Hundreds of youth in Gugulethu are set to benefit from a R700 000 sports development programme initiated by the Principality of Monaco together with the City of Cape Town.

"This will be a tremendous boost to youngsters who dream of becoming international sports stars but lack the means," says Cllr Garin Cavanagh, Chairperson of the City's Amenities and Sport Portfolio Committee.

Other partners in the project include the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Global Forum, which runs a programme known as “We are the Future” (WAF).

The programme is dedicated to the development and protection of preschool children, as well as youth aged from 16 to 25 years. It also enables municipalities to establish sustainable community-based WAF centres.

"The World Global Forum has committed 100 000 US dollars for three years as operational budget for the WAF centre in Gugulethu. The aim of the partnership is to build on the municipality’s strengths and match it with the specific needs of the other partners,” says Gert Bam, the City's Director of Sport, Recreation and Amenities.

During a visit to Cape Town in July, a joint delegation of the UNDP and the Principality of Monaco visited various locations and interacted with the City of Cape Town, Provincial Government and the sports fraternity.

They then identified the NY49 sport complex in Gugulethu as a suitable location for the youth development initiative, which will operate in partnership with the City, Provincial Government and the Sports Council of Gugulethu.

"The NY49 sport is in need of major repairs due to years of budgetary constraints. The delegation agreed to commence the programme at the Ikhwezi Community Recreation Centre until the complex is restored to a functional state. This includes upgrading the dilapidated change room to accommodate multi-purpose usage around youth programmes," says Bam.

A meeting between the visiting delegation, the Principality of Monaco and the Gugulethu subcouncil took place on 18 September 2007. The next step will be for a partnership framework to be formally adopted.

Monaco is also supporting an Early Childhood Development Centre in Khayelitsha.

END

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DIRECTORATE:  COMMUNICATION

CITY OF CAPE TOWN

TEL:  021 400 2201

MEDIA QUERIES:

CLLR GARIN CAVANAGH

CHAIRPERSON: AMENITIES AND SPORT PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE

CITY OF CAPE TOWN

CELL: 082 453 8403

GERT BAM

DIRECTOR: SPORT, RECREATION AND AMENITIES

CITY OF CAPE TOWN

TEL: 021 400 5190    CELL:  084 222 1242