Whizkids United
We spent an afternoon with a program just outside of Durban, SA called Whizkids United. There will be a great formal article on www.thekickabout.org in the next couple of days that you should definitely check out. I will just give you some of my impressions from this visit as well as way too many photos.
Whenever I prepare blog posts, I agonize over trying to eliminate photos from the galleries. Today, I said what the heck, I’ll give ‘em them all. So first I want to apologize for all of the photos, I have a hard time killing my babies. That being said, there are some pretty good ones this go around so give them a look.
We turned up to the project site just before 11 am and got there just in time to meet up with small group sessions. They were doing role-playing scenarios of drug use and sexual encounters. I was surprised at the young age that this education took place before realizing that it was absolutely necessary at that age in an are where HIV/AIDS is so prevalent. We spent the day with the kids, playing, photographing and enjoying the camp program. If you want to know more about their programs, I urge you to read on www.thekickabout.org .
One of my campers from Camp Leelanau in northern Michigan just happened to be in Durban during our visit and I asked him to join us on the trip. He did and had an absolute blast, but was surprised to find that some of the kids were his age. They seemed so much younger than him.
We had a blast playing with the kids and visiting this project. Again please check out the Kickabout there is a great article up there.
- Sinkus
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- A small group discusses the activity they just completed.
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- A small group continues their discussion.
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- The kids looked sharp in their Castrol kits.
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- A young man strikes a ball during warm ups.
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- Each group puts together a newspaper. The sections include an HIV/AIDS section, a nutrition section and a children’s rights section. Each child is assigned to one section of the newspaper.
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- A picture of focus, one of the children works on the newspaper assignment.
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- One of the participants works on the newspaper.
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- Each section of the newspaper looks like these.
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- A young man poses with his section of the newspaper.
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- I assume that I did something stupid to elicit this laughter.
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- Alex, a friend of mine from Camp Leelanau, sits with some of the kids.
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- Showing off some skills.
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- One of Alex’s friends laughs while filming his coach do the Shakira dance.
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- Alex and his friend film some of the others dancing.
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- Posted up.
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- One of the kids does the limbo during a break.
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- Limbo! Limbo! Limbo!
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- Coach!
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- Jason and some of the kids have a chat on the side of the field.
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- I get a look. And a picture.
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- This young man, Ronaldo, is a talkative son of a gun.
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- I asked these kids what they wanted to be when they grew up. Left to right they answered: policeman, lawyer, politician, and businessman. Perfect.
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- The kids loved Jason’s hair.
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- Serious face.
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- Alex’s hair was also a novelty for these kids.
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- Alex and the kids watch a video.
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- Tag, you’re it for lunch!
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- The kids grub out on some food provided by the program.
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- The coaches draw numbers and names on the back of the jerseys.
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- The kids do the waka waka dance.
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- Shakira’s waka waka dance took Africa by storm.
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- Maria and Ashley walk along the shore of Lake Nasser on the Nile River in Wadi Halfa.
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- Towards the end of the program the kids played a match.
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- These kids could flat out play.
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- Football is here.
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- I feel a meg coming on!
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- The matches were pretty even. 1-1 and 2-1.
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- The girls celebrate a goal!
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- How do you celebrate a goal? Waka Waka!
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- Cuz this is Africa!
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- Woah!
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- Dusty football is a hallmark of Africa.
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- My new friend Tombesonge hung out with Jason and I for most of the afternoon.
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- Me and Tombesonge.
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- Silly kid.
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- I love this kid, I could take her home with me.
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- Jason and Tombesonge laugh after he teaches her to beatbox.
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- Ollie looking pretty serious.
Tags: Africa 2010, Castrol, Durban, Eli Sinkus, Kickabout, Kickabout Africa 2010, Lorrie Fair, Whizkids United, World Cup
Beautiful chitlins!!!
As for the number of photos– the more the merrier.
i agree with chloe…pics are my favorite part!
ps– was just browsing Reuters Pictures package of kids playing soccer in South Africa… yours are just as good. We need to get you some connections.
These are absolutely brilliant. My favourite is the cover shot of a kid in midair celebrating a goal with Stefan. Please come back and take more photos of WhizzKids!
These are good i am thinking of picking one for my monthly competition.