From imagination to reality – one team makes a difference
The Young Bafana Soccer Academy in the Western Cape is growing at a rapid rate, with no signs of slowing down. And even though the team is currently not playing due to nationwide lockdown measures, they’re still actively making an impact on their communities.
hansgrohe SA is a proud sponsor of the Academy, which provides a platform for young people from the poorest areas in the Western Cape to rise above their circumstances and make positive changes in their lives.
Young Bafana gives youth between the ages of 5 and 19 a chance to explore their potential through targeted education, life skills and youth development programmes; all while they improve their soccer skills. There is more to the Young Bafana initiative than soccer. The team is driven at its very heart by the guiding principles of Ubuntu, which include a strong sense of compassion and human kindness.
Lockdown has had a devastating impact on South Africa’s poorer communities, with many breadwinners unable to provide for their families as they normally would. And having first-hand experience of the circumstances in these areas, the Young Bafana team has decided to put their trademark team spirit to good use.
With the help of their sponsors, Young Bafana players are delivering food parcels to needy people in their areas. And while the goal posts may have shifted due to challenging times, these determined young men remain single-mindedly dedicated to improving their communities’ lives.
Their efforts are testament to the team’s powerful work ethic and fearless fighting spirit, which took them to the High Performance League in 2019 to face giants including Ajax Cape Town and Ubuntu Cape Town FC. Facing difficult odds is nothing new to these young stars, and COVID-19 is another challenge they are facing head on.
The Young Bafana Soccer Academy provides a constructive training ground that enables young people to score their own goals and change their lives through ongoing programmes designed to help them build up their skills and confidence.
As the Young Bafana team continues to make a difference during lockdown and beyond, hansgrohe will keep supporting these rising stars, whether they are playing the game they love or giving back to their communities.
The Young Bafana Soccer Academy is setting a fine example by proving that they are dedicated to standing together to make an impact on their world. And in years to come, we look forward to watching them grow into champions in their own lives.
We continue to play the beautiful game.
https://www.facebook.com/YoungBafana/videos/2445926615667287/
https://www.facebook.com/YoungBafana/videos/252697712385082/
ENDS.
About the Hansgrohe Group
With its brands AXOR and hansgrohe, the Hansgrohe Group, based in Schiltach/Southern Germany, enjoys a reputation as a leader in quality, innovation and design within the bath and kitchen industry. The Hansgrohe Group brings form and function to water with taps, showerheads and shower systems. The 116-year history of the company is marked by innovations such as the first hand-held shower with multiple spray types, the first pull-out kitchen tap, and the first wall bar to hold a hand-held shower. The company holds more than 17,000 active propriety rights. The Hansgrohe Group stands for long-lasting quality products. With 34 subsidiaries and 21 sales offices supplying products in more than 140 countries, the company is a reliable partner to its customers around the world. The Hansgrohe Group, its brands and products have won numerous awards, including more than 500 design prizes since 1974. Sustainable production of resource-conserving products is central to the company’s business activities around the globe. The products of the Hansgrohe Group are featured in projects around the world, such as the luxurious ocean liner Queen Mary 2, and the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. The Group’s high-quality standards are ensured by five wholly-owned production facilities: two in Germany, one each in France, the United States and China. In 2016, the Hansgrohe Group generated a turnover of EUR 1.029 billion. It employs more than 4,800 people worldwide, about 60 percent of whom work in Germany.
