Durban — With the hope of expanding the number of sporting codes offered to boys and girls in the INK (Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu) area by his NPO, Monarkhia Academy, founder Cebo Mzinyane said he was determined to thrive despite having limited financial support.
The academy, which focused on soccer when it started, now offers drama, filming and exhibitions, and with its social development division mentorship, life skills with an anti-drugs and anti-crime stance, as well as social cohesion during team talks after training and games.
On Saturday the academy will be hosting a film exhibition at the Lindelani Art Centre, which aims to teach township children and youth about the film industry and its careers.
“This event is going to be hosted jointly by Monarkhia Academy and Mirror World Production Company, which is known for its recent film Identity, which was recently screened at the Durban International Film Festival. The owner and director of Mirror World, Mr Siphakamiso Mafuleka, has established a partnership with Monarkhia as a way of giving back and empowering township children through his expertise,” Mzinyane said.
He said the academy also offered academic development and support, which essentially meant homework groups, tutorship, peer study support and career guidance. In addition, it had a division on moral regeneration, which hosted faith-based programmes and social cohesion programmes.
“Currently the academy is lacking financial resources and facilities for other sporting codes, but it is hoped that as its work continues to grow it shall attract sponsors who will help this vision grow. Nonetheless, this academy has been striving through limited financial support and in-kind donations from certain sponsors and personal funding from the founder and partners. More especially, we wish to acknowledge the councillor of ward 38, Mr Muzi Thusi, who has donated a soccer kit and also provided transport funding for our soccer team in certain instances,” he said.
While the NPO was officially registered this year, Mzinyane said that he, with the help of others, had been busy working with young boys and girls prior to 2022 after he noticed a mentorship gap in society in 2019.
He said he had been inspired back then during a children’s soccer match that he had facilitated in Lindelani. From there on Mzinyane decided to formalise the interactions in 2019.
Mzinyane, a University of KwaZulu-Natal graduate with a Bachelor of Science in electronic engineering, said that during the 2020 hard lockdown, he also initiated a WhatsApp group tutorship programme for Grade 12s studying maths and science.
“At that time I was assisted by Mr Qiniso Ngiba (who has a Master’s of Science in chemical engineering) in supporting children in their academia through WhatsApp during the hard lockdown. We are, and have been, dedicated to helping children with their school activities, such as homework and career guidance.”
Daily News