VUSA'S 67 MINUTES AND MORE

Every year on Mandela Day, we are reminded of the powerful words spoken by the great Nelson Mandela himself: "There can be no keener revelation of a society's soul than the way in which it treats its children"

These words resonate deeply with us at the VUSA Rugby and Learning Academy, as we witness firsthand both the challenges and the triumphs of our beloved South Africa.

In our work within the non-profit sector, we encounter the complexities of our society on a daily basis. We witness the struggles faced by our children, the disparities that exist, and the pressing issues that demand our attention. Mandela's observation that we are failing our children weighs heavily on our hearts.

However, amidst these challenges, we also witness something truly remarkable. We see the unwavering dedication of individuals who embody the spirit of Ubuntu—the belief that we are all interconnected and that our actions have the power to transform lives. These incredible people are the bedrock of our community—the supporters, the volunteers, the donors—who selflessly give their time, resources, and expertise to uplift those whom society has let down.

First Term Update

A great start to 2023 and like everyone around us, we have hit the ground running.

This year’s focus will be on adapting programmes to address post-COVID effects on both sports and academics (Recent studies reported that most Quintile 1-4 schools, covered only 22%-40% of their curriculum). We are committed to not only providing valuable services to our participants but also to measuring the effectiveness of our programs. This means tracking data on everything from attendance to academic performance to overall satisfaction. While it may not always be the most exciting aspect of our jobs, it is absolutely crucial in ensuring that we are making a real impact in the community we serve.

However, every now and then, we are reminded of the true impact of our work in a way that data alone cannot convey. At the recent Wynberg Boys Rugby Festival our staff were delighted to see our 2022 Under 13’s graduates, continuing their rugby journey.  One of our staff sent a team photo to their parent’s group and the messages we received back reminded us why we really do this work.   The main message was that of gratitude to VUSA staff for the impact the programme has had on their kids.  One parent said he was thankful that because of the guidance of VUSA staff, his child had found a passion and purpose and was not spending weekends smoking on the street corner.   Another one thanked our staff for making their child understand that disadvantage only means disadvantage if you allow it to mean that.  Children in the South African townships turn to anti-social behaviours and gangs to gain a sense of belonging but as a child on a VUSA team, that sense of belonging already exists.  Thank you to the parents who sent messages which remind us of the importance of our work and motivate us to continue pushing forward, despite the challenges we face. They remind us that, even though the work we do can sometimes feel small in the face of larger societal issues, it has a tangible impact on the lives of real people.

Third Term Newsletter

"Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts"
Winston Churchill

It has been another brilliant term of rugby, soccer, a cycle challenge, market days, learning, sharing and growing. 

What gets us up in the morning is being able to give our children a safe and supportive environment to learn new skills and access new opportunities.

This term, we partnered with the fantastic team at Capitec. Volunteers from Capitec's retail, marketing and financial education divisions gave up their time to run entrepreneurial workshops with our U13s each Friday afternoon. They worked through a series of marketing-related modules, which included creating a business idea, identifying needs and target markets, financial literacy and marketing a business.

Skills required to be an entrepreneur include hard work, effective communication and resilience after disappointment. We tested these skills, hosting VUSA's first Market Day in conjunction with our first 7s tournament at the Langa Sports Grounds. Shoprite / Checkers, as always, invested generously in the children's small business, as did Nomu. Our first Market Day was launched on 3 September, a freezing, rainy, windy day. The children gave it their all and, most importantly, had a fantastic time selling their wares, from pot plants to pancakes. Thank you to everyone who supported this event. 

Mid-Year Newsletter

"It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men."
Frederick Douglass
 

Langa is a vibrant place; it is a community with talent and creativity in abundance, but it is also afflicted with poverty and all the stressors that go with it. Many of our VUSA children live in challenging social environments, and this environment shapes the way our children think, feel and behave.

In recent years we have worked closely with and learned a great deal from Waves for Change Founders Tim Conibear and Finlay Kettlewell, who use surfing as a therapy tool to address mental health challenges in the same way VUSA uses sport. They have helped us increase our understanding of mental health and the core pillars of our programmes that improve the emotional, psychological and physical well-being of our participants.

The key to our success has been in mobilising passionate coaches; men and women who our children trust and whose consistency and dependability make our children feel safe. Research has shown that supportive and caring relationships are vital in reshaping the brain and the responses to stress, resulting in improved self-regulation, decreased risky behaviour, and improved peer relations and academic performance.

A New Chapter

Education matters because it's the shortest way in which one can transcend social classes. Bonang Mohale

Langa is a Xhosa word meaning 'sun’. Langa was established in 1919 after the first wave of the Spanish Flu (1918) highlighted the terrible conditions in which some people were living near the N2. Forward to 2022 and another pandemic has hit the world and Langa residents are still experiencing hardship. Unemployment rates are at an all-time high, children are dropping out of school and those that are not, are experiencing over-crowded classrooms and learning in a second language, with minimal ECD intervention.