Prior to Australia’s opening game versus Germany in the FIFA World Cup 2010 held in Durban on Sunday 13 June (South Africa time), the Australian Minister for Sport Kate Ellis MP was attending a more collaborative German-Australian football encounter in Gamalakhe (a township close to Margate 130 kilometres south of Durban).

The event, held on Saturday 12 June (South Africa time), was a football tournament showcasing Australia and Germany’s joint initiative to promote life skills through sport for children in Kwa Zulu Natal.

The initiative is a joint collaboration between:

• the Australian Sports Commission’s Active Community Club (ACC) program, supported by the Australian Sports Outreach Program
• the Youth Development through Football (YDF) program carried out by the German Technical Assistance Agency (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit) (GTZ)
• the local implementing partner of the ACC program and YDF program in Kwa Zulu Natal and Eastern Cape, Imvomvo, a local non-government organisation.

Over the past six weeks, using Australian and German expertise from their ACC and YDF programs, Imvomvo has run a football tournament in Gamalakhe combined with life skills lessons, focusing on HIV/AIDS prevention. The aim is to empower children to take charge of their lives and shape them in a positive manner. The event represented the culmination of the six week tournament and life skills program.

The Australian / German joint initiative demonstrates a commitment to use sport as an effective platform to contribute to community and social development for people living in disadvantaged communities in South Africa.

Research conducted by the University of Johannesburg using the Sport in Development Impact Assessment Tool indicates that the ACC in Gamalakhe has contributed to a wide variety of individual and community benefits, including:

1. Affording opportunities for participation in different sporting codes and life skills.
2. Developing sport skills, increasing participation in community activities and improving
   relationships with parents.
3. Increases in health, fitness and a sense of well-being.
4. Recognition of young people in the community as leaders and role models.
5. Enhancing the employability of young people.

The Australian Government’s Australian Sports Outreach Program works in partnership with local authorities and communities in developing countries to deliver inclusive sports programs that help strengthen communities.