16 April 2007
Doctor Khumalo and Sven-Goran Eriksson support local soccer as the Gothia cup comes to SA
The world’s biggest annual youth football tournament is coming to South Africa in support of the Thanda Foundation’s Star School programme. The Gothia Cup has been played in Gothenburg, Sweden for the past twenty years with 1500 teams from all over the world participating annually. The tournament is open to boys and girls between the ages of 11 – 19, and over the years 730,000 youths from 124 different countries have participated in the tournament.
This year, with the support of the Thanda Private Game Reserve and the accompanying Thanda Foundation, South African teams from KwaZulu Natal are invited to qualify for the tournament to be held in Sweden in July. The winning team will be sponsored by SKF, the main sponsor of the Gothia Cup to travel to Sweden for the tournament.
The Thanda Foundation’s Star School project, an interactive and curriculum based HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention project involves some 40 schools in the area and all these schools are invited to take part in the Gothia Cup tournament and qualify for the trip to Sweden.
Through the support of Thanda Foundation and Star School, the South African qualifying quarter, semi finals, and finals will take place at Thanda Private Game Reserve on April 21st and 22nd.
The South African qualifiers for the Gothia Cup have support from top names within the local and international soccer fraternity. Lending his name and support to this project will also be local soccer legend Doctor Khumalo who will be in attendance on the day. Internationally the project also has the support of Sven-Goran Eriksson.
In addition to the soccer matches, on the 22nd there will also be live entertainment after the final from top Gallo recording artist Pro Kid and Swedish group Triple and Touch. Pro Kid, along with Triple and Touch have recorded an HIV/AIDS awareness song for the Star School project. This song, “Aids Free, That’s Me” represents the Star School message of living an AIDS free life. Triple and Touch have also recorded their own single with the various school choirs from the Star School programme. These choirs will also participate in the festivities along with Pro Kid and Triple and Touch in an exciting live concert event.
The weekend tournament will prove to be an inspirational event in the lives of the thousands of students who participate in the Star School project. All students, not just those on the soccer teams will benefit from this positive and exciting opportunity.
About Star School
Star School has placed key developers and life coaches into 40 schools in the KwaZulu Natal region and through counselling and training, it helps the youth to build up their inner strength through a number of ‘mental vaccinations’, in combination with spontaneous and regular activities.
The methods adopted by the Star School project have been effective in the training of top athletes and will run for a period of three years in each school as an integrated part of the daily schoolwork.
The teachers and school officials have a key role in the programme and work together with the specially educated Star School coaches.
Through their dedicated work, these coaches will help and support high school students in living an AIDS-free life. The response to the Star School initiative has been extremely positive. The students are excited to be part of the programme and, little by little, the face of AIDS is becoming more real to them and yet also less taboo, subsequently it is dealt with in a more open and honest way,
Children are realising that becoming HIV positive is something they can prevent and in turn, have begun taking responsibility for themselves. Children with the virus are shown ways of dealing with it whilst living their lives to the fullest. They are encouraged to hold onto their dreams and hopes and continue working and studying and that being HIV positive does not need to end their plans for the future.
Star School brings about a new identity for the participating youth. Through mental empowerment, the programmes can drastically change the way AIDS is affecting our children’s futures.
For more information contact: Anita Vernes on +27(0)11 465 0765 or anita.vernes@thanda.co.za
The world’s biggest annual youth football tournament is coming to South Africa in support of the Thanda Foundation’s Star School programme. The Gothia Cup has been played in Gothenburg, Sweden for the past twenty years with 1500 teams from all over the world participating annually. The tournament is open to boys and girls between the ages of 11 – 19, and over the years 730,000 youths from 124 different countries have participated in the tournament.
This year, with the support of the Thanda Private Game Reserve and the accompanying Thanda Foundation, South African teams from KwaZulu Natal are invited to qualify for the tournament to be held in Sweden in July. The winning team will be sponsored by SKF, the main sponsor of the Gothia Cup to travel to Sweden for the tournament.
The Thanda Foundation’s Star School project, an interactive and curriculum based HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention project involves some 40 schools in the area and all these schools are invited to take part in the Gothia Cup tournament and qualify for the trip to Sweden.
Through the support of Thanda Foundation and Star School, the South African qualifying quarter, semi finals, and finals will take place at Thanda Private Game Reserve on April 21st and 22nd.
The South African qualifiers for the Gothia Cup have support from top names within the local and international soccer fraternity. Lending his name and support to this project will also be local soccer legend Doctor Khumalo who will be in attendance on the day. Internationally the project also has the support of Sven-Goran Eriksson.
In addition to the soccer matches, on the 22nd there will also be live entertainment after the final from top Gallo recording artist Pro Kid and Swedish group Triple and Touch. Pro Kid, along with Triple and Touch have recorded an HIV/AIDS awareness song for the Star School project. This song, “Aids Free, That’s Me” represents the Star School message of living an AIDS free life. Triple and Touch have also recorded their own single with the various school choirs from the Star School programme. These choirs will also participate in the festivities along with Pro Kid and Triple and Touch in an exciting live concert event.
The weekend tournament will prove to be an inspirational event in the lives of the thousands of students who participate in the Star School project. All students, not just those on the soccer teams will benefit from this positive and exciting opportunity.
About Star School
Star School has placed key developers and life coaches into 40 schools in the KwaZulu Natal region and through counselling and training, it helps the youth to build up their inner strength through a number of ‘mental vaccinations’, in combination with spontaneous and regular activities.
The methods adopted by the Star School project have been effective in the training of top athletes and will run for a period of three years in each school as an integrated part of the daily schoolwork.
The teachers and school officials have a key role in the programme and work together with the specially educated Star School coaches.
Through their dedicated work, these coaches will help and support high school students in living an AIDS-free life. The response to the Star School initiative has been extremely positive. The students are excited to be part of the programme and, little by little, the face of AIDS is becoming more real to them and yet also less taboo, subsequently it is dealt with in a more open and honest way,
Children are realising that becoming HIV positive is something they can prevent and in turn, have begun taking responsibility for themselves. Children with the virus are shown ways of dealing with it whilst living their lives to the fullest. They are encouraged to hold onto their dreams and hopes and continue working and studying and that being HIV positive does not need to end their plans for the future.
Star School brings about a new identity for the participating youth. Through mental empowerment, the programmes can drastically change the way AIDS is affecting our children’s futures.
For more information contact: Anita Vernes on +27(0)11 465 0765 or anita.vernes@thanda.co.za