PPI-South Africa Takes to the High Seas

Glenmore students build teamwork skills and camaraderie with members of the U.S. Navy as PPI-SA area coordinator Nasiphi Khafu cheers them on.

Students at Glenmore Primary School in Durban had a basketball training session to remember last week, as members of the U.S. Navy joined the Glenmore participants in drills, games, and a life skills session on the school grounds. The sailors and marines, travelling around Africa on the Navy’s HSV-2 Swift, lined up side-by-side with the Glenmore boys and girls and were full-fledged participants in the training session led by PPI-SA staff.

Members of the U.S. Navy participated in a basketball training session with students at Glenmore Primary School in Durban.

After working on fundamentals such as footwork, lay-ups, and shooting, participants were split up into four mixed teams for a memorable game of “scramble”, where members of the Navy and Glenmore Primary built teamwork skills and cheered each other on. Following the game, everyone gathered together for a motivational life skills speech by Chief Warrant Officer Ronald McMiller, who instilled three powerful words in the students’ heads:

Believe. Achieve. Succeed.

At the conclusion of the event, several sailors and marines stayed around for a pick-up game on the school’s basketball court, where many expressed that the overall experience had been just as valuable to them as it had been for the Glenmore students.

The U.S. Navy graciously hosted PPI-SA staff members aboard their ship, the HSV-2 Swift.

The following day, the U.S. Navy invited PPI-SA staff to a reception aboard the HSV-2 Swift, which was scheduled to depart from Durban the next morning. The reception was attended by numerous dignitaries from in and around the city, including the mayor of Durban. The event was a great opportunity to share PPI-SA’s mission with members of the city’s government and heads of other local organizations. Many friends were made, stories were shared, and fun times were had. Throughout the duration of the reception, several members of the Navy also approached PPI-SA staff to sincerely thank them for the fun they had the previous day at Glenmore.

Special thanks must be given to the U.S. Consulate in Durban and the United States Mission to South Africa, who helped set up the partnership between PPI-SA and the U.S. Navy.