AKANI DIEPSLOOT FOUNDATION

A facility based on the outskirts of Dieplsoot that offers an avenue of success in a town full of potential.

•Akani, a Shangaan word which means ‘to build’.

•Akani strives to make a difference in the lives of these children, with a vision of nurturing them spiritually, mentally, physically & emotionally, enabling them to become informed, balanced & productive citizens of our country.

•Akani provides a Foundation Phase school, as well as an Aftercare centre for hundreds of children from the Diepsloot community, which is situated 6km north of Fourways.

•Akani has set up a sports programme which utilises the Akani field as well as the Bophelong.

•Soccer is the main focus but there is a high interest in other sports.

About Akani

For most of these kids, Akani provides a safe environment where they are looked after and taught values and morals.

Akani keeps the boys off the streets and keeps them away from bad influence's such as alcohol and drugs.

The dream for most of these boys is a hope for a better tomorrow and to achieve their full potential.

Many of the boys come from unstable home situations and have no real role models or mentors.

The main objective of this programme is to instil confidence and self belief in each player.

The Dream for these boys.......

I have been involved in the coaching, development and funding of the academy for over 3 years and it has never stopped growing since

implementation of the team into a professionally run league

awarding of a container that was transformed into a library and technology centre

with the resources available to them they have turned Akani into a breeding ground for young talent

If this is what the academy has achieved with limited resources, what do you think can be achieved if we provide them with the right resources on a constant basis?

But what I want to narrow this down to is a specific team, and tell you a story this is worth being a a part of. The U15 team, made up of boys from different backgrounds and different home lives

but all with a vested interest in the game of football.

These boys sacrifice going out at night where the harsh streets offer many negative influences, to train at Akani every night of the week on a pitch with barely any grass.

They are led by 2 coaches that have committed 100% of their time to the boys. At any point these coaches could up and leave and find a job that pays more but out of absolute love for the boys they stick to their side with a constant goal to help ensure a brighter future for these boys.

What this team has achieved in 2015 has caused everyone to stand and take notice of this small named, lucky to be here academy. Against all odds the Akani u15’s finished top of the rand central league. This is a league containing teams like Dainfern, sporting, st peters and even Randburg, teams that have access to world class facilities and clean cut practice pitches

This then led them to the cup competition which saw them battle the top sides of Gauteng and not only did they fight to win every ball in every game, they annihilated opponents with their quick, one touch, high pressure style of football.

This saw them reach the final where they would play at St Peters College, one of the most prestigious sports facilities in SA.

Now what do you get when you match players that train day in and day out on uneven pitches with a field fit for any professional team?

You get a performance worthy of national interest

The team ended up winning the final 4-2 to claim the Gauteng Cup and be crowned champions of the province.

But....when all is said and done, what do you have?, you still have the uneven pitch, the broken cones & balls, the tough home conditions...

but what you also have is belief, the belief in each of these boys that no matter where you come from or how disadvantaged you may be, hard work and dedication really does pay off.

Now imagine, this academy growing even more, improving on all levels, coaches, staff, facilities and fields, if we limit these boundaries as much as possible imagine the possibility for pure success, the chance for these boys to make an impact great enough for big teams to take notice. And what this all leads to is an opportunity for a few of these boys to get a chance at a brighter future outside of Dieplsoot.

The bubble that surrounds these underprivileged communities seems unbreakable and forces those within it to live by its boundaries. What we need is for someone to burst this bubble and provide the help needed to build a platform for these kids to grow out of and explore the beauty of limitless opportunities.

Being a part of the Akani story will provide your brand with something raw but full of potential. It will allow you to build something from the ground up and use this in a marketing campaign. This is a story ready to be written and you have the opportunity to be the author

There are many organizations that need help but there are very few with the justifiable potential Akani has to do well. This academy is waiting for someone to be a part of their already admirable history and it won’t be long for someone to take notice, especially because of the impact caused this year alone.

Akani has a very loyal and professional management that deeply cares about these boys. This includes being trustworthy with all donated funds as well as being more than competent to work with.

The academy is a registered NPO with all certified documentation. This limits the risks involved in sponsoring and you may claim tax back. Another NB factor is the goodwill your brand will gain from partnering with an underprivileged academy but also one that is registered and established.

This is a mind full of limitless success story’s waiting to be told, all it needs is for someone to provide the pen and paper. Now, do you want to be a part of a project that will see real, tangible change take place?