INTERNATIONAL DAY OF SPORT FOR DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE

South Africa: Township / Social Club by Jean-Jérôme PERRIN-MORTIER

by | Apr 2, 2021 | Gender equity, Social inclusion | 0 comments

Olympic Games 2008! 

We are in South Africa in one of Bethlehem’s biggest townships, and we shared our last couple of hours with the kids from the Club that we created a few years ago….

  • July 2008, With my team, we are preparing to take off in the afternoon for the Beijing Olympics. We are in South Africa in one of Bethlehem's biggest townships, and we shared our last couple of hours with the kids from the Club that we created a few years ago.

    That day, we gathered all the children ahead of our departure.
    - Cameron, Olympian and the best South African athlete, asks the children: "Who is the essential person in the Club? ".
    - Manpenene replies: "you because you go to Olympics!
    Cameron then asks her, "Who permitted you to come kayaking at this Club? ". Manpenene replies: "Hendrick and abulene"!
    Cameron asks the other kids the same question again, and it's always the same answer: "Hendrick and Jabulene!" "...

    Cameron concludes by saying that ultimately the most influential people in this Club are not those who will shine at the Olympics.
    The most important is the "Group" and not "the" person.
    You all are part of our Olympics journey because you keep the Club alive: attracting new young people every year! You are "us," and we will be "you" at the Olympics. It is the DNA of our Club! A social engagement together!
    A few weeks after the Olympic Games, Benjamin Boukpeti, who had benefited from exceptional training conditions in South Africa and participated in creating this Club, came back to share his Olympic medal with the Club kids! That day all the young people understood that this medal was theirs and contributed to Cameron, Lindelani, Siboniso, and Benjamin's success!
    #TeamSpirit; #TeamUnited ; #whitecard ; #peaceandsport

  • South Africa