The twelve kids from the rural
village, Mophela near Hammasdale, KwaZulu-Natal, are about to embark on a
journey that will surely change their lives when they participate in the Danone
Nations Cup world finals happening in the USA between the 22nd and
24th September, an experience that over 200 other kids from around
South Africa have enjoyed since the inception of the soccer tournament in 2000.
Each year a new group of kids
qualifies for the world finals and with this comes individual inspirational
stories of achievement and this year is no different.
Njabulo Ndlovu is one of the key
players in this year’s team from Mophela Primary. He lives at Lily of the
Valley, a place of safety for 120 children, many of whom are orphans. It’s an
NGO, run by the church and it attracts many volunteer workers from around the
world.
Among those who work as
volunteers at the home is Sithamandla Shabalala, a soccer coach who runs the
local St Bay football club, along with Siyabonga Ndimande, the coach of Mophela
Primary School.
Njabulo joined the club and
Shabalala noticed that he was a quiet child, sad, withdrawn and emotional. He
would often hang around the orphanage and get food from them.
Shabalala visited him at his home
one day and found that he was living with his grandmother, along with 17 other
people who all survive on her small pension.
He asked the grandmother if
Njabulo could come and live at the orphanage, which he did, and that
changed the boy’s life.
“You would never believe that he
is the same person who came to the orphanage a year ago,” Shabalala says. “He
has blossomed and thrived. He is ambitious, sociable now, committed, and his
academics have improved so dramatically that he is one of the top students in
his grade. He lives at the orphanage but remains in contact with his family. “
At the orphanage, with its
international volunteers and church attached to it, Njabulo has learned to
speak fluent English, which is going to be valuable to the team in America next
month.
Njabulo is humble. He doesn’t boast
much about his trip to New York, but he has told Shabalala that he hopes the
experience will expose him to different styles of soccer.
“Njabulo loves surrounding
himself with positive people and is very sociable. Whenever the orphanage gets
a new volunteer, he wants to learn more about their countries and cultures,” he
says. “He can go to New York and find out himself and come back and share his
experience with the other kids in his place of safety. He has a bright future
ahead of him, and says he wants to be successful and help get his family out of
the terrible situation they are currently in.”
Lily of the Valley relies on
government grants and donations they get from all around the world as well as
private individuals who are asked to fund a child. They grow their own
vegetable and, unlike many of the kids at Mophela Primary, Njabulo is able to
get three healthy meals a day, which is vital for any growing soccer
player.
Ends
About Danone
Danone
Southern Africa is part of the Danone Group, one of the fastest-growing food
companies in the world. Danone is present in over 120 countries across
all continents. With 160 plants and around 100,000 employees, the Danone Group
is the number one worldwide for Fresh Dairy Products. Danone’s mission is to
bring health through food to as many people as possible.
One of the core values of the Danone Nations Cup
tournament is to encourage young people to believe in their dreams. Through
this initiative Danone offers a sporting event that reaches out to and inspires
millions of children all over the world
