By KOPANO MONAHENG
Not every girl will become a professional footballer. Some will grow up to be engineers, entrepreneurs, scientists, teachers or leaders in many other fields. What matters most is that every girl is given the opportunity, encouragement and resources to pursue her dreams.
That is the vision shared by the Simphiwe Dludlu Foundation and female Black-owned PR agency M-Sports Marketing.
As part of their Mandela Day 67 Minutes initiative, the two organisations partnered to empower young female athletes in Gauteng.
The engagement programme was held at Safe-Hub Alexandra on 18 July, with the aim of creating opportunities for girls to succeed both on and off the field.
Former Banyana Banyana captain and current South Africa U17 and U20 women’s national team coach Simphiwe Dludlu said the foundation was created to help bridge the gap for young women who need support to achieve their goals.
“I said to myself, I want to establish the Simphiwe Dludlu Foundation so that we can invest in women and bridge that gap. If you need us to help raise funds for a bursary or support you in pursuing your dreams, we’ll help you,” she said.
Established in 2018, the Simphiwe Dludlu Foundation aims to create opportunities for young women to thrive through sport, education and personal development.
Dludlu acknowledged that while not every girl’s dream is to play professional football, many young girls across South Africa aspire to wear the jersey of a top club or represent Banyana Banyana.
She believes those dreams can become reality through determination, hard work and the support of parents, coaches and communities.
Dludlu stressed that empowering girls is not about sidelining boys, but about recognising that many girls still face barriers to opportunities in sport and education.
By investing in girls and supporting their talents, she said, South Africa can help unlock their full potential.
Her message to the young people was clear: every girl deserves the chance to dream big, and with the right support, she can achieve remarkable things.
