Tag Archives: primary school program

by | May 29, 2012 · 2:37 pm

PPI – South Africa Hosts 22nd Semi-Annual City-Wide Tournament

Participants come together at the City-Wide Tournament in their new SASOL t-shirts and hats!

On Saturday, May 26th, PeacePlayers International – South Africa (PPI-SA)  hosted its 22nd semi-annual City-Wide Tournament for over 800 participants from the primary school program! This year, The Brooklyn Nets, a United States based professional basketball club in the National Basketball Association, was recognized at the tournament for their investment in PeacePlayers.

PPI-SA runs year-round programs for 35 primary schools targeting grade 6 and 7 learners from racially and culturally divided communities in and around Durban. At the end of each semester, PPI-SA hosts a basketball extravaganza where all of these participants come together to learn and have fun in a safe environment.

Most Valuable Players were selected and were rewarded with a brand new adidas kit.

A key focus of the first of two City-Wide Tournaments of the year is that players are regrouped to form new teams consisting of players from different schools and communities. This process allows for the integration between players from different communities and schools, facilitating the most important goal of PPI, promoting peace among different groups and creating friendships.

It was a beautiful day for the tournament, and the excitement mounted as taxis arrived full of energetic, anxious participants.  As soon as they arrived, each participant was greeted with a gift pack consisting of a t-shirt, cap, water bottle and straw kindly donated by SASOL, a South African-based fuel company.  After receiving their gifts, participants were entertained by Thobani Khumalo, PPI-SA life skills coordinator, through his rhyming beats and educational song “I’m a PeacePlayer.”

“We want to thank the Brooklyn Nets for their global support of PPI programmes,” said Managing Director Marcel van der Heever. “We also extend our sincerest gratitude to Sasol for their many years of support and for helping us make the City-Wide Tournament such a memorable event through their kind donation of matching T-shirts, caps and water bottles for all the kids.”

To start off activities, all participants took part in a team building session to get more comfortable and interact with their new teammates. Teams then competed in basketball games, with each team playing four matches on their respective courts.

In addition to the basketball and fun, Zoë-Life, a partner of PPI-SA, hosted free Voluntary Counseling Testing (VCT) services for HIV/AIDS for anyone older than 16 years of age. This was a first for the City-Wide Tournament, and added unparalleled value to the tournament. PPI-SA bases its life-skills curriculum largely around HIV/AIDS education and awareness, and the presence of Zoë-Life created a supportive and encouraging platform for people to get tested and know their status.

Another highlight of the day was the integration of our Leadership Development Program participants into the City-Wide. Over 40 LDP high school participants came and volunteered as coaches and mentors to their younger counterparts. Many of the LDP participants were a part of the City-Wide as 6th and 7th graders, so it was a special experience for them to now be role models. The champions of LDP for the 1st semester, Molweni, were also awarded their trophy in front of the entire tournament during the closing ceremonies.

On behalf of PPI-SA, we would like to thank everyone, especially its staff, for making the event a huge success and a special day for all.

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by | February 21, 2012 · 2:22 pm

2012 PPI-SA Tryouts and a New Fellow!

Participants getting ready to work on their dribbling skills at St. Leo Primary School in Molweni.

Things are busy here at PPI-SA, in all aspects of the organization! The two major things going on this week in the world that is PeacePlayers International – South Africa are:

1. Primary School and Leadership Development Program (LDP) Try-outs

Our entire staff of 42 has been out and about in the Durban Summer heat during the past week hosting tryouts at our 32 Primary Schools and 4 LDP communities. Participants are anxious for the actual program to begin next week and all are eager to be a part of the PPI-SA program. At some primary schools, like St. Leo Primary in Molweni and Carrington Primary in the City, over 60 kids turned up for tryouts! Unfortunately, due to current resource limitations, we are only able to field one boys and one girls Primary School team at each of our partner primary schools. In the past, each school had two boys’ teams and two girls’ teams (one for Grades 6 and one for 7).

Kristin going to the hoop during a game while playing for Keene State University.

2. The Arrival of new PPI-SA Fellow Kristin Degou

After a 2-day orientation in Washington DC, Kristin departed the States for her 22 hours of flight time to Durban, South Africa. The Washington DC orientation included an Anatomy of Peace workshop held on Friday, in which Kristin had the opportunity to learn the foundation of PPI’s peacebuilding curriculum and interact with other organizations in attendance, including Partners of the Americas, IREX and USAID. Kristin comes to Durban at just the right time, as our program activity starts next week. After having our first staff meeting this morning, Kristin’s very excited to get out “In the Field” to work with PPI-SA staff and participants. Check back next Tuesday for a personal update from Kristin about her first week in South Africa!

Many more exciting blog posts will follow over the coming weeks and months, including contributions from Kristin bi-weekly. Make sure to continue checking this space!

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by | February 14, 2012 · 2:32 pm

PPI-SA Successfully Trains 37 Basketball Coaches and Peer Educators

PPI-SA peer educators strengthening their facilitation skills before working "in the field".

On Thursday, February 9th and Friday, February 10th, PPI-SA hosted a Life Skills/Facilitation and Basketball training at the Chatsworth Youth Centre for 37 coaches. This year, we have a number of new coaches on board, many of which are graduates of our Primary School and Leadership Development Programs.

Basketball Program Manager Mtu Zulu says:

“Training the ‘new’ coaches this time around was much easier as compared to years past, since all of the new coaches have already been a part of the PPI family. The only difference is that this time around, they are coaches, not participants. They’ve already been exposed to the PPI-SA culture and the ‘PPI Way‘, so I’m confident that once we start programming in our schools next week, we’ll see immediate benefits.”

The majority of PPI-SA's coaches have come through the PPI-SA pipeline - first at the Primary School level, then to the Leadership Development Programme level, now to the coaching level!

The training feedback from Area Coordinator’s and Coaches was nothing but positive. Instead of simply training the coaches how to run sessions/practices drill by drill and activity by activity, a more strategic approach was developed. Topics discussed including the “PPI Coaching Philosophy” and informing the coaches why we’re teaching what we’re teaching. Even the seasoned PPI-SA coaches, who had been through many trainings in the past, were excited and receptive to the new training methodologies.

A huge “High Five” to Ntobeko Ngcamu and Mtu Zulu for working together to plan, coordinate, run and evaluate such an effective coaches training!

PPI-SA officially begins its programming in its 32 Primary Schools and 4 LDP communities on Monday, February 27th.

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by | January 24, 2012 · 2:35 pm

Who’s Who in the Zoo? Getting to Know Sifiso Cebisa and Bonge Dube, PPI-SA’s Newest Area Coordinators

This week, PPI Fellow Taylor Brown interviews PPI-SA’s newest staff members, Sifiso Cebisa and Bonge Dube, who are very excited about their new roles within the organization.

Sfiso Cebisa, PPI-SA's new Area Coordinator for Lamontville.

Taylor: What has been the impact of PPI-SA in your life so far? How long have you been a part of the program?

Sifiso: At the age of 12, my Father passed away. I had no one teaching me how to grow as a man and how to have a positive impact on my community. My friends and I went to LDP tryouts in Grade 10, and at that time I didn’t consider myself a “good kid”. When PPI came into my life, everything changed. I saw a place where I can have a say without people laughing at me. PPI’s “Family” slogan really appealed to me and offered me the opportunity to share my personal life with my PPI friends and coach. I participated in LDP for 2 years, and in 2008 I became a Primary School coach at Excelsior Primary School in Lamontville. I have been coaching in the Leadership Development Program and Primary School Program since, and now in 2012 I have become the Area Coordinator for Lamontville.

Bonge: I started as a participant in Grade 6 at Mzuzu Primary School in Umlazi and then I played for LDP in Umlazi. In 2008 I started coaching at the Primary School level at Mthethweni Primary School in Umlazi and then coached at iZwelesthembiso Primary School for three years from 2008 to 2011. Now, beginning in 2012 I’m the Area Coordinator for Umlazi.

I’ve learned so much from PPI; how to coach and how to facilitate with children. I still have to learn what Area Coordinators do, and I’ve already learned so much these first two weeks. I love working with children and how to educate them about HIV/AIDS, as this allows me to contribute positively to my community.

Bonge Dube, PPI-SA's new Area Coordinator for Umlazi.

Taylor: Congratulations on earning the position of Area Coordinator with PPI-SA! What are some of your plans for Lamontville and Umlazi this year?

Sifiso: I’d like to get the Lamontville Primary School participants to take basketball very seriously and use it as a platform to be a part of the Lamontville Leadership Development Program team. I’d also like to encourage the parents to get involved in the Lamontville program and to host basketball tournaments that bring in teams from other areas in Durban.

Bonge: I want to participants to learn more about Life Skills, specifically around HIV/AIDS and peer pressure, and also for them to reach their goals and further their studies. I’d also like our participants to be more involved in basketball, since doing so helps them to avoid doing bad things.

Taylor: What’s your favorite thing about PeacePlayers?

Sifiso: My favorite thing is that “we are family”. I love that everyone comes from different backgrounds, but treats each other the same, regardless of race, religion or gender. There are so many people within the PPI organization that I look up to now as role models, that are also my friends.

Bonge: The tournaments. Having so many kids (nearly 1,000) together – playing, having fun, learning and growing together.

Taylor: If you could have a meal with one person in the world this Saturday night, who would it be?

Sifiso: Definitely LeBron James, because we have a lot in common – he also grew up without a Father and he worked hard to get where he is today. Also, he’s the best basketball player in the world, who also works hard to make a difference in the community.

Bonge: Sfiso Ncwane (a South African gospel singer) because his music inspires me!

Taylor: Thanks, guys, for your time and introducing yourselves to the readers of the PPI blog. Looking forward to a successful year and some new energy in the Lamontville and Umlazi communities! Best of luck with your new roles with PPI – SA!

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by | November 8, 2011 · 2:19 pm

PPI-SA Says Thank you Abrie Heystek and Mike Cohen!

Participants at Bazamile Primary School are excited to wear their new team uniforms on November 12th!

PPI-SA would like to use this platform to publicly acknowledge and thank Abrie Heystek and Mike Cohen, residents of Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal, for their support in providing our entire Molweni Primary School Program with basketball uniforms. This amounts to 150 basketball jerseys and basketball shorts, specifically designed to take into account school colours!

No more wearing school uniforms during basketball matches for this PPI-SA Primary School Participant.

Mike and Abrie first learned about PPI-SA during a Saturday morning basketball scrimmage between Highbury Preparatory School in Hillcrest (where their sons are team members), Lamula Primary School and Sizimisele Primary School (Lamula and Sizimisele are Molweni Primary Schools in the PPI-SA program). Former PPI-SA participant and Coach Nkosi Buthelezi, who coaches basketball at both at Highbury and Kearsney College, helped organize the event with current Molweni Area Coordinator, Sfiso Mthembu. After seeing that many of the Molweni participants were playing in old, hand me down clothes and were either barefoot or in school shoes, Mike and Abrie decided to lend a helping hand.

The Molweni Primary School Programme participants will have the opportunity to wear these new uniforms on Saturday, November 12th at the Molweni End of the Semester In-Area Tournament. The entire PPI-SA program and Molweni community thank Mike, Abrie and their families for supporting PPI-SA!

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by | May 18, 2011 · 3:04 pm

My Year in B-E-L-F-A-S-T

This week, PPI Fellow Shannon Brown reflects on the first of her two-year term in Belfast in the form of an acrostic poem.  An acrostic poem, or a form of writing in which the first letter spells out a word or a message, is typically used by our primary school program participants during their introductory school presentations to their twinning partner. These presentations allow the children to share interesting facts about their school and often highlight various things about their school for which they are most proud. Shannon had the following to say about her life in Belfast:

B-LUE SKIES
I have learned to appreciate the rare day that Belfast is lucky enough to get a cloudless blue sky. Blue sky days are highly coveted; if it’s Saturday morning at 8am and the sun wakes me up through my bedroom, I immediately hop out of bed to take advantage of it. On the rare occasion that we have a sunny day in Belfast, I love to spend the day enjoying the sun and blue skies in Ormeau Park.

 E-DUCATION
Despite PPI-NI coaching in more than twenty schools this academic year, the word “education” actually refers to my own. There’s not a day that goes by when I don’t learn something new here; our participants, coaches, and locals provide me with a wealth of knowledge on a daily basis about the culture and everyday life in Northern Ireland.

L-URGAN
If you’re ever trying to find me on a Wednesday during the school year, come to Lurgan! The relatively new partnerships between Tullygally and Drumgor and King’s Park and Lurgan Model primary schools have been a dream this year. The kids are enthusiastic, energetic, and a joy to work with!

F-RIENDS
Everywhere I turn in Belfast, I run into friends. Go to work in the morning? Friends. Go to the gym at Queen’s University? Friends. Basketball practice on Sundays and Thursdays? Playing with friends. Belfast ought to be known not for its contentious past, but rather, for the friendliness of its citizens. I’ve made some great friends over the course of the last year and look forward to spending another year with them.

(South) A-FRICA
I’ve had such an amazing time working for PeacePlayers in Northern Ireland that I’m traveling far and wide to see PeacePlayers in action elsewhere! In July, PPI-NI Fellow Meghan Houlihan and I will head to Durban to see PPI-SA at their best. I can’t wait to coach alongside Fellows Claire Perry, Taylor Brown, and the rest of the SA team!

S-PRING JAM
One of PPI-NI’s three annual basketball tournaments, Spring Jam is a day-long event filled with basketball games, team-building activities, and of course, fun! Approximately 200 children play together on integrated teams, dance to the DJ’s music, and make new friends. Sweet to the beat! This year’s Spring Jam will take place on June 4th at Stranmillis University College. Last year, Spring Jam took place a few days after I arrived, and I can’t believe how much I’ve learned and experienced living in Belfast over the past year.

 T-OMORROW
As amazing as my last year has been, I’m always focused on the future of PPI-NI and how my brief time here can contribute to the long-term success and sustainability of the organization. Our team in Belfast is constantly striving to improve our programming and it’s something for which I’m very proud. Keep up the good work, PeacePlayers – Northern Ireland– I can’t wait for another year!

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