BULAWAYO - As the whole world reverberated to life with the start of the Soccer World Cup last week in South Africa, Amakhosi Township Square also started a World Cup Festival that is running concurrently with the soccer showcase till the final. (Pictured: Future soccer players)
Amakhosi, the cultural centre of Bulawayo, decided to bring the World Cup closer to people by allowing children in and around the city to imitate events that would be going on in South Africa.
The festival would see the children winning prizes every time the team of their choice plays and wins. They also win a grand prize if their team reaches the finals.
In an interview, the Chairman of Amakhosi Trust, Cont Mhlanga, said the cultural centre had decided to run a festival in which children under the age of 12 formed teams inspired by countries taking part in the World Cup.
He said the Township Square had gone out to primary schools around high density suburbs of Makokoba, Mzilikazi, Nguboyenja, Thrngroove among others, from where they invited children and tasked them to select a team that they felt would win the cup from the 32 participating countries.
The children who selected a similar country automatically made a team and would imitate stars from that particular country.
All the 32 countries have a kids team at Amakhosi and also play a similar match against similar opponent on the same day that particular match plays in South Africa, he said.
Hosts South Africa, were held to one all draw by Mexico while the local Bafana Bafana beat Mexico 2-1.
The Bafana Bafana childrens team won US$10 for winning their match and could have got an extra US$5 bonus had the real Bafana Bafana beat Mexico.
The same is expected to happen with all other fixtures up to the final on which the winning team would get US$20.
Amakhosi was doing this in support of talent in the townships.
Mhlanga said it was after the realisation that the same children who played street soccer in imitation of soccer stars were the great future footballers.
However, Mhlanga said the biggest challenge in engaging the children had been that some of them were not aware of the teams and players in the World Cup.
This resulted in the township square teaching them on the teams and players. The children had also selected coaches from among themselves.
Post published in: Football