Local charity making an impact
The Happy Africa Foundation and Africa Impact is making an impact in Cape Town.
People from all over the world, pay to volunteer in different countries with these organizations.
The Happy Africa Foundation, in Trill Road, is the charity that the volunteers donate their money to.
They are registered in several countries, with the head office located in Cape Town. Africa Impact is the business that the people pay to volunteer for. When the volunteers come to Cape Town, Africa Impact provides accommodations for them.
This includes housing in Observatory, food, transport, and full time staff support. Volunteers can choose from different local projects they are passionate about, such as working with orphans, schools, or sports.
The Happy Africa Foundation holds fundraises for these projects, and Africa Impact provides the volunteers.
Tom Everett is the business manager of the two organisations, and acts as the link.
One of the projects that the organisations assist with is the Street Sports Tournament. It is held every Friday, and it is a competition of soccer and cricket between local children.
The tournament is held in Khayelitsha, Langa, and Masiphumelele, during the fourth term of the school year.
The players play in the street that is legally blocked off from drivers by the city of Cape Town.
Each region runs its own league, and the top four teams from each region do a final tournament. Sporting Chance, another local NGO, organises the tournament and provides coaches.
The Happy Africa Foundation and Africa Impact also provides fundraising and volunteers.
The tournament was formed in efforts to give local children an opportunity to play sports competitively. "They're taught all these sports in school, and there really isn't many organised sporting leagues. This is like a cool outlet for them to use their skills and have fun" says Tom Everett.
Some of the players from the league have gone on to play at local schools including Western Cape Sports School.
Others have gone on to play for the Western Province League for cricket.