Location: Mokopane, Limpopo, South Africa

Centre Host: South African Red Cross Society (SARCS)

Status: currently in pre-design

South Africa has a total population of around 48 million people, with more than 60% living in poverty. Communities across the country struggle to define themselves and their surroundings in the face of unequal distribution of resources, a very high unemployment rate and elevated levels of crime and violence.

The town of Mokopane (previously called Potgietersrus) in the Limpopo province is a community faced with social and economic issues. Mokopane is faced with gang-related activities and few opportunities for young people. Many children living in these areas become involved in crime, drugs, and prostitution at an early age, leaving them with little hope for living a healthy life in the future.

South African youth today struggle to lead successful lives in a country faced with high levels of crime. In pursuit of developing a better South Africa for its young people, the South African Red Cross Society (SARCS) seeks to shatter the violence through youth development and life skills programmes using the game of football. The South African Red Cross Society was founded in 1921 and became part of the International Federation of Red Cross in 1928. While much of the organisation’s focus has been on disaster management and HIV/AIDS relief, SARCS is creating innovative ways to target positive youth behaviour change to counteract the social crimes and violence that have created neighbourhoods of broken families and challenging environments for young people who wish to grow up and succeed.

With initiatives like ‘Soccer Against Violence,’ SARCS programmes are now led in over 140 schools and the organisation looks forward to supporting more programme growth in its regions.

The Mogolakwena Football for Hope Centre will harness the abundance of youth sports talent by integrating humanitarian values with football and life skills training. Using football as a tool, the SARCS ‘Soccer for Humanity’ Project will come into being as the first programme within the centre’s project portfolio, building on successful experiences with ‘Soccer against Crime’ and ‘Soccer against Violence’ initiatives in various provinces in South Africa. Further programmes will bring awareness of public health and social services and assist young people through peer education, youth counselling, first aid training, and other health and life skills. Groups will gain informal education training in project management, leadership training, and skills development through sports and the arts.