2009 September | Grootbos Foundation

On Monday 14 September, we received an unexpected visitor at the Gansbaai Communal Sports Centre. South Africa’s Minister of Home Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, paid a surprise visit to the Football Foundation’s youth sports programme in Gansbaai. She had been informed about the project by the South African High Commissioner to the UK, Lindiwe Mabuza.

Minister Dlamini-Zuma was amazed by the state-of-the-art facility that was put down in partnership by the Overstrand Municipality, Absa, Grootbos Foundation and the Western Cape Department of Cultural Affairs and Sport. The children and coaches were elated to meet her, and everyone received a hug from the Minister! With only 268 days left until the kick-off of the World Cup next year, many government, NGO, and private entities are looking at the local and international sector for funding support to build legacy projects like the Centre in Gansbaai.

There are two lovely new additions to our sports programme at the Gansbaai Sports Centre: Lena Jacobi and Hannah Pehle from Germany. Lena and Hannah joined the Football Foundation/Grootbos Foundation’s hockey project and will be coaching at the centre for the next 3 months.

Lena plays for the National German Women’s Hockey Team and Hannah for the u/21 German Women’s Hockey Team. Both of them play for the club ‘Rüsselsheimer RK’ in Germany. Lena is from Mainz and has finished her Bachelor studies in Aviation Management; Hannah is from Darmstadt and finished secondary school this year. Lena first came to know of the project through Michael Lutzeyer who invited the German Women’s Team out to Grootbos when they were playing in South Africa in January this year.

Welcome girls, its great to have such enthusiastic and skillful people on the team!

Training takes place Tuesdays & Thursdays 15:00 - 16:30 at the Gansbaai Sports Centre, children of all ages and schools are welcome. Contact: aneen@footballfoundation.co.za