Cape Town - Faizel Newman has made a big effort to help the Bonteheuwel youth strive for change.
He completed the Cape Town Cycle Tour at the weekend to raise funds for the Amy Foundation and two of its after-school programmes, at Mimosa Primary School and Bonteheuwel High School.
“I cycled my first Cape Town Cycle Tour because I believe that through the Amy Foundation sports programme, where I am a soccer coach, I can become a catalyst for change,” he said.
The 25-year-old was in the sports programme himself and is best placed to help the youth in the community.
“The programmes provide positive role models for the youth. I am one of those community role models,” Newman said.
Programme co-ordinator Liezel Solomons worked with Faizel when he was in the programme and watched him become a coach.
“He is doing so well in being the facilitator that he is, in keeping the learners safe and always motivating and encouraging these young boys. Faizel is changing lives,” she said. The Amy Foundation’s after-schools programmes help the youth stay away from drugs and gang violence, and provide a safe space for children to engage with one another.
The programmes offer extracurricular activities such as football and netball, arts and culture, and extra classes for foundation and intermediate phase learners.
Newman is determined to help at least one child remain in the programme.
“It costs R9 000 a year to keep one child in the Amy Foundation after-school and the youth skills development programme. Reaching my target will mean that one youth in the programmes will continue to be in the programmes comfortably,” he said
Newman raised R1 478.73 from the race but Solomons remains proud of the work he has achieved so far, and knows that he will continue to do so.
There is a BackaBuddy page available for making donations https://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/project/faizel-cycles-for-amy-foundation.