjane.
He said they got involved in the shoe donation project because South Africa is besieged by poverty and many disadvantaged learners drop out of school annually for no reason other than lacking basic items such as uniform or school shoes. The cold winter mornings also have a significant further impact on school attendance.
Children in South Africa often go to school either barefoot or without proper footwear, risking injury and infection.
“Ultimately the aim of the school shoes donation campaign is to restore the dignity and selfesteem of the children and to increase school attendance.
“Providing a child with shoes is always melting my heart.
The gratitude and pride of a child’s face when receiving new school shoes is priceless,” said Letjane, who promised to expand the donation two to three times next year.
In conclusion, Letjane said: “Imagine what this country would be like if every day was a Mandela Day where we promote his legacy as a way of life?”