Natal Portland Cement (NPC) a member of Inter-cement, in partnership with Sportstec and the Eastern Cape Department of Basic Education (DBE) have developed and implementation a Sport for Development intervention in the Eastern Cape.

The programme was aligned to ensure that it met the needs of education in general, but more specifically, provide support to reinforce messages highlighted in the National Curriculum Policy Statement (CAPS) within the Life Orientation curriculum.

The intervention provided high school learners with the opportunity to participate in physical activities within their school, which is fundamental to their holistic development. Learners are given the opportunity to develop leadership skills by implementing inter class football tournaments within their schools, aligned to a life skill message.

These life skill messages address some of the social issues learners are faced with within the schools and thereby equip them to make healthy lifestyle choices. Examples of life skills messages addressed include bullying, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, gender based violence etc.

To ensure both the success and sustainability of the programme, it was imperative for the programme to be aligned to DBE objectives thereby ensuring it received the required buy in at stakeholder level and was therefore institutionalised.

Considering the above, multiple meetings and communications took place between Sportstec and DBE. DBE played a vital role in ensuring schools were been briefed about the programme and DBE officials assisted Sportstec in coordinating meeting dates, training dates and inter school events.

The programme was implemented in both Mount Frere and Umtata. Umtata was a new addition to the programme and was received exceptionally well by both DBE and schools.