Our News December 2022
2022 – a year with many incredible stories of hope. Here are just two of our highlights:
The UBUKO Challenge
Meet Ubuko, a Grade 8 pupil at Selborne College, who was two years old when he was diagnosed with meningococcal septicemia. This led to gangrene and, sadly, Ubuko lost both his legs and several fingers. Not only has Ubuko had the challenges of adapting to everyday school life on his blades, but he only has his thumbs and an index finger to work with as well. As you can imagine this makes even the most basic of tasks, a massive challenge.
Despite all his challenges Ubuko continues to smile his way through it all. His attitude towards life is truly unmatched. Currently, in Grade 8 at Selborne College, Ubuko’s school has, literally, given him a hand.
Selborne College, led by their head boy, Bradley de Kock, and teacher, Jono Kruger, brought the school together to raise enough money for a robotic hand for Ubuko.
After numerous campaigns in aid of Ubuko’s cause: Tries for Lives, Row for Lives, Goals for Lives, Sets for Lives, Cycle for Lives and Run for Lives, including The Ubuko300, where several teachers and boys joined together to run from Gqeberha to East London to raise funds for the cause, they finally exceeded their target.
In total R660 000 was raised and the final handover was completed on 14 December 2022, with uBuko receiving the gift of a robotic hand from the Selborne community.
Meet the WP Prep U9s
This year the WetPups U9 Rugby and Hockey teams played for a cause bigger than just fulfilling a weekly fixture. This campaign provided their boys with a real-life experience
of how sport can be used to make a positive impact in society.
The U9 Rugby and Hockey boys played for the Grade R and Grade 1s at Primrose Park Primary School, through #SAunite NPC. The WetPups U9 boys proudly raised R32 777 so that they could build a Play Area and Jungle Gym for these children. They did not have the infrastructure in the community and the sporadic violence prevented them from playing in the parks. However, thanks to these purposeful U9s, these young children from Primrose Park Primary school can now have a fun space to play. Well done to these boys for activating generosity through Tries and Goals for Lives!
We continue to fulfill our mandate to see a culture of generosity, ignited by sport and fueled by authentic relationships, birthed in schools, in South Africa and beyond.
Reach out to the school in your community and encourage them to join the Sport for Lives
“Walk across the road” 2023 Campaign.
