Youth leaders from South Africa join the Belron® Triathlon Team
In less than two days over 600 employees from Belron® business units around the world will gather together to take part in the London Triathlon to raise money for MaAfrika Tikkun. This year they will be joined by three special people who will have travelled all the way from South Africa to take part in the Triathlon with the Belron® competitors.
MaAfrika Tikkun youth leaders
Teboho Shibambo, Tshiamo Phuthagae, and Mduduzi Mshibe are all youth leaders for MaAfrika Tikkun working at the community centre in Orange Farm, Johannesburg. Over the past few months they have been through a rigorous selection process for the opportunity to compete and will travel to London with their trainer Thomas Taole. They are hoping to beat the times of the three youth leaders, Daniel, Nono and Phumzile who came over from South Africa in 2008. Last year the team were unable to find a swimmer but Teboho has taken up the challenge despite having no where to train during the winter.
Travelling to London to take part in the London Triathlon really is the chance of a lifetime for the youth leaders.
Teboho was born in Soweto and went to live with his grandmother from an early age because his parents didn’t have enough money to raise him and his younger brother. He was unable to complete his education and his brother couldn’t go to school at all because their parents couldn’t afford the school fees. When Teboho joined MaAfrika Tikkun in 2007 he had no qualifications but has since been trained and gained skills which enable him to teach children life skills and games. He is also involved in inputing data for MaAfrika Tikkun and is now hoping to study IT.
Teboho says: “MaAfrika Tikkun has given me lots of confidence to believe in myself and reach for my dreams”.
Tshiamo had to take on the responsibility of his mother, younger sister and brother at an early age when his parents divorced. He was unable to find work in Taung, the town where he was born in the North West Province of South Africa, and decided to travel to Johannesburg to try to make a living. He started working as a volunteer for MaAfrika Tikkun in Orange Farm and now works as a youth leader teaching sports and art. With the small wage that he receives he is now able to take care of himself and his family.
He says: “the trip to London is an experience of a lifetime for me. It is my first time in an aeroplane and I thank Belron® and MaAfrika Tikkun for this opportunity”.
Mduduzi was grateful to join MaAfrika Tikkun last year straight from school where he was given training in household management, child care and first aid. His father, mother and brother are all unemployed and so he is the main breadwinner in his family.
Mduduzi says: I am grateful for this opportunity. I feel so confident to be part of this team and it has changed my life”.
You can contribute to MaAfrika Tikkun and the work that the youth leaders do by sponsoring your colleagues taking part in the Triathlon or going to the Belron® Just Giving page
