The Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation has officially announced the launch of its sports development programme on Thursday.
The Foundation was established in honour of Uyinene Mrwetyana, a slain University of Cape Town student that was tragically raped and killed by Luyanda Botha – a Clareinch Post Office employee, who dumped her body in Khayelitsha in August 2019.
The programme is aimed at fostering responsible and compassionate men as part of its youth development strategy to combat Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).
Foundation co-founding member Nomangwane Mrwetyana said the programme recognises the importance of addressing GBVF through comprehensive initiatives, including engaging young boys in the process of promoting positive masculinity.
“Our mission is to equip the youth that will become positive agents of change in their respective communities,” Mrwetyana said.
“Through the voice of the youth, we as the Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation Youth Development Programme are committed to playing our part in ensuring that young men are educated on the importance of countering toxic patriarchal values that affect our communities negatively.’’
Through the youth development goal, the foundation is committed to addressing the unique needs of young people by focusing on their psychosocial well-being.
According to the foundation, the sports development programme is an integral part of the efforts of specifically targeting young boys between the ages of 8 and 16 years.
Recognising the popularity of soccer in the community, the foundation is set to initially concentrate on developing soccer skills among 48 boys from two sub-areas of Qina Location in Centane.
