On 26 March, the Philippi community will unveil a renovated soccer pitch to coincide with a scheduled visit by the King and Queen of Belgium.
After years of neglect, the original playing field has been transformed with the assistance of the Belgian Chamber of Commerce and the Belgian Consul General in Cape Town. The pitch will now be included as part of the Philippi Village hub.
Despite having 32 soccer clubs associated with the South African Football Association, Philippi has, until now, only had a few functioning fields for the players to train on.
‘When we learned about the situation, we decided we needed to do something,’ says Mathias Bogaert, Consul General at the Consulate General of Belgium in Cape Town.
The consulate has previously worked with Philippi Village – a mixed-use development hub – in community projects, including areas of vocational training, digital training, COVID-19 prevention and street art.
The consulate began fundraising for the project at the beginning of the year, reaching out to the Belgian business community in South Africa for support.
So far, the soccer field has been levelled and new goalposts are being added. The completion of the grass pitch is still underway, and work will continue after the state visit.
As well as financing the rehabilitation of the field, the fundraising helped secure soccer kits and equipment for the community’s players.
‘We are thrilled to provide the community with this sports facility, and know that children and adults alike will make full use of it,’ says Ntsikelelo Qinga, community liaison at Philippi Village.
‘Soccer is one of the great connectors, with the power to engage, inspire and uplift.’
Also read: Multi-purpose community-run centre, ROOtZ, opens in Philippi to empower youth
In collaboration with renowned urban artist Wayne Bks, the South African-Belgian creative studio Baz-Art has worked to add another touch of vibrancy to the field.
‘From the streets to the fields around the world, soccer has become an integral part of daily life for many people,’ says Alexandre Tilmans, director of Baz-Art.
‘The painting captures the simple joy and pleasure that comes with playing soccer, as well as the way that it can bring people together regardless of age, gender, or background.’
Brazilian soccer legend Pelé was the inspiration behind the painting, says Tilmans, speaking of the player who went from growing up in poverty to being one of the highest ranking footballers of all time.
‘The artwork serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of this game.’
‘It is our hope that the soccer field will serve as a space within the community of Philippi where our children can play safely, and enjoy the benefits of a fully-equipped sports facility in their neighbourhood,’ adds Qinga.
‘And who knows, maybe it will be the birthplace of the next soccer legend.’
Keep an eye out for the field’s unveiling on 26 March. To help support this wonderful initiative, click here.
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Picture: Belgian Chamber of Commerce SA