Ten South African families living in Hong Kong raised the funds during the South African Consulate in Hong Kong, Ms Tembi Tambo’s awareness campaign, the ‘Makaraba Mini World Cup’, with the sole purpose of providing much needed soccer equipment to those less privileged.
The mini tournament held in Hong Kong was a carbon copy of the FIFA 2010 World Cup, with 32 teams partaking. The young team who chose to be represent Bafana Bafana made it through to the quarter finals were they narrowly lost to ‘Nigeria’ (0-1). "The boys played with their hearts and soul in Hong Kong to raise these funds," explained Georgia Jillings, one of the ex-pats. She explained that all ten families have either lived or have holiday homes in the Knysna / Plettenberg Bay area and therefore wanted to do something special for the children in this area. "The South African families living in Hong Kong are delighted to be able to contribute in this way, and we are sure that the children of Hornlee Primary School are keen on soccer and are thus given a chance to emulate their heroes in Bafana Bafana," said Jillings. She expressed her appreciation to The Sports Trust who facilitated the buying and delivering of the kit to the school. Cameraman Greg Nelson from Super Sport, a supporting partner of The Sports Trust, was on hand to document this happy occasion.
Excitement at Hornlee School
Four boys, now living in Hong Kong who had played in the ‘Makaraba Mini World Cup’, Richard Jillings, Matthew, Garth and Ronan Reynolds, arrived at the Hornlee Primary School accompanied by their mothers, Georgia Jillings, Lauren Reynolds and grandmother, Sophie Reynolds, to hand over the much needed soccer kit. Several balls, shirts, shorts and socks were handed over at a special ceremony on Thursday, July 29.
"I am so happy to hand over this kit and the balls and I think more people in the world should do this sort of thing because it is unfair that some children aren’t as lucky as we are," said Richard Jillings (11). Hornlee Primary School principle expressed his happiness saying, "Nobody wants to donate anything to us and we are so excited to have you (the families) here with us today."
Loud cheers resounded as the kit was unpacked and displayed for all the children to see. It was noticed that many children became extremely shy as Super Sport cameraman Nelson’s camera panned over the learners.
After the ceremony the under 11 and under 13 soccer teams took to the field, under the eye of the Super Sport camera, in their brand new kit to play a friendly seven-a-side match. "Perhaps this footage will come in handy should one of the boys become a big soccer name," a spectator was heard to say.
The boys who had travelled from Hong Kong joined the game, excitement evident on the faces of the players and spectators alike.
Lauren Reynolds expressed interest in adopting this school and asked for pointers to enable them to do just that. "We have seldom seen such happy, well-behaved children who have so little. We would really love to adopt the school and help where and if we can," she concluded.
Article: Fran Kirsten, Knysna-Plett Herald, sister newspaper of the George Herald.
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South African families with ties to the Knysna / Plettenberg Bay area, and who are now living in Hong Kong, raised funds during the South African Consulate in Hong Kong’s ‘Makaraba Mini World Cup’. These funds were used to purchase much needed soccer kit for Hornlee Primary School. Here Ronan Reynolds and his brothers, Garth and Matthew Reynolds as well as Richard Jillings pose with the u/11 and u/13 teams in their brand new kit.
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Delighted Hornlee Primary School learners smile at Super Sport cameraman, Greg Nelson.
