Kebonang Mogaadile

Nominee's Province:
North West

Age:
33

Project Name/Description:
Gatalenna Athletics Club

More info:
https://www.facebook.com/kebonang.mogaadile

Despite finding himself suddenly unemployed due to Covid-19, and having to depend on farming chickens in his backyard for income, Kebonang Mogaadile, 33, still makes time to use sport to develop youth in his community of Itsoseng township, in the North West. In 2020 he founded Gatalenna Athletics Club, and already the youth club has participated in track and field in the provincial championship. “Growing up in Itsoseng, I didn’t get a chance to play much sport because of limited resources and a lack of awareness about different sporting codes,” he says. “At varsity I got a chance to play sports and get involved in different outreach programmes.” This exposure to sport made Mogaadile, who is a BSc (Hons) graduate in Geology, from Wits University, to realise the importance of sports for his community and its potential role in building the nation. Establishing Gatalenna Athletics Club was also a way for him to help enhance social cohesion in the community and help keep the youth off the streets. “My mission is to use sports to raise awareness about social issues around our community and to develop young amateur athletes for the international stage,” he adds. Unfortunately, Covid-19 restrictions on gatherings made it difficult for the club to attract more people to attend fitness training and events. But he soldiers on.