Sphelele and Nqobile during lunchtime at PPI-SA’s 1.2 Camp, held in August 2010.
This week our From the Field blog will take a look at a post from the past, on June 6, 2011, by former fellow Taylor Brown. To see the original blog click here.
During the second semester of 2010, the Molweni Female LDP team was just that – a team! In particular, two participants, Sphelele and Nqobile, were the leaders of the team. They led both vocally and through their actions; and their teammates followed! The girls worked hard on the court during their basketball sessions. During the life skills sessions, the team was open and receptive to each others’ thoughts, ideas and opinions, and also led a Community Service project at a local orphanage.
Sphelele and Nqobile were inseparable, both on and off the court. They’re best friends. Unfortunately, due to unforeseen family circumstances, in January 2011 Sphelele had to move with her family to a township an hour away from Molweni called Umlazi, the second largest township in South Africa after Soweto in Gauteng.
Fortunately, PPI-SA has a significant presence in the Umlazi community! We partner with eight Primary Schools and also have a Leadership Development Program. Our basketball and life skills curricula reaches over 240 participants each year.
During LDP tryouts in February, Sphelele approached PPI-SA Operations & Human Resources Manager Ryan Douwie, about playing for the Umlazi LDP Team in 2011. Although Sphelele’s heart still lies in her hometown of Molweni, she has adapted nicely to Umlazi and the Umlazi LDP team. She reconnects with her old Molweni PPI friends during PPI-SA’s LDP Weekends, LDP Extravaganzas and City-Wide Tournaments.
Without PPI-SA, Sphelele wouldn’t have had the opportunity to stay connected with her best friend, Nqobile, and her former teammates in Molweni. Seeing the smiles on Sphelele and Nqobile’s faces whenever they have the opportunity to reconnect is absolutely priceless – just another reason why PPI-SA is such a great organization to be a part of!
