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SPORT NEWS - For the past 16 years, the non-profit organisation Dreamfields Project from Johannesburg has been setting up and running football and netball programmes in townships and rural schools.
Dreamfields was founded in October 2007 by John Perlman. It is a section 21 company, which is completely self-funded, so that all of the money contributed is spent in the target community.
With a four-year commitment from their funders, Roy McAlpine Charitable Foundation, Perlman and his team from Dreamfields started working their magic in the George area with 16 primary schools as their beneficiaries.
The head of sustainable programmes at Dreamfields, Silas Mashava, knows what it is to grow up without much - and also how important sport was for him as a schoolboy. Now he is paying it forward.
On Saturday 26 May, the project was formally launched at the Pacaltsdorp Rugby Stadium. The day started at 08:00 when each of the schools received DreamBags, one each for football and netball.
The DreamBags contain a full playing kit, boots or shoes, and shin guards for the football players. The total value of equipment handed over comes to R400 000.
The schools have already received bibs and cones for five-a-side football and mini netball, and 36 teachers and potential community coaches have joined their coaching workshops.
"At the moment we have 2 084 boys signed up for football and 1 645 girls registered to play netball.
"There was strong interest from the younger learners in Grades 3 and 4 - 1 049 boys and 859 girls - which bodes well for the future," said Perlman.
"We have run our first coaching workshop in George attended by 36 participants, a mix of teachers and potential community coaches. We are looking forward to growing dreams through sport in George for many years to come."
After the DreamBags were handed out on Saturday morning, the various schools competed against each other in friendly matches on the netball court and football fields.
PHOTO GALLERY: Dreamfields Project sets up football and netball programmes
Garden Route Primary in white and blue played against Tyholorha Primary School.
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