Launch of the Gary Kirsten Foundation Centre of Cricket Excellence
On 29 February 2020, RSAWEB attended the official launch of The Gary Kirsten Foundation Centre of Cricket Excellence at Chris Hani Secondary School in Khayelitsha. This project includes a full-size artificial field, where GKF players from Khayelitsha and Rondebosch Primary mixed their teams and had their first match that ended in a tie off the last ball.
In the near future, an indoor training centre will also be built, where RSAWEB will supply the staff and coaches with free connectivity, so they can focus on what they need to do without worrying about slow and unstable internet.
The GKF is creating a truly world-class hub for Township cricket and the new infrastructure will help to unlock the untapped potential of young cricketers in the area. Township schools like Chris Hani Secondary in Khayelitsha have not been able to compete against mainstream schools because they have had limited sporting infrastructure and training opportunities. This infrastructure not only creates opportunity for the children of Chris Hani Secondary, but for the community as a whole. Gary Kirsten mentioned in the opening speech of the day, that this does not only create future opportunity, but also prevents the students from getting involved in negative activities after school.
Since 2015 RSAWEB has been connecting classrooms, and now sports fields, to the rest of the world with free Internet connectivity. We believe that every child has the right to Internet access and have been working closely with some of our fibre providers to make this a reality. Through this initiative we’ve opened a world of possibilities for five schools who were sorely lacking resources, providing them with the tools they need to offer computer classes, do research and improve their admin systems with online tools.
This is just the beginning of an exciting partnership for both RSAWEB and the GKF as Gary Kirsten says: “It is an ambitious project and a very expensive one, and it would be impossible without the right partners. Connectivity will be important as we will be running Township Coach Development sessions at the Centre and our coaches and players need access to online coaching and life skills content to improve their skills. Huge thanks to RSAWEB to coming on board for this project and we look forward to working with them further in growing this partnership!”. This is just another way that RSAWEB is “connecting tomorrow “.
About the Gary Kirsten Foundation
The focus of the Gary Kirsten Foundation, through Gary Kirsten Cricket, is on the creation of sporting ecosystems and healthy alternatives for township communities by providing quality infrastructure that is safe and accessible to people in the townships. South Africa has a rich sporting culture and has produced many great cricketers, however, there is a lack of Black African cricketers being represented in the South African domestic, first-class and international cricket structures. The aim of these cricket and coaching development initiatives it to ensure that they will produce results, are sustainable and enrich the lives of the community. Cricket clubs and schools located within township areas are central to the success of aspiring youngsters who wish to become professional cricketers. The GKF is partnering with Chris Hani High School in Khayelitsha to build an excellent indoor cricket facility. GKF is a PBO.
About RSAWEB
Established in 2001, RSAWEB is a founder-managed business with a passion for helping South Africans navigate technology. RSAWEB services home users, small to medium business and large enterprises; offering numerous products, spanning the four pillars of Connectivity, Cloud, Mobile and Security. Our core network has an intercontinental footprint and, paired with our partnerships with global technology and software vendors, enables the delivery of a full suite of ICT products and services to your business. Working with you, the incredible team of skilled experts here at RSAWEB use our strong product portfolio to build solutions that help you overcome your challenges, identify opportunities for growth, reduce risk, comply with industry regulations and manage the costs of your technology spend. Your digital journey starts here.
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