Khayelitsha Pledge Drive

SAFDA (South African Flying Disc Alliance) has partnered with the NUTC and associated UPA members to help send three South African high school players from the Khayelitsha township to the 2005 National Ultimate Training Camp in Amherst, Massachusetts.

The three players representing South Africa at the NUTC will be Asanda Nanise, Asandile Ntshange, and Derrick Ntusume. We’ll put pictures and player profiles up this week. All three of them are incredibly psyched!

UPDATE

WE HAVE REACHED THE GOAL!! In the constantly changing world of summer airfare availability, our flight costs went up at the last second. Luckily, so did a couple of big donors! We have reached our goal!! Of the $6000 in pledges, we have collected $5700 with the final $300 waiting to clear. Thanks to all who have supported this cause and made it a success.

Goal: $6000.00 Please PAYPAL donations to: pledges@safda.org.za

Total Collected: $5700.00 95%!!!

What is the Khayelitsha High School Ultimate Program?

Khayelitsha is a township located approximately 30 minutes outside of Cape Town.  SAFDA began an ultimate program amongst high schools within the township back in 2000.  The program has been incredibly successful.  20 players from the Khayelitsha high school program represented South Africa in the Juniors Division at Worlds in Finland.  They received significant recognition for both their hard play on the field and their exceptional spirit off the field.

Why send them to NUTC?                                                       

Ultimate is still a developing sport in South Africa.  And yet, even in its development, it has reached a community that nobody would have guessed would take to the sport.  As it is, ultimate provides this group of township high schoolers with a community of friends and an outlet outside of school.  The goal of this pledge drive is to help maintain this success for years to come.  Sending a few members of this team will reap the following benefits:

Provide them with access to proper ultimate training

Motivate them and younger players in the future to get the chance to travel overseas

Allow them to transfer proper ultimate training back to their peers in South Africa

Allow them to more effectively begin the college ultimate program at South African universities.

Develop international contacts between American and South African high school students at the camp.

The NUTC is recognized as one of the premier training grounds for young ultimate players in the world. The Amherst camp runs in the center of one of the most active high school ultimate regions in the U.S. and attracts high school players from across the country.

Coordinators

Fundraising is being coordinated by the NUTC and SAFDA.

The individuals coordinating the project are:

Jit Bhattacharya                                     Matthew Shaer                                      Tina Booth

UPA Member – Boston DoG                   SAFDA                                                 NUTC

Jit1a@yahoo.com matthew@lateralshift.com tinabooth@hotmail.com

Contributors

Amherst Leisure Services, the recreation department of the town of Amherst, Massachusetts along with the NUTC is providing a generous scholarship that cuts the cost of the camp in half for each child!!  The international ultimate community is the primary source of funding for this project!  Please help us make it happen.