Developing Vulnerable Kids Thru Sport South Africa

Thank you for supporting Sithembiso! 

Sithembiso joined United Through Sport in Primary School as he was a standout rugby player in our Keep Active Programme. As a result of his skill and talent, he was selected as one of the United Through Sport team members that traveled to the United Kingdom on a rugby tour, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. We selected fourteen of our under 13 rugby players to play in a Rugby Festival. The festival, organized by charity partner Touraid, gave our kids an amazing opportunity to travel out of South Africa for the first time and experience a totally different culture. The flight overseas on route to the rugby tour was the first time that Sithembiso had ever been on an airplane.  In his words, his love for flying and being in the air began there and then.   

“My love for flying came from flying to the United Kingdom, which was extremely amazing. I will be forever grateful for what United Through Sport has done for me.” 

The experience inspired Sithembiso to dream big and pursue becoming a pilot. Through the support that we receive from generous donors like you, Sithembiso has been able to pursue his pilot's license, in 2021 he proudly obtained his Commercial/IR pilot license and he is now working towards completing his remaining flying hours in order to graduate. We are hoping that Sithembiso will be able to complete his last remaining flying hours in 2022.

Thank you for supporting Sithembiso’s dream, we are looking forward to sharing more success stories with you this year! 

Thank you for continuing to support United Through Sport, we are proud to share some of the success stories from our School of Excellence program!

The School of Excellence program supports high school students with full scholarships to the top high schools in the Nelson Mandela Bay area. The students are provided opportunities to access quality education, tutoring and mentorship. 

We have had a number of standout students this year that have shown commitment to their schooling, resilience and strong goal-directed behaviors. 

Lithemba is one of these standout students, he is currently in Grade 11 at Alexander Road High School on a full scholarship. Although he has found transitioning to an academically rigorous school difficult, he has shown resilience and commitment to his goals. This year, he has shown improvement in his grades and he continues to be persistent in his improvement. He continues to seek out help from teachers when he needs it and we are proud of his tenacity. 

He is also a strong sportsman and currently plays first-team rugby and handball for Kempa United Handball Club. Through sport and the opportunities provided through the School of Excellence program, he has been able to meet like-minded people and make friends. 

"Although the journey has been tough, it is not an excuse for me not to work hard to get to where I want to be one day. The support I get from United Through Sport helped me realize through hard work and persistence, I can keep going." -Lithemba

Trent is another standout School of Excellence beneficiary. He started Grade 10 this year on a full scholarship. He wants to study medicine after high school and he is currently on track to reach his goal. He puts a lot of time and effort into his studies and he is determined to reach his goal. He is also a standout hockey player and he is very passionate about the sport. 

Caitlyn is another School of Excellence beneficiary, she started Grade 9 at Pearson High School this year, one of the top high schools in the country. This year, she continues to be a stand-out student and is excelling in her academics. Her teachers are impressed by her work ethic and performance! Although the transition from primary school to high school can be difficult, Caitlyn has shown her tenacity and grit to excel in a new environment. Not only does this show in her academic achievements but she is also a standout on the hockey field, playing 16B hockey this year for the school. 

Thank you for supporting our beneficiaries and giving them opportunities to attend top high schools.