Proposed Multi-Sport Court in Nelson Mandela Bay, South Africa
Background
Astra Primary School is located in Bloemendal in the heart of the impoverished communities of Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Bay. It provides schooling for 1150 children between the ages of 5 and 14. The area has a high level of unemployment (60%) leading to a very low average household income of R1 200 (£55) per month. As a result of the widespread poverty in the area, drugs and gang culture have become rife, with children seeing little opportunity or alternative to progressing out of the cycle of suppression.
Junior School of Excellence
United Through Sport’s Junior School of Excellence Programme is hosted at Astra Primary School. The school has produced some excellent academic and sporting candidates over the years and offers an environment of safety and positivity and a beacon of hope for many young children growing up in the community. The Junior School of Excellence Programme offers a structured after-school sports, life-skills, academic and personal development programme and a safe environment to channel the children’s energy into positive personal development. Through this programme and their developed sporting ability, many of the Junior School of Excellence children manage to obtain scholarships through United Through Sport’s Senior School of Excellence and attend top schools in the suburbs of Port Elizabeth. This is the first major step for these children to get out of the negative socio-economic cycle they are in. The Senior School of Excellence programme has a consistent 100% pass-rate with most of the graduates furthering their tertiary studies after school.
Planned Development
To continue to develop children to the highest level and give them an opportunity to rise above their surroundings, they need to have access to quality facilities to enable them to compete with their more affluent counterparts. United Through Sport is fundraising to build a Multi-Sport Court for training activities at Astra Primary School.
The court, a four-in-one facility where netball, basketball, tennis and 5-a-side-soccer can be played, would be to the benefit of the entire community as children from surrounding schools who take part in the Junior School of Excellence Programme, will also make use of the court.
The size of the proposed multi-purpose court will be 32.5m x 18m (106.6ft x 59.04ft). The total square meterage is 585m₂ (6293.66ft₂).
The cost of the court will be approximately £29,500 (R500 000).
Cost of one square foot is £5 and one square meter £50.
