Local charity to build day-care centre in deprived area of Cape Town

Monday 27 April 2015

Nigel Pascoe, who set up Channel Island charity, Goal50, has recently returned from the latest charity trip to Heideveld in Cape Town, South Africa. Just before leaving for the trip Nigel received confirmation that the South African government has agreed to sell a plot of land so the charity can build a day-care centre.

Nigel started the charity after seeing the poverty and lack of hope facing many of the children in some Cape Town communities. He visited the GCU Soccer Academy set up by former street gang leader, Mario Van Niekerk, which at the time had around 500 pupils.

The Soccer Academy has evolved substantially since the early days. "Reformed gangster, Mario now employs 24 coaches and some 2,500 children are taught sports programmes at five school locations." said Nigel, "Soccer is still the primary focus but basketball, rope skipping and boxing also feature. I took footballs and football shirts with me, but the expansion of the charity’s work simply wouldn’t have been possible without the generosity of islanders."

Goal50's first property was purchased last November and while Nigel was in Cape Town discussions took place with architects and builders to modify the house for the care of children. Time was also spent on the social benefit side of the charity with regards to the Feeding Programmes and Job Creation schemes. This year Goal50 will provide in excess of 60,000 meals.

"The communities in the Cape Flats suffer severely with a massive drug problem which is one of the reasons why there are so few intact family units for the children to grow up in," said Nigel, "We spent time at a Drug Rehabilitation centre where Goal50 is providing a weekly meal for the 350 men. One of the most frequently used drugs is called unga. It is a mix of heroin, rat poison and cleaning fluids and causes permanent damage to the body of those people who take it."

On the trip, a new Feeding Programme was established at Khayalitsha, the largest of the townships where 1m people live in appalling conditions. Footballs and shirts were taken out from Channel Island businesses. Many of the boys play football in bare feet on the street 'pitches'. Often these pitches are created on tracks and roads. Goalposts were also donated.

Time was also spent at The South African Institute for Advancement. From now, the academy coaches will be able to develop their own skills as they continue to tutor hundreds of children in the after-school programmes.

Nigel Pascoe said there are still many challenges, but it’s pleasing to see that the work the charity is doing is making a difference, "This last trip was hugely successful. It is very humbling to see folk queue for a meal not knowing where the next one will come from. There is much to do but we have seen many improvements over the last four years we have been assisting the soccer school and I thank islanders for their generosity and urge people to continue supporting us."