Since August 2017, MasiSports has partnered with non-profit organisation (NPO), Masicorp. Both organisations are committed to assisting the positive development of the youth and residents of Masiphumelele. Masicorp is focused on education and MasiSports is sport and life skills dedicated.
The two organisations have agreed that MasiSports has now grown to such an extent that it should become and independent NPO. We already have our NPO registration number and will within a few months be fully certified. The Board and Exco are in place.
MasiSports started when Masicorp received a request from Mr Michael Tyhali, principal of Ukhanyo Primary School to assist in finding a coach who could help with their cricket. That is when I got involved.
I linked easily with Masicorp as education, sport and life skills are the answer to building the lives of young children to fulfil their potential. Masicorp had, from 2006, planned with Ukhanyo to build two astro turf sports fields in the vacant and dangerously potholed vacant field. They had been raising money for that venture amongst their other projects.
Masicorp has provided MasiSports (then named the MCC 750 Club in honour of their start-up capital funder) with financial, HR and marketing support. This has allowed us to issue tax certificates to our donors, provided us with monthly accounts and an annual report. Masicorp provided us with a soft landing into Masiphumelele with their contacts and advice.
Masicorp has been a key relationship that gave our programme momentum. That partnership will remain as strong as before and both organisations are committed to the development of the youth and residents of Masiphumelele. Masicorp, when our project was launched, erected the three cricket nets with the funds that had been collected for sport. That gave sport at Ukhanyo a real boost, along with the kit, equipment, coaches the MCC funding allowed, and life skills training provided by NPO, Coolplay. It was a heady start!
MasiSports’ success has been due to so many individuals and organisations. We want to offer our sincere thanks to the Rolf Nussbaum Foundation, Claremont, Newlands and Signal Hill Rotaries, The MCC Foundation, the cycle NPO quartet (CTCT/BenBikes/Quebeka,/PedalPower), Medical 10, Noordhoek Open Studios, Middlesex CC, Dragons and Perrins schools in the UK, Café Roux and our founding partners, the MCC, Masicorp and Coolplay. We have had so much support from individual donors in SA, UK, Australia and USA. We will always be in their debt as, without their support, we would never be able to do the work we do and achieve the impact that we aim for.
The latest donotion is from the Judith Neilson Foundation from Australia – more of that later this month.
We are in debt to so many people whose advice is sought and freely given, as they act as our ‘diviners’ ensuring that we stay on track in our quest. We are so grateful to have them as MasiSports mentors – John le Roux, Paul Harris, Ian Bell, Alex Hetherington (recently appointed Chairperson), Dennis Nick, Francois Pienaar, Phillip Hodson and Mike Brearley.
The growth and achievements of MasiSports in the last five years has been way beyond expectation. Sport is now (through the many artificial surfaced courts and fields) available to 3 500 learners. 1 910 learners now have weekly physical education classes and 800 attend regular practices. 27 teams represent the Ukhanyo Primary and Masiphumelele High. Importantly life skills sessions are conducted before each practice. 11 sport coaches combine with 11 educators from each school, to ensure that the sports and teams are well cared for and coached. The building of the school brands is vital as it gives the learners a belief in the school, with a strong sense of identity.
The announcement of the date of our first day as an NPO will be announced in the next two months.
Thank you to every person and organisation who continued to help change the lives of the youth and residents of Masiphumelele. May your support continue.