Community worker gives Sterkstroom youth a sense of belonging

Community developer Abulele Deon Frans, 33, dedicates his time to empowering the youth of Sterkstroom, teaching them literacy skills and improving their football abilities.

He established a non-profit organisation, Sterkstroom Youth Development Forum, in 2022, introducing children from the ages of seven to 13 to easy ways of learning to read and write.

“Our goal is to equip young adults and children with development skills such as literacy improvement and extra lessons for the children in the foundation phase, as well as business management skills for young adults.”

Frans is also the director of the non-profit Sterkstroom Fast Eleven Football Club, which has a youth team of 14-year-olds and a senior team of 18-year-olds.

The organisation currently has 168 beneficiaries, with 100 on the literacy development programme.

“Our management committee assists the children as some of us have post-matric qualifications and others who finished grade 12, and were then trained to qualify them to teach.”

Fifty of the children are members of the junior soccer team and 18 are members of the senior team.

“Many of these children do not have the means to go to university after they finish high school, and that is when they become idle.

“So to keep them occupied we motivate them to join in productive activities.

“When we have soccer tournaments, we normally ask our local shop owners to help us with snacks for the children, and they are always happy to assist.

“They do the same when we host literacy development workshops.

 “I started playing football in 2000 when I was 10; back then there were local football structures within the community.

“Since then I have been involved in football as a player and made it to various soccer divisions under Safa.”

In 2012, Frans  went to Johannesburg to study for three years, but when he came back he became aware of the team’s instability.

“I decided to step in and move the team forward.”

In July 2022, Frans registered the football team as a non-profit company with the aim of attracting funding and sponsorship.

“We secures funding from Doper Wind Farm, which we used to buy full soccer kits and boots for both the soccer teams; and then we looked for branding to give the kits that professional look.”

Now they were hoping to secure further sponsorships, he said.

“Even though everything is running smoothly, the response from the community remains our biggest challenge.

“Young people are reluctant to participate in developmental activities, which is disappointing.”

Frans said children wanted financial incentives to participate in community development activities.

“But we need them to understand that being part of a team can establish a sense of belonging.”

Frans said reaping the fruits of his labour was what fulfilled him.

“Seeing young people advance and participating in community development programmes makes me feel I have made a difference somehow, regardless of how small it might be. It is the change I love to see.”

He said he wanted the youth in his neighbourhood to take part in sport and other activities, rather than waiting for social relief grants and spending it inappropriately.

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