Zandspruit children and Monash go ‘Footy Wild’ with AFL-SA

20 August 2008

The Australian Football League - South Africa (AFL-SA), in collaboration with Hope Worldwide and Monash South Africa, launched its ‘Footy Wild’ sports programme on the Monash South Africa campus on Saturday, 16 August.

Footy Wild is an exciting addition to an existing community engagement programme which is run every Saturday morning on the Monash South Africa campus for 170 learners between the ages of 6 and 16 from the nearby Zandspruit informal settlement, near Honeydew in Johannesburg.

Monash student volunteers assist as facilitators in the Saturday programme, which was initiated by Hope Worldwide, and provides academic assistance to learners in Mathematics, Science and Computer Literacy. The programme also includes a life-skills component and a chess group which is funded by Nedbank Capital.

“We are very excited about the addition of the AFL Footy Wild programme on
Saturdays,” says Mr Roger Dickinson co-ordinator of the programme. “Not only are the learners going to have great fun and get lots of exercise, but as part of this well-structured programme they will also be learning discipline, ball skills and teamwork.”

Grant Gilburt, Monash South Africa Student Association’s Community Outreach Officer says that, “What makes this Footy Wild programme great, is that it creates a real sense of excitement for the children and at the same time is also enjoyed by the Monash student volunteers.”

Professor Simon Adams, Deputy Pro Vice-Chancellor (International) of Monash
South Africa, added that: “The Saturday programme with learners from Zandspruit goes to the heart of Monash’s commitment to South Africa. Education is the key to social transformation and upliftment. I am now looking forward to the day when a kid from Zandspruit not only attends our university, but eventually ends up playing professional AFL!”